China to recruit civilian astronauts

Yang Liwei, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), receives an interview ahead of the opening of the first session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

China will include civilians into the third group of taikonauts to serve its planned space station project, Yang Liwei, the country's first astronaut, said in Beijing Saturday.

The new taikonauts could be selected from industrial sectors, research institutions and universities, Yang, deputy director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, said on the sidelines of the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[Special coverage]

Currently, taikonauts, a blend of the Chinese word taikong which means outer space and astronaut, are all former air force pilots, said Yang, a member of the CPPCC National Committee.

China selected its first group of 14 taikonauts in the late 1990s and the second group of seven in 2010. Of them, 11 have been sent to space in six spaceflights.

The new taikonauts will include not only pilots, but also maintenance engineers and payload specialists for the space station project.

To build and operate its space station, China plans to increase manned space missions from once every one to three years to at least twice a year, which require more taikonauts, Yang said.

The core module and a new carrier rocket for the space station project are also being developed, according to him.

China initiated the manned space program in 1992 and successfully sent Yang into orbit with the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft in 2003.