Beijing, May 23 (CNS): According to the China Manned Space Agency, the Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft and the Long March-2F Yao-16 rocket combination was transferred to the launch area on the 22nd, and is scheduled to be launched in the near future.
On May 22nd, the Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft and the Long March 2F Yao-16 rocket combination was being transferred. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)
According to the 2023 "task list" of China's manned space program, after the launch of Shenzhou-16 this month, Shenzhou-17 will be launched in October. During this period, there is a particularly noteworthy focus, which is that the third batch of Chinese astronauts will step onto the stage of the space station. The astronauts of Shenzhou-16 and 17 missions will be the first to appear with two types of personnel, flight engineers and payload experts.
The third batch of reserve astronauts completed their selection in 2020.
According to the China Manned Space Agency on October 1, 2020, the selection of the third batch of reserve astronauts for China's manned space program has recently been completed. A total of 18 reserve astronauts (including 1 woman) have been finally selected, including 7 astronaut pilots, 7 astronaut engineers, and 4 mission specialists. They will become new members of China's astronaut team.
It is introduced that in order to meet the mission requirements of China's space station project, the third batch of reserve astronauts have added two categories, flight engineers and payload experts, on the basis of flight drivers. Among them, flight drivers and flight engineers are mainly responsible for directly operating and managing spacecraft and carrying out relevant technology experiments. Payload experts are mainly responsible for the operation of space science experiment payloads in orbit.
Astronauts are selected from active duty pilots in the Air Force, and aerospace engineers are selected from engineering and technical personnel engaged in aerospace engineering and related fields. Scientists in the field of space science research and application in manned spaceflight projects are selected as mission specialists.
Or it could welcome its first astronaut who is not a pilot.
At present, the crew members of the Shenzhou-16 mission have not yet been announced, and according to analysis, it is highly likely that the three-person crew will still be maintained.
It has been reported that since the successful launch of "Shenzhou-5", China has sent 16 astronauts, 26 times, into space, with the first batch of 9 and the second batch of 7 astronauts all having achieved spaceflight. It is expected that the Shenzhou-16 crew will still " Mentor the new with the old", led by the older generation of astronauts, and at the same time, the third batch of astronauts will make their first appearance, which will be one of the biggest highlights of this mission.
If the Shenzhou-16 and -17 crews include flight engineers and mission specialists for the first time, it means that for the first time, "astronauts" who are not pilot trained will go to space to carry out a mission.
"Load master" does not require pilot background
It is introduced that the payload expert is one of the astronaut types classified by the mission, referring to the scientific researchers who carry out scientific and applied research and other experimental work in the space station. In short, a payload expert is an astronaut who participates in the operation of space experiments. With the deepening of space science and technology activities, space science and technology activities are becoming more and more specialized, and thus the payload experts come into being. Payload experts do not require pilot background, but must have professional training and rich operation experience in the fields of science, medicine, engineering, etc., and are mainly responsible for the operation of related experimental payloads.
It is introduced that different countries call space astronauts participating in space experiments in different stages, such as the United States is called "scientist astronaut" in the Apollo lunar landing stage, and is called "load expert" in the space shuttle stage; Russia is called "research astronaut" in the和平号 space station stage, etc.
What are the requirements for selecting "load experts"?
On October 2, 2022, the China Manned Space Agency announced that in order to meet the needs of the subsequent flight missions of the manned space program, the selection of the fourth batch of backup astronauts in China has been recently launched. This time, a total of 12 to 14 backup astronauts will be selected, including about 2 payload experts.
It is reported that candidates for the payload expert need to have a doctoral degree in a relevant professional field, and have at least 3 years of experience in the relevant industry, and be between the ages of 30 and 45. Payload experts also need to meet certain physical requirements, with men's heights ranging from 162 to 175 cm, and women's heights ranging from 160 to 175 cm.