Deputy Director and space hero Yang Liwei of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center said the new generation of astronauts will include women.

Selection criteria to be adjusted

Yang said the selection of the second generation of Chinese astronauts is under way, with women candidates included. As for the selection criteria for female astronauts, he said it has some difference from that applied to selecting male astronauts. In comparison, the criteria, which is developed based on scientific statistics drawn from volunteer experiments, differ both physically and physiologically. Asked when we could expect to see the first female astronauts, Yang said they will appear among the second generation.

Space tasks for the second generation will be more complicated, including space rendezvous and docking, and establishing a space laboratory. Given these tasks, will the criteria be stricter? Yang said the criteria will be adjusted, but not necessarily stricter. The key is to serve the tasks well. “Maybe with our spaceships becoming mature, some requirements won’t be as rigid as before, while it is also possible that some will be stricter.” He took the height of astronauts for example, for the first generation, the selection is required between 1.65 to 1.72 meters, and now it is relaxed to 1.75 meters.

Moreover, he said the first generation, including him, are also preparing for the next space task. China’s next step is to execute rendezvous and docking outside the cabin. “Currently, we have two systems, one automatic and the other of manual control. We are being trained for the future rendezvous and docking tasks,” he said. To realize rendezvous and docking by hand is rather demanding. At present, many second generation astronauts are receiving professional training. And many of them are taking master courses at Tsinghua University.

Medical examination required for spouse

China’s selection of the third generation of astronauts entered the preliminary stage of clinical examination as early as two months ago. On July 31, No. 454 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army declared the hospital had finished the preliminary medical and psychological selection for a group of astronaut candidates from Nanjing Military Base from June 5 to July 8.

Professor Yue Maoxing, leader of China's manned space flight emergency ambulance expert group, once served as technical officer at the main landing area of ShenzhouⅤ. He said, the selection of astronauts includes five steps; basic qualification check, clinical examination, physiological function selection, psychological selection, and patience and adaptability in special circumstances selection.

After passing the preliminary selection, spouses of the candidates are also required to take medical examinations. Yue said this is out of medical consideration. If the spouse has health problem, the candidate may be infected. What’s more, in order to prevent outbreak of recessive disease and hereditary disease on the chosen ones, family disease is also an important factor to be taken into consideration.

Strict selection criteria

Currently, China's astronaut selection differs a lot from that of the United States and Russia. Many of its requirements are stricter than Russia. Yang Dezhao, a researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology said the criteria vary at different periods and stages of manned space flight. And the requirements vary correspondingly.

The US and Russia have already established a complete system of astronaut selection and training after more than fifty years’ development in aerospace industry. With the life support system of their manned spaceship becoming more mature, their selection criteria has changed correspondingly and the physical requirements are not necessarily as rigid as before. “I believe in the future when China has established its space station, the tasks of astronauts will differentiate. By then, relevant scientists will join in. The medical criteria will differentiate too and new specific criteria will emerge,” said Yang Junhua, secretary general and vice president of Chinese Society of Astronautics. By then, the medical selection criteria may no longer be as rigid as it is now.

By People's Daily Online