by Xinhua Writer Yuan Quan, Quan Xiaoshu

JIUQUAN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Tiangong space station is set to receive a returning visitor, as taikonaut Ye Guangfu prepares to embark on another six-month stint in orbit.

A newcomer to space in 2021, Ye has now ascended to the position of commander of the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship, which is scheduled for launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Thursday. The 43-year-old space returnee will lead two rookie taikonauts Li Cong and Li Guangsu to carry out a series of challenging tasks in microgravity.

"Returning to space also feels like a fresh start," Ye told journalists on Wednesday ahead of the launch of the Shenzhou-18 spaceship. In comparison to his previous mission, the current space station features a more complex structure, demanding tasks and greater operational challenges, but Ye said the new crew is brimming with confidence.

Speaking to the press, the country's youngest space crew commander wore a gentle smile, exuding ease and confidence, just as he had exhibited during his first space journey about three years ago.

In October 2021, China launched Shenzhou-13, the second crew to move into the Chinese space station. The taikonaut trio achieved multiple records, including completing the country's first six-month duration of human spaceflight mission.

The third member of the Shenzhou-13 crew, Ye impressed the public with his outstanding performance in both brainy and brawny tasks.

During a live "Tiangong Class," he demonstrated a zero-gravity cell experiment with the precision of a dedicated scientist and performed figure skater-like moves to illustrate body rotation in weightlessness. Ye excelled at operating the robotic arm during spacewalks and showcased his musical talent by playing an instrument inside the orbital module. The China Manned Space Agency once released a video showcasing daily life on the station, where Ye was seen relaxing with a sliding block puzzle.

Ye always leaves people with a warm and cheerful impression.

He was seen at the opening ceremony of the 31st FISU World University Games in Chengdu last July. As a taikonaut born in the host city, Ye was selected as the leading torchbearer. Given his extraordinary journey to space, where he ventured closer to the sun than any other ordinary Chinese person, his presence symbolized harnessing the power of the sun to illuminate the torch.

The word "light" was destined to be an integral part of Ye's life, not only because the second character of his name "Guang" means "light or brightness," but also because he was given the honor of naming a dark cave as the "Guangming (light) Gallery" during his participation in an underground astronaut training organized by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2016.

Ye and five other astronauts from the United States, Russia, Spain and Japan spent six days in Sardinian caves completing tasks such as climbing, exploration and surveying in dark and damp environments.

The ESA website features photos of Ye participating in climbing and diving activities, as well as training vlogs where he fluently speaks English, collaborates closely with his peers and impresses everyone with his great sense of humor.

In one video clip, Ye, donning a caving suit and safety helmet with a searchlight, jokingly pretended to be scared by his mischievous teammate's ghostly appearance at night, hilariously exaggerating a terrified expression on his face.

During the Shenzhou-13 mission, the ground team assisted Ye in exchanging friendly greetings with a foreign counterpart through email.

"We two astronauts, one on the Chinese space station and the other on the International Space Station, shared our dreams of exploring the vast universe together," Ye said, sharing the anecdote at the press conference.

The first taikonaut to participate in multinational training, Ye has also extended invitations to international counterparts to visit China's space station when speaking to the media. "We extend our warmest invitation to international colleagues to join us in exploring its vast potential and working towards benefiting all humankind."

Ye was selected to join the second batch of Chinese taikonauts in 2010 after amassing 1,100 hours of flight time as a fighter pilot.

Ye made a heart gesture with his fingers upon safely landing in the Gobi Desert, marking the conclusion of his first six-month space journey in April 2022. Upon his arrival in Beijing, he warmly embraced his beloved wife at the airport.

The upcoming spaceflight will once again separate Ye from his family and children, but they undoubtedly have confidence that he will excel in orbit and return with even greater accomplishments. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)