Shenzhou 12

Nie Haisheng

• Birthday: 10/13/1964
• Role: Commander
• Nationality: Chinese
• First Flight: 10/12/2005
• Last Flight: 06/17/2021

Nie Haisheng is a Chinese military pilot and CNSA astronaut.

In 1998, he was selected for the Chinese spaceflight program and was one of three candidates who were part of the final group to train for the Shenzhou 5 flight, China’s first manned spaceflight. Yang Liwei was picked for the flight, with Zhai Zhigang ranked second ahead of Niè Hǎishèng.

Nie went into orbit, along with Fei Junlong (commander), as flight engineer of the Shenzhou 6 flight on 12 October 2005. The mission lasted just under five days.

He was selected to be the commander of the backup crew for the Shenzhou 9 mission. In 2013, Nie was selected to command the Shenzhou 10 second manned space mission to the first Chinese space station Tiangong 1. He became the first officer hold general rank at the time of their launch in the Chinese program with the Shenzhou 10 mission.

Liu Boming

• Birthday: 09/16/1966
• Role: Operator
• Nationality: Chinese
• First Flight: 09/25/2008
• Last Flight: 06/17/2021

Liu Boming (simplified Chinese: 刘伯明; traditional Chinese: 劉伯明; pinyin: Líu Bómíng; born September 1966) is a Chinese pilot selected as part of the Shenzhou program. A fighter pilot in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, he was selected to be an CNSA member in 1998.

Tang Hongbo

• Birthday: 10/01/1975
• Role: Operator
• Nationality: Chinese
• First Flight: 06/17/2021
• Last Flight: 10/26/2023

Tang Hongbo (Chinese: 汤洪波; pinyin: Tāng Hóngbō) is a Chinese pilot selected as part of the Shenzhou program. He was born in Xiangtan, Hunan. A pilot in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, he was selected to be an astronaut in 2010.

Shenzhou 12

• Type: Human Exploration
• Orbit: Low Earth Orbit

First crewed flight to the Chinese large modular space station.

Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921)

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China

Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) has witnessed the launch of 23 rockets, including 23 orbital launch attempts, while Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China, has been the site for 229 rocket launches.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 2F/G

The Long March 2F is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle. It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.