China sends first civilian astronaut into space. It is a 36-year-old university professor, Gui Haichao. The teacher has been chosen and will leave with Chinese astronauts (taikonauts) Jing Haipeng and Zhu Yangzhu for a mission with the Shenzhou-16 to the Tiangong space station. This was announced in a briefing by Lin Xiqiang, spokesman for the China Manned Space Agency, who also reported that Jing will be the commander.
The launch of the Shenzhou-16, state media reported, is expected tomorrow at 9.31 local time (3.31 in Italy). This is an absolute novelty for the missions: Gui is in fact the first Chinese civilian astronaut, an expert teacher of payload, professor at the University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Beijing.
Who is Professor Gui Haichao
Haichao is 36 years old and is a professor of spacecraft dynamics and control at Beihang University, Beijing University specializing in engineering and science with an emphasis on aeronautics and aerospace engineering. «He is also the first expert on payloads to visit the space station. He is in charge of conducting scientific experiments during his stay,” CGTN Global Watch reported on Twitter. Gui will be “primarily responsible for the on-orbit operation of space science experimental payloads,” Lin said.
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