Yang Liwei's profile
Yang Liwei is a lieutenant colonel in the People's Liberation Army and a member of its Astronauts' Team.
Yang was born in June 1965 in Suizhong County of northeast China's Liaoning Province and joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) at 18. He is 1.68 meters tall, and weighs 65 kilograms.
He graduated from the No. 8 Aviation College of the PLA Air Force in 1987 with a bachelor's degree and became a fighter pilot. As a pilot, he has had 1,350 hours of flight experience.
In January 1998, Yang became a member of China's first team of astronauts.
He was selected as one of the finalists to be the country's first astronaut for his excellent performance in the five-year training.
First Chinese Astronaut
With a Long March-II-F carrier rocket pushing Shenzhou V into the orbit some 300 kilometers away from the Earth Wednesday morning, Yang Liwei, 38, turns out to be China's first astronaut in space.
At 9 am Wednesday (Beijing time), Yang, aboard Shenzhou V white in color, took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the Gobi desert in northwest China's Gansu Province.
He is expected to land somewhere on central Inner Mongolia grassland at 7 a.m. Thursday, after orbiting the earth 14 times. Yang will be traveling some 500,000 kilometers in space in 21 hours, a "traveler's record" in the world's most populous nation with a 5,000-year-old civilization.
When Shenzhou-5 entered orbit on schedule, the ground command center received a message sent by Yang from outer space, saying that "everything goes smoothly". His name, however, had remained unknown until 5 am Wednesday,
At 5 am sharp Wednesday, Yang was seen waving his hands to a group of journalists from inside a glass-shielded room at the Jiuquan launch center, with two other astronauts sitting beside him as "backups".
Yang, who looked calm, found himself in a shower of camera flashlights. He responded with a broad smile.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Yang expressed full confidence in China's first manned space flight.
Su Shuangning, director-general and chief designer of the astronaut system under China's manned space program, described Yang as a sober-minded person with a "superb capability of self-control".
While a fighter pilot, Yang had 1,350 hours of flight experience. He was chosen, along with 13 others, from among 1,500 pilots for space flight training.
Yang's colleagues described him as a man with a good team spirit, a man of dedication to his career. Friends at his hometown, Suizhong County of northeast China's Liaoning Province, remember that Yang had dreamed of flying when still a child.
Yang was recruited by the No. 2 Aviation College of the PLA Air Force in September 1983 and became a fighter pilot after graduation with bachelor's degree. In 1998, Yang became a member of China's first team of astronauts.
Yang, 168 cm tall, is a lieutenant colonel. He has an eight-year-old son, and his wife, Zhang Yumei, also serves in China's space program.
According to Su Shuangning, China's first team of astronauts are all capable of working and living in space thanks to five years of rigid physical, psychological and technical training. He said that Yang Liwei was one of the best in the team.
In an Astronaut Training Base in Beijing, China's would-be astronauts had lessons necessary for space flight, including aviation dynamics, air dynamics, geophysics, meteorology, astronomy, space navigation, design principle and structure of rockets and spacecraft, as well as equipment examination. Moreover, they received systematic training in space flight in simulators.
"To establish myself as a qualified astronaut, I have studied harder than in my college years and have received training much tougher than for a fighter pilot," said Yang.
If the spaceship's re-entry module could not land at the pre-set areas and the recovery team could not rush to the spot on time, the astronaut must act for self-rescue. "Therefore, survival skills have become one of the most important knowledge for the astronauts to grasp", said Su Shuangning. "Through rigorous training, our astronauts have learned how to survive under extreme conditions."
Twenty-five days before the launch of Shenzhou-5, the would-be astronauts started exercising in the real spacecraft at the Jiuquan Launch Center.
"When I boarded the spacecraft for the first time, I couldn't help feeling excited," Yang recalled. "I decided that I must fly it."
At 6:15 am Wednesday, Yang got seated in the re-entry module of Shenzhou-5, atop a 58.3-meter-high Long March-II-F carrier rocket. Between 1999 and 2002, Long March-II-F carrier rockets were used to launch four unmanned spacecraft into orbit, and all the launches were successful.
Yang Liwei Calls Family from Space
Yang Liwei told his family in a phone call from space he felt "very good" in space, which looks splendid, space officials said Wednesday.
"I'm feeling very good in space, and it looks extremely splendid around here," the 38 year-old astronaut told wife over the phone.
"I caught the sight of our beautiful home (the Earth) and recorded all what I've seen here," he told his "dear son" in the family chat which started at 7:58 p.m. (Beijing Time).
