Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, two former fighter pilots from
southern China, will be in space soon aboard China's second manned
spacecraft Shenzhou VI?Wednesday morning.
A native of Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, Fei, 40, did not
expect he could have the honor to become an astronaut piloting
Shenzhou VI?when he dreamed about being a professional painter
in his childhood.
The most remarkable difference between Fei and Yang Liwei,
China's first man in space who orbited the earth 14 times during a
21-hour mission in October 2003, is that Fei is one of a few top
pilots in the country.
"In preparation for the flight of Shenzhou V, China's first
manned spacecraft carrying Yang in space, Fei was one of the five
candidates under the final intensive training," Yang told
Xinhua.
In 1982, China's Air Force recruited trainees at Fei's high
school when he was about to graduate. Fei was enrolled.
Two years later, Fei graduated from the Flight Training School
of the Air Force with excellent marks. Then he served as flight
trainer initially and was appraised as outstanding in the whole Air
Force. Later on, he became a flight technology inspector and
compiled an investigation report on flight accidents, named Warning
Signal Tolling.
In July 1992 when he was in a trial flight, the aircraft being
tested went short of fuel. With his outstanding flight skill, he
managed to pilot the plane back to the airport. Upon the forced
landing, fuel exhausted. His courage, skill and cool and calm
mindset won him a special grade in piloting at the age of 32.
In January 1998, he was selected out of more than 1,500 elite
pilots as a member of the astronaut brigade of the People's
Liberation Army, together with Yang Liwei, Nie Haisheng and Zhai
Zhigang.
Fei recorded excellent marks in almost all training subjects,
ranging from basic theories to physical exercises, from
professional skills to training of endurance and adaptability to
the space environment, and from flight procedures and mission
simulation to psychological and rescue training.
Fei did not tell his parents the real job he was undertaking.
"What are you doing on earth?" his mother once asked. "Still
flying, but much higher," Fei replied.
Fei's partner Nie Haisheng, 41 years old, came from Zaoyang
City, Hubei Province. He was among the final candidates for China's
first manned space flight and saw Yang Liwei off at the launch pad
two years ago. Now 24 months have passed, Yang saw him off for a
new space mission.
In the eye of Yang, Nie was persistent and dauntless, and at the
same time, prudent. "He doesn't talk much. He is a hard-working and
cooperative guy," Yang said.
A cowboy and the sixth child of a poor family with eight
children, Nie cultivated a sort of patience and diligence that were
seldom seen in common people.
In 1984, Nie entered the flight training school of the Air
Force. On June 12, 1989, he was in an independent flight for the
first time and the only engine of the plane came to a halt suddenly
more than 4,000 meters above the ground.
The plane dived fast, and ground control ordered Nie to abandon
the vehicle and escape by parachute. But Nie risked his life trying
to bring the plane back safely until it dropped to a height of
400-500 meters from the ground. Upon his narrow escape, Nie was
awarded a third-class merit citation for his extraordinary
courage.
Though selected as one of the final three candidates for the
Shenzhou V?mission two years ago, Nie has gone through strict
screening procedures this time.
"We should never slacken our efforts to explore the mystery of
space," Nie said.
(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2005)