Zhai Zhigang is a Chinese major general of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force in active service as a People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps taikonaut.
14 Facts About Zhai Zhigang
2.
Zhai Zhigang was a People's Liberation Army Air Force fighter pilot.
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Zhai Zhigang enrolled at the PLA Air Force Aviation University and studied to be a fighter pilot and then as a squadron leader.
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In 1996, Zhai Zhigang was selected to trial for the taikonaut program and was selected to be the first group of fourteen in 1998.
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Zhai Zhigang was one of three members of the final group to train for the Shenzhou 5 flight.
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Yang Liwei was picked for the flight, with Zhai Zhigang ranked second ahead of Nie Haisheng.
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Zhai Zhigang was one of the six taikonauts in the final training for Shenzhou 6.
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However, Zhai Zhigang had been paired with Wu Jie during training.
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On 27 September 2008, Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese astronaut to spacewalk, completely outside the craft.
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Zhai Zhigang wore the Chinese developed Feitian space suit, while Liu wore the Russian derived Orlan-M space suit.
11.
Zhai Zhigang was selected as commander to fly on the Shenzhou 13 alongside Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu as his second spaceflight mission to the Tiangong space station.
12.
On 7 November 2021, Zhai Zhigang carried out his second spacewalk alongside Wang who became China's first woman to perform a spacewalk.
13.
On 26 December 2021, Zhai Zhigang carried out his third spacewalk with Ye.
14.
Zhai Zhigang is married to Zhang Shujing and has one son.