Ten candidates, including eight space pilots and two payload specialists, have been selected for China’s fourth group of astronauts, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Tuesday.
This is the first time the agency has selected payload experts in Hong Kong and Macau, a move that has received strong support and enthusiastic participation from local communities, according to the team involved. Candidates will undergo comprehensive and systematic training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
The country selected 14 astronauts from among air force pilots in 1998 and another seven in 2010. In 2020, it completed the selection of the third batch of 18 astronauts, which included space pilots, flight engineers and payload specialists. The last selection started in 2022.
The CMSA said the selection and training system has become more sophisticated and well established. With the deepening of international cooperation in manned space exploration, foreign astronauts will be invited to participate in the selection and training process and will subsequently carry out missions on China’s space station.
Source: https://www.chinahoje.net/dez-candidatos-sao-selecionados-para-quarto-grupo-de-astronautas-da-china/
