By Shen Zizhong
The successful launch of the Shenzhou-19 mission on October 30th, and the collective appearance of the astronauts the day before, have placed the three “spacemen” in the spotlight on that day.
According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, after the manned spacecraft successfully achieved autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking with the space station complex, the Shenzhou-19 astronaut crew entered the orbital module from the return module of the spacecraft.
At 12:51 PM Beijing time on October 30, 2024, the Shenzhou-18 astronaut crew, already in orbit, warmly opened the “door” to welcome the arriving Shenzhou-19 crew, marking a historic gathering of “post-70s, 80s, and 90s” astronauts at the “Tiangong” space station, completing the fifth “space reunion” in China’s space history. Following this, both crews captured a “family portrait” together.
Among them, the presence of two “post-90s” astronauts drew particular attention, especially Wang Haoze, a female aerospace engineer who became the “highlight” among the key figures.
Astute netizens noted that the three members of this space mission had their “character.”
The “elder,” Cai Xuzhe, born in 1976 and a member of China’s second batch of astronauts, was selected for the Shenzhou-14 mission in December 2019 and executed the Shenzhou-14 manned flight mission with Chen Dong and Liu Yang on June 5, 2022. This mission marked his “second flight” to familiar grounds, breaking the record for the shortest interval between consecutive space flights.
Song Lingdong, born in August 1990 in Cao County, Shandong, is part of China’s third batch of astronauts. Like the “elder” Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong was also an air force pilot before being selected as an astronaut, and this mission was his maiden space flight.
Wang Haoze, the same age as Song Lingdong, is also from China’s third batch of astronauts, from Luanping County, Hebei Province. Before her selection, she was a senior engineer at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s Aerospace Propulsion Technology Research Institute. As the third woman to execute a manned space flight mission in history, she is currently China’s only female aerospace engineer.
The space industry represents the ultimate exploration of the unknown and the ultimate challenge to human limits, requiring exceptional physical fitness, psychological resilience, knowledge reserves, and technical proficiency. Those who take on this responsibility can be called “sons and daughters of heaven.”
As members of the post-90s generation, both Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze have undergone rigorous selection processes. Within the three-member team, Commander Cai Xuzhe brings rich experience, Song Lingdong has solid practical skills, and Wang Haoze has a strong theoretical foundation, complementing each other’s strengths.
On October 29th, when the three-member team appeared together at the Wengtian Pavilion of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Song Lingdong addressed the media, saying, “The baton of the Shenzhou family’s space missions has been passed from the post-60s, 70s, and 80s generations to us, the post-90s generation. As a post-90s astronaut, I feel deeply honored and proud to be able to serve my country and execute the Shenzhou-19 mission. With the mission imminent and heavy responsibility on our shoulders, we will live up to our mission and trust, carry the baton of spaceflight with pride, and showcase the image of the post-90s generation.”