Intense astronaut training for SAR pair

Ayra Wang and AFP

Two payload specialists from Hong Kong and Macau have begun training with other mainland astronauts since joining the team on August 8, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Speaking at a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China yesterday, Deputy Director Lin Xiqiang said the agency has arranged special courses, including Putonghua and training in the spirit of manned space for the two specialists.

"We also scientifically formulated recipes based on their eating habits and they have been fully integrated into the team and are full of enthusiasm and in good physical and mental condition," Lin said.

Recruitment exercises for the country's fourth batch of astronauts began in October 2022 and finished in May this year, with the selection of payload specialists taking place in the two SARs for the first time.

A total of 10 preparatory astronauts were selected, including two payload specialists - one each from the SARs - to join the national space program for the first time.

The Standard and Sing Tao Daily earlier reported that the female chief inspector, Lai Ka-ying, is Hong Kong's first payload specialist.

Lin said the two specialists had started training with the eight other space pilots in August. They will train in over 200 subjects in eight categories - including lessons for driving lunar rovers and walking on the moon.

"The fourth group of astronauts will not only carry out missions on the space station but will also be responsible for future manned lunar landing tasks," he said.

The training will also focus on extravehicular activities, equipment maintenance, space science practices and celestial objects scientific research, among others.

Meanwhile, Chinese spaceflight Shenzhou 19 is scheduled to launch at 4.27am today from Jiuquan, and the country's only woman spaceflight engineer will be among the crew of three astronauts.

The crew will carry out experiments on Tiangong Space Station with an eye on placing astronauts on the moon by 2030 and eventually constructing a lunar base.

Among them, Wang Haoze, 34, is China's only female spaceflight engineer, according to the agency.

She will become the third Chinese woman to take part in a crewed mission.

"Like everyone else, I dream of going to the space station to have a look," Wang told the media gathering alongside her fellow crew members, lined up behind podiums and tall panes of glass to seal them off from the public.

"I want to meticulously complete each task and protect our home in space," Wang said. "I also want to travel in deep space and wave at the stars."

The two other astronauts are 48-year-old former air force pilot Cai Xuzhe, who is also the head of the crew as he brings experience from a previous stint aboard Tiangong as part of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022, and 34-year-old Song Lingdong.

Cai added that the crew was now "fully prepared mentally, technically, physically and psychologically" for the mission ahead.

Lin said the crew will return to Earth in "late April or early May next year."

He added that the team currently aboard the Tiangong space station is scheduled to return to Earth on Monday after completing handover procedures with the incoming astronauts.

ayra.wang@singtaonewscorp.com