Chen Zhongrui, a crew member of the Shenzhou-20 mission, has overcome a wealth of challenges to achieve a breakthrough in his career from a seasoned flight instructor to a standout astronaut.
Born in 1984 in Anyang City, central China's Henan Province, Chen was selected by the Aviation University of Air Force after passing rigorous exams during high school.
Before becoming an astronaut, he gained more than 10 years of experience as a flight instructor.
During his stint as a flight instructor at a training base, Chen excelled in important missions and received numerous accolades.
In 2021, after a rigorous selection process, he was chosen to join China's astronaut team.
Chen recalls the first time he encountered the world of space exploration.
"The first time I came into contact with an astronaut was the year I entered the university, right when Yang Liwei returned from his first spaceflight and came to our school to give a lecture. I remember it was snowing that day, and it was really cold in northeast China at that time. But when I heard that a space hero had come back, I was so excited and thrilled. I was deeply inspired. That was my first encounter with an astronaut. At the time, I never dared to imagine that years later, I would become an astronaut myself," he said.
To become a qualified astronaut, Chen underwent intense training, covering over 200 subjects across eight categories.
This included challenges such as centrifuge training and spin-chair exercises, pushing him to his physical and mental limits.
"The pressure of theoretical study was really intense. It involves things like equations and knowledge I had never learned before. When sitting in the centrifuge, it felt especially difficult, and I really felt like I couldn't hold on anymore at the end. But then I reminded myself that I am a soldier, and I would rather die on the battlefield than retreat," said Chen.
As Shenzhou-20 prepares for launch, Chen, together with his peers, will undertake a range of space science experiments, space station maintenance tasks, multiple extravehicular activities (EVAs), installation of space debris protection devices, as well as the setup of external loads and platforms.
"This mission mainly involves the tasks of EVAs, routine operations, maintenance of our space station, equipment and materials management, as well as scientific experiments. We have relatively more EVAs during this flight, and the tasks are quite demanding. The number of protective panels to be installed is also relatively high, and there are some facilities and equipment that need to be relocated and reinstalled, which is also challenging," said Chen.
As Chen is about to embark on his first space flight, he is full of anticipation for the six-month stay in space.
"I want to take a good look at our beautiful Earth, to see the great mountains and rivers of our country in full view. I also want to experience weightlessness and see if I can fulfill my childhood dream of being able to leap onto roofs and vault over walls like a martial arts hero. Moreover, I want to go outside the cabin to personally experience what it is like to be in space and feel the vastness of the universe. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that our team’s work and all our tasks are completed smoothly, fulfilling the mission entrusted to us by the country and the people," he said.
Flight instructor jump through hoops to become astronaut on China's Shenzhou-20 mission