Prior to this family chat, Yang talked with Cao Gangchuan, Chinese defense minister, expressing his determination to strive to complete his tasks well and ensure the full success of the mission.
From his spacecraft in outer space, Yang said hello to people across the world.
Yang Back Home Safe
Shenzhou V landed at the preset primary landing area in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 06:23 Thursday (Beijing time), and China's first astronaut in orbit Yang Liwei walked out of the cabin. Yang has been confirmed to be in good health after a 21-hour space travel.
The spacecraft carrying the 38-year old lieutenant colonel lifted off at 09:00 Wednesday. Yang spent 21 hours in space traveling more than 600,000 km, as the 241st human being to visit outer space.
The Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center announced that China's first manned space flight a complete success.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has talked to Yang Liwei, congratulating him on his successful space flight.
"The spaceship operated well. I feel very good and I am proud of my motherland," Yang said.
(Xinhua News Agency)
Memorable 21 Hours in Outer Space
38-year-old Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut who spent 21 hours in space told the Xinhua News Agency about his memorable journey on October 16.
Reporter: Today, you've just returned to earth after accomplishing your mission and came back to Beijing by a special plane. How do you feel now?
Yang Liwei: I felt the same when I got off the plain as before I took the task. I took a rest after returning to the astronaut dorm. Later I took about 50 minutes to take body examinations, including electrocardiogram, type-B ultrasonic diagnosis and blood exams. The doctor said everything is ok. Before being interviewed, I took a bowl of porridge. Generally speaking, I feel good. Just like my expectation as before, no discomforting feeling.
Reporter: When were you appointed the first Chinese astronaut from the finalist? What did you think at the moment?
Yang Liwei: I got the news that I was selected the first spaceman at the night of Oct 14 (the eve before the launch day). Actually, we three had all well prepared for the first manned space flight. I thought I was so lucky and, besides, I promised myself to make every effort to complete the task. I was calm then and had no distracting thoughts. I fell asleep at 8 pm and was woken up by the doctor at 2 am next morning. Later on, I ate some noodles and dumplings and read the working procedure again. I set out at 5:20 in the morning.
Reporter: What did you do when Shenzhou V was lifting off and during the flight? How did you feel then?
Yang Liwei: When the spaceship was launching, I had a strong feeling of high-gravity with the biggest moment reaching 5G. When the spaceship separated from the rocket, I suddenly got a feeling of soaring to the sky due to zero gravity, while I still lay half on the chair. By doing so, the fixed camera could shoot my whole body and people could see me on the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center. In fact, during the flight, I for many time floated in the cabin, for instance, when I was shooting outer space. Besides, during the whole flight, I felt the air was very comfortable in the cabin. The temperature is good, about 22 degree centigrade. There were very few floaters. One hour and 37m after the spaceship entered orbit, I took my first meal in outer space. Then, I had two meals every seven or eight hours later, including little moon cakes, fish bolus and many others. In a word, I was pretty calm and in good condition during the flight. I fulfilled my work entirely in line with the working procedure. Sleep and my appetite were good. Moreover, I also wrote down seven of eight papers of experience according to actual flight situations. In the next several days, I'll sort out the minutes of the notes and give them to my colleagues. The experience will be conducive to manned space flights in the future.
Reporter: As the most important phase, the successful landing and the safe return of the astronaut are the final marks of a successful manned space flight. How did you feel at that time? Would you please tell me something about when you were coming back to earth?
Yang Liwei: I felt the ship was pushed forward when it ignited. Then, I began to come back to earth. I thought it was too short to stay in the outer space and I cherished the time very much. I could not help watching the beautiful earth one more time.
When the spaceship uncovered its parachute, I felt the ship shaking heavily. The skin of the spaceship was glowing red. But the inside control system was still working well and there was no temperature variation in the cabin. In addition, I got a strong feeling of high-gravity at that time with the equipment showing 3 or 4G's load. I once received the training with the biggest load of 8G, as if there were eight persons pressing on my body. At the moment the spaceship touched down to the ground, I felt my body was very heavy and pressure on my chest and back as my head was downward then. Thanks to the rigorous training of various complicated landings that I undertook hundreds of times, I experienced it before.
Reporter: From yesterday's unknown person to today's sensation in the world, your life has been changed during those 21 hours. What do you think now?
Yang Liwei: I think no matter who took the task, he would represent the first group of Chinese astronauts. In order to fulfill China's first manned space flight, most people made contributions in obscurity. The achievement belongs to all.
(China.org.cn translated by Li Xiao, October 20, 2003)
