Woman taikonaut feels 'full confidence'
By Yang Jian |
June 16, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN eloquent speaker who loves to cook, Liu Yang is well-poised to be the first Chinese woman in space.
"I am grateful to the motherland and the people. I feel honored to fly into space on behalf of hundreds of millions of female Chinese citizens," Liu, 34, said at a press conference yesterday.
"I have full confidence," Liu said. "There are many foreign female astronauts who have been into space. Men and women have their own advantages and capabilities in carrying out space missions. They can complement each other and better complete their mission."
Liu said she "yearns to experience the wondrous, weightless environment of space, see the Earth and gaze upon the motherland."
"I don't think the gender will be a problem in the space, because the first lesson I learned from my training was I am no different from my male colleagues and I don't need extra attention," she added.
Joining the People's Liberation Army Air Force in 1997, Liu became a veteran pilot after flying safely for 1,680 hours. She was promoted to deputy head of a PLA flight unit before being recruited as a prospective astronauts in May 2010. She is now an Air Force major.
After two years of training, which shored up her skills and readiness for space, Liu excelled in testing and was selected in March this year for the crew of Shenzhou-9.
"When I was a pilot, I flew in the sky. Now that I am an astronaut, I will fly in space. This will be a much higher and farther flight," Liu said.
Liu has been described by her colleagues as being outgoing, eloquent and well-versed.
Liu loves reading, particularly novels, essays and history books. She is also a proficient cook.
"I love children and I love life," said Liu, who lives in Beijing with her husband, who is also in the military. "To be with my family is one kind of happiness, but to fly is another kind that people cannot typically experience."
Liu and her husband have yet to start a family. "I will discuss with my husband when to have a child after I finish the mission, but the missions for me will always be the top priority," Liu said.
"I am grateful to the motherland and the people. I feel honored to fly into space on behalf of hundreds of millions of female Chinese citizens," Liu, 34, said at a press conference yesterday.
"I have full confidence," Liu said. "There are many foreign female astronauts who have been into space. Men and women have their own advantages and capabilities in carrying out space missions. They can complement each other and better complete their mission."
Liu said she "yearns to experience the wondrous, weightless environment of space, see the Earth and gaze upon the motherland."
"I don't think the gender will be a problem in the space, because the first lesson I learned from my training was I am no different from my male colleagues and I don't need extra attention," she added.
Joining the People's Liberation Army Air Force in 1997, Liu became a veteran pilot after flying safely for 1,680 hours. She was promoted to deputy head of a PLA flight unit before being recruited as a prospective astronauts in May 2010. She is now an Air Force major.
After two years of training, which shored up her skills and readiness for space, Liu excelled in testing and was selected in March this year for the crew of Shenzhou-9.
"When I was a pilot, I flew in the sky. Now that I am an astronaut, I will fly in space. This will be a much higher and farther flight," Liu said.
Liu has been described by her colleagues as being outgoing, eloquent and well-versed.
Liu loves reading, particularly novels, essays and history books. She is also a proficient cook.
"I love children and I love life," said Liu, who lives in Beijing with her husband, who is also in the military. "To be with my family is one kind of happiness, but to fly is another kind that people cannot typically experience."
Liu and her husband have yet to start a family. "I will discuss with my husband when to have a child after I finish the mission, but the missions for me will always be the top priority," Liu said.
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