In 2016, the Shenzhou 11 manned spacecraft came to the top of the sky, and after the fairing was thrown away, he instructed Changjing Haipeng to ask Chen Dong: "Is it cool?" ”
Chen Dong, who was full of curiosity about the vast starry sky, could not hide his excitement and replied loudly: "Cool!" ”
At that time, Chen Dong was still a novice in exploring the universe, and 6 years later, he had become a commander in his own right, taking the "youngest crew in history" and taking to the air for the second time.
Chen Dong said humbly: "Although it is the second time I came up, I still feel like a primary school student. ”
On June 11, 2023, CCTV news reported that special astronaut Chen Dong was officially promoted to the captain of the astronaut brigade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Netizens are very optimistic about this extremely affinity aerospace hero, and commented one after another: "I believe that Chen Dong will be the first person to land on the moon in China!" ”
(1) If a wife is like this, what can a husband ask for?
"Chen Dong, since you are favored by the state, it means that you have this ability, there is me at home, I will always support you!" This is what Chen Dong's wife Wang Xiaoyan said most often.
Today's Chen Dong is not yet 50 years old, he has already landed in space twice and has become the captain of the astronaut brigade, and his future is limitless.
Chen Dong has a happy career, but when it comes to his family, especially his wife Wang Xiaoyan, he has endless apologies.
Chen Dong was introduced to Wang Xiaoyan by an old chief, and the moment he met, he was thrilled and experienced the feeling of love at first sight.
And Chen Dong, who has a tall posture and a stable personality, also left a very good first impression on Wang Xiaoyan.
It's just that for work reasons, Chen Dong can't be like other boys, accompanying his beloved girl to hush and ask for warmth, and the two can only chat hotly through the cold phone line.
Wang Xiaoyan is a reasonable girl, knowing that Chen Dong is busy with work, and never asks him to accompany him to go shopping and live such and such festivals.
She said, "It's enough to know that you have me in your heart. ”
In order to let Chen Dong devote himself to developing his career, Wang Xiaoyan decisively proposed to him.
But Chen Dong, who has always yearned for a family, hesitated: "Xiaoyan, you have to think well, get married, let's gather less and leave more, old people and children, you have to take care of everything in the family." ”
"From the moment I fell in love with you, I thought about it!" Xiaoyan replied dryly.
So, a pair of mandarin ducks entered the palace of marriage hand in hand, although there was no luxurious marriage motorcade and no grand wedding ceremony, but Wang Xiaoyan felt very content.
In the early morning after marriage, the little couple woke up early, because this day was the day when Chen Dong returned to the team for training.
Wang Xiaoyan was not dissatisfied or complaining, but just told her lover to take care of herself.
In the second year after Chen Dong entered the astronaut team, Wang Xiaoyan became pregnant, and in order not to let Chen Dong be separated, she specially returned to her hometown in Jiaxing.
Relatives and friends asked suspiciously: "Why didn't your lover come and let you raise your own fetus?" ”
"He's busy with work and doesn't have time," Ms. Wang said with a smile. She certainly can't reveal that her husband is training for space.
Pregnant in October, Wang Xiaoyan gave birth to twin boys, and named the children: Junyu and Gravel.
It was not until the full moon of the child that Chen Dong hurried back to Jiaxing, and his wife did not complain.
Chen Dong said: "Astronaut families also have 'four special': especially able to bear, the family takes care of the elderly and children all rely on the other half; especially able to endure, there is a small trouble at home, their own illness or something, never tell us, all rely on themselves to endure; Especially able to 'drag', because the training schedule is particularly full, I want the whole family to go shopping and have a meal together, always 'next time'; there is also the 'special support' of the whole family, not only parents and lovers fully support, but also children are particularly sensible. ”
Chen Dong's wife was in poor health and could not take care of her two children by herself, so she sent her second son back to Jiaxing and gave it to her parents to raise.
Once, the youngest son called Chen Dong and cried: "Dad, don't you want me anymore!" My home is not here, in Beijing! Can you pick me up? ”
Chen Dong wanted to fly to Jiaxing immediately, but when he was about to leave the mission, he could only choke up and say to his son: "Baby well, daddy will pick you up in a few days." ”
When Chen Dong fulfilled his promise, it was already half a year later, according to his imagination, the child should throw himself into his arms excitedly, but the child stood in place dumbly, behaving very woodenly.
