In 1998
Fourteen pilots were screened through layers
Selected as the first batch of astronauts in China
Now 23 years later
Of those 14 astronauts
One person had not performed a flying mission
He is still in active service
He is Deng Qingming
More than 20 years
He insisted on doing one thing and chasing a dream
On January 5, 1998, the astronaut brigade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army was established, and Deng Qingming became one of the first 14 astronauts. On that day, he solemnly swore an oath, "heroic and fearless, selfless dedication, not afraid of sacrifice, willing to fight for the motherland's manned spaceflight for the rest of his life." ”
This oath is an unwavering belief as an astronaut. Deng Qingming has been sticking to it for 23 years now.
△ The first batch of 14 astronauts of the Chinese astronaut brigade
Tiny gaps
He has rubbed shoulders with his dreams many times
In 2010, Deng Qingming was selected to join the intensive training team and became a backup astronaut for the Shenzhou 9 mission.
As an astronaut, the subjects, time, content, intensity and assessment criteria of backup and main training are the same. In order to have the ability to independently perform manned space missions, astronauts need to pass the strict assessment of training in 8 categories and hundreds of subjects. Deng Qingming said: "In the training process, we must always maintain very good results, the best state, and finally be able to enter the echelon to perform the task. ”
Unfortunately, Deng Qingming was defeated. After the launch of the "Shenjiu", Deng Qingming followed the manual on the ground and went through all the procedures with the astronauts in the sky, and made a check mark on which step was done. He said: "The mission as a backup, instead of coming back from the base, the mission is over. My comrades are back safely, and that's the end of the backup. ”
△ Data chart (Source: @Our Space)
"Shen Jiu" was defeated, and Deng Qingming believed that he would have a chance next time. He regarded this experience of "Shen Jiu" as an accumulation, and felt that he was one step closer to the dream of flying.
However, on the Shenzhou Tenth mission, Deng Qingming finally brushed shoulders with his dream again because of the negligible score difference. "It's such a small gap that makes you lose your hand and stops in front of the tower."
That year, Deng Qingming was 47 years old, and he did not know when "God Eleven" would be.
No matter how difficult the flying road is
He never wanted to give up
During the physical examination in 2013, Deng Qingming found a very small stone in his body. For ordinary people, such small stones are usually left unattended, but astronauts can't. In order to continue to pursue the dream of spaceflight, Deng Qingming resolutely chose to undergo surgery.
Unexpectedly, the stone could not be completely removed during the first operation, and later the doctor could only bury a tube in his kidney. For more than a month, Deng Qingming had been carrying a tube and had been urinating blood for more than a month. It was not until the second surgery that Deng Qingming's stones were successfully removed, and "my dream was rekindled again."
In 2014, five astronauts in the astronaut brigade were suspended for age reasons. After the suspension ceremony, Chen Quan, who was also a backup of the "Shen Jiu" and "Shen X" flight missions, said to Deng Qingming: "Regardless of the main backup, it is the duty of an astronaut. Old Deng, you have to work hard, don't give up. ”
Deng Qingming said that in this life, he could not forget this sentence. No matter how difficult the road to flying was, he never wanted to give up. After each mission, he must "return to zero" in the shortest possible time, abandon the past, and meet new challenges with a positive attitude.
It is better to be prepared than useless
Never be unprepared
In the 2016 Shenzhou 11 mission, Deng Qingming once again came to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center as a backup astronaut. This time, it was the closest he had come to his flying dream.
From the beginning of the receiving mission, in the three years of preparation, Deng Qingming completed the same amount and standard of training as the main part. In the most challenging 33-day simulation and verification test of "God Eleven", he and another astronaut, Chen Dong, lived in a closed cabin of less than 10 square meters, completely isolated from the outside world. The lights are on all the time, and the vibration and noise of the machine are constantly ringing. He couldn't go out, he couldn't take a shower, and when he was bored, he could only face Chen Dong.
The day before the launch, the General Headquarters held a meeting and announced that Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong would carry out the Shenzhou 11 mission. Deng Qingming said that when he heard the result at that time, he was really confused, and he felt that the eyes of the entire hall were focused on him. At that time, I couldn't say anything, and after a pause, I turned to face Haipeng, hugged him tightly, and said: Haipeng, congratulations! Haipeng also replied affectionately, thank you, brother! ”
For nearly two minutes, the entire Qingtian Pavilion Hall was very quiet. This scene brought tears to many people present.
Today, the 55-year-old Deng Qingming still insists on training and is always ready. "The success of the mission is my success, and I would rather be a cornerstone of obscurity than tolerate myself being unprepared at the time of the trumpet."
It is worth mentioning that under the influence of her father, Deng Qingming's daughter Deng Manqi also became an astronaut. Their father and daughter are working together and fighting for the aerospace cause of the motherland. Deng Manqi once wrote a letter to Deng Qingming, in which she said: "Dad is the most dedicated and selfless person I have ever met. You will always be the greatest hero in my mind! ”
△ Deng Manqi and her father took a group photo in the flight control hall of Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center. /Infographic
In the flying dream of asking the heavens
There are countless "Deng Qingming"
Although he did not wear armor to fight, he was already bowing to exhaustion
They went from shaoguang years to sideburns dyed
For decades, we have been silently persevering and fighting
It is precisely because of their dedication
China is getting closer and closer to realizing its dream of becoming a space power
Salute to China's Aerospace!
Salute to the Chinese astronauts!
(Source of this article: CCTV News Comprehensive Central Video, Readers)
Producer/Li Zhe Editor-in-Chief/Ma Weilu
Editor/Pan Mengying