At a press conference on October 30, the China Manned Space Agency officially announced the crew for the upcoming Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission. The team includes Zhang Lu (commander), Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. The three astronauts are space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, respectively, representing the three types of Chinese astronauts in service.

Notably, crew member Wu Fei is an alumnus of Beihang University. He earned both his bachelor's degree in Aircraft Environment and Life Protection Engineering and his master's degree in Man-machine and Environmental Engineering from the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering. Wu is currently China's youngest astronaut. Prior to his selection, he served as an engineer at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

After completing his master's studies, Wu joined the CAST, where he applied the solid theoretical knowledge and outstanding engineering skills he had cultivated at Beihang. Throughout his career, he has embodied the university's motto of "Integrating Virtue with Brilliance and Combining Knowledge with Practice," translating academic learning into tangible contributions to aerospace engineering.

Reflecting on his journey, Wu once wrote during his campus years: "No matter the pace of the times we live in, dreams can always compose an eternal song, echoing across the ages." These words now stand as a fitting testament to his extraordinary journey.

Wu Fei becomes the fourth Beihang graduate to participate in a space mission, following Liu Wang, a crew member of the Shenzhou-9 mission, who earned his Ph.D. in Man-Machine and Environmental Engineering from Beihang University in 2017; Gui Haichao, a payload specialist for the Shenzhou-16 mission and a professor at the School of Astronautics, who completed his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies in Aircraft Design at the university; and Wang Jie, a crew member of the Shenzhou-20 mission, who earned his master's and doctoral degrees in Engineering Mechanics from the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering.

Source: CCTV News, School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering

Editor: Lyu Xingyun