China unveils Shenzhou-23 crew for space station mission

JIUQUAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, will carry out the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, with Zhu serving as the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Saturday. The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 11:08 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, said Zhang Jingbo, spokesperson of the agency at a press conference. The three astronauts are respectively a flight engineer, a spacecraft pilot and a payload specialist. Zhu previously participated in the Shenzhou-16 space mission. Zhang and Li come from the third and fourth batches of astronauts respectively, and will embark on their first spaceflight missions. Before being selected, Zhang was an air force pilot, while Li worked in the Hong Kong Police Force. Zhu, China's first flight engineer to serve as a commander, described his crew as three different pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together. "We think with one mind and pull in the same direction," Zhu said. "From having a dream to realizing it is a long journey paved with faith and perseverance," Zhang said. Zhang offered three pieces of advice: rooting dreams in solid ground, turning passion into resilience against difficulties, and closely linking personal dreams with the needs of the motherland. Li, the first astronaut selected from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, expressed deep gratitude for this opportunity. "As an ordinary person from Hong Kong, being able to join the astronaut team and be selected for this mission is an opportunity I never dared to dream of. My heart is full of gratitude and honor," she said. "Every astronaut around me is outstanding," Li noted. "I feel truly fortunate to have learned, trained and become friends with them. Their companionship, encouragement and shared progress have meant so much to me."