22 June 2021
For Shenzhou 12 mission, 3 taikonauts, namely Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo, became the first to enter the Chinese space station. "I think the trio is a great combo," said Huang Weifen, Deputy Chief Designer of the astronaut system of China's manned space program. "We chose Nie as the captain for his two-time space flight experience and Liu Boming for his previous experience in extravehicular activity, while Tang is the backup taikonaut for Shenzhou-11 mission and he excelled in every area." The selection has been made based on aspects such as experience, age, individual characters, physical performance and mental health. The synergy or compatibility among different members is also a big factor.
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RELATED: Why were the 3 taikonauts selected for the Shenzhou 12 mission?
In an interview with the Chief Designer of the astronaut system of China's manned space programme, CGTN discovered how the Chinese astronauts, known as taikonauts, were selected for the Shenzhou 12 manned mission.
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