Chen Dong blamed himself and said, "I am not a competent father. ”
(2) It is easy to obtain money, but it is difficult to find a good teacher
Along the way, Chen Dong met many nobles.
In 1978, New China ushered in a major change, and the vigorous reform and opening up was unveiled.
This year, Chen Shulin, an employee of Chinalco Copper Luoyang Company, was particularly happy because his family ushered in the birth of a second life.
Because the child was born in a snowy winter, Chen Shulin immediately named it Chen Dong.
Chen Shulin and his wife Huang Yan would not have imagined that the gears of family fate would begin to turn because of this baby waiting to be breastfed, let alone that their children would become the pride of the entire Luoyang, Henan and China.
Chen Dong is lively by nature, loves swimming, loves basketball, and loves to make friends, basically all children about his age love to play with him.
Of course, Chen Dong's naughtiness has also caused trouble.
One day in the third grade, a truckload of greens was piled up on the small playground in the school cafeteria, and I never thought that this place would become a playground for Chen Dong and his classmates.
After school, he and his friends jumped up, jumped violently, and littered with vegetable leaves, ruining a lot of dishes.
After seeing it from a distance, the teacher hurriedly came: "Chen Dong, what are you doing?" ”
Chen Dong realized that he had run into a catastrophe and lowered his head in shame.
But Teacher Yang did not accuse him, but said gently: "The teacher knows that you have no intention, but in this way, the dishes that the teacher eats are gone, and you must think more about others in the future." ”
After the school learned about it, it once wanted to punish Chen Dong heavily, but Teacher Yang took the initiative to take responsibility, not only interceded for Chen Dong, but also helped him compensate for the vegetables.
It is said that parents are the best teachers for children, in fact, this is not that Chen Shulin did not educate Chen Dong well, but that he is too busy with work, and knows that his son's nature is not bad, and believes that the tree is straightforward.
Of course, Chen Shulin's education of his son is also very successful, and it can be said that he is the enlightener on the road of Chen Dongjun's journey.
Chen Shulin, who is the same age as the Republic, often watches some patriotic films of "Three Major Battles of the Liberation War", "Shangganling" and "Tunnel Warfare".
Every time he watched a movie, Chen Shulin would call his two sons over.
Looking at the heroes who killed the enemy in blood on the battlefield, Chen Dong's respect was born, and he said with a firm look in his eyes: "Dad, I will also become a soldier in the future!" ”
"Okay! Dad supports you! You study hard and get into a military school. If you can't pass the exam, sign up for the army directly! Chen Shulin encouraged gratifyingly.
Since then, Chen Dong's young heart has planted a seed of military service.
In the school, there is Teacher Yang's motherly care; In the family, there was the edification of his father's ears, and Chen Dong seemed to have completed his transformation overnight.
At the age of 13, Chen Dong successfully entered junior high school, and fortunately, he met a good teacher - Yao Zhiqiang.
Chen Dong's academic performance is very good, he is at the top every time he starts, his popularity is also good, and he became the class leader in the first selection, which is six years (junior high school and high school consecutive).
Yao Zhiqiang attaches great importance to the all-round development of children, not only teaches well, but also often organizes extracurricular activities, taking them to cookouts, tug-of-war, table tennis, and football.
Driven by Mr. Yao, Chen Dong became a sports expert, often won rankings in sports meetings, and was also the main defender of the football team.
When Chen Dong was in his second year of high school, a senior who was admitted to the flight academy returned to give a speech.
The senior spoke colorfully about the fun of flying a fighter jet and dreaming of the blue sky, and his eyes were full of pride and pride.
Chen Dong was greatly touched, and he found Yao Zhiqiang: "Teacher, what are the requirements for applying for the flight academy?" Do you think I can do it? ”
Yao Zhiqiang advocates encouraging education, and he advocates making friends with students, so everyone is willing to talk to him about anything.
After listening to Chen Dong's words, Teacher Yao stood up from the seat, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "Why can't you?" ”
Therefore, Teacher Yao introduced the application conditions of the flight academy to Chen Dong, and told him to exercise his physical fitness and pay attention to protecting his eyesight when he went home.
From that day on, as long as there was a holiday, Chen Dong would run around the town circle after lap in the company of his father Chen Shulin, and after the run, the father and son would compete in the horizontal bar again.
Of course, Chen Dong's cultural class has not fallen behind, and he has always been one of the best in the class.
In 1996, the flight academy began to recruit students, and the father and son got up to go to Jinan to participate in the physical examination.
That was Chen Dong's first time riding a train, and it was also Chen Shulin's first time.
In fact, in addition to wanting to soar into the blue sky, Chen Dong applied for the military academy for another reason - it was free.
At that time, Chen Dong's brother was in college, and it was really difficult to support another college student at the family's income level.
Therefore, Chen Dong was determined to be admitted to the exam, not only to fulfill his dream, but also to reduce the burden on his family.
It's just that the results of the physical examination are not ideal, and on Chen Dong's vision assessment, one doctor's conclusion is 0.9, while the other is 1.0.
To be on the safe side, the conclusion of the physical examination report to Chen Dong is 0.9, which is 0.1 deviation from the standard visual acuity of a qualified physical examination.
However, Chen Dong's cultural class was very outstanding, with a good score of 620 points.
After the principal of his middle school learned about it, he accompanied Chen Dong's father and son to visit the comrades in charge of admissions.
The comrade who enrolled looked at Chen Dong's college entrance examination results, and did not want to lose this talent, and said: "It must be that the intensity of college entrance examination review has affected the eyesight, which is temporary." ”
In the end, this 0.1 gap was not allowed to turn Chen Dong away.
In 1997, accompanied by his father, Chen Dong came to the place that changed the fate of his family: the Air Force Aviation University on Southeast Lake Road, Changchun City, Jilin.
Before leaving, Chen Shulin said: "Son, you are going to be a pilot, and you haven't flown in a plane yet." I'll buy you a plane ticket! Then ".
Chen Dong, who was sensible, knew that his family was not easy, and persuaded with a smile: "It's okay!" Later, I will have the opportunity to fly! ”
(3) Behind the applause, there is hardship
The campus life of militarized management is not easy for Chen Dong.
When he first entered school, Chen Dongdi's quilt was the worst in the class, and the class leader, who hated iron and steel, threw the quilt directly in the corridor.
Chen Dong was ashamed and hated to find a seam to drill into.
The instructor said: "What seems to be folding quilts is actually the first step in tempering and cultivating the will and work style of soldiers, and transforming them from ordinary people to soldiers." ”
Since then, whenever Chen Dong has free time, he has studied the cube quilt in the dormitory.
Changchun Aviation School is full of talents, Chen Dong's physical performance is not excellent, 1500 meters requires 5 minutes and 10 seconds to pass,
But Chen Dong had to run for 7 minutes.
Years later, recalling this past, Chen Dong still remembers it vividly: "I remember blowing the assembly number at 6:30 every morning, I got up at 6 o'clock to practice, tied sandbags to my legs, and practiced push-ups after turning off the lights at night. After 3 months, my fitness went up and I lost 10 kg of weight. ”
As the so-called diligence makes up for the weakness, under the persistence of day after day, Chen Dong's physical fitness has changed from the bottom to the top, and in 2001, he successfully graduated from the aviation school and went to a certain air force department in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, to become a pilot of the "strong five" attack aircraft.
The difference between an attack aircraft and a fighter is that the former is an attack on the ground and flies as low as possible; The latter is an air attack and must fly high.
Therefore, Chen Dong always wanted to change to a fighter pilot.
In 2003, the news that Yang Liwei flew to the sky on the Shenzhou 6 spacecraft completely changed Chen Dong, and the fighter can only be in the atmosphere, while the spacecraft can go directly to space.
In 2009, Chen Dong participated in the second batch of astronaut selection physical examination, Chen Dong did not expect that his interviewer was Yang Liwei.
Yang Liwei asked him: "If you want to become an astronaut, you have to face greater risks, you have to pay more, you can't take care of your family, will you insist?" ”
Chen Dong replied without hesitation: "I want to be a member of the astronaut brigade and become the highest flying person in China." To realize my dreams, I am willing to pay for it. ”
In this way, Chen Dong was brought into the team of astronauts by his idol.
In May 2010, Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Wang Yaping officially became the second batch of astronauts of the astronaut brigade.
The training of astronauts is strictly confidential, and they cannot disclose a word to the outside world, and they cannot easily get in touch with relatives and friends.
Therefore, Chen Dong began 6 years of isolated training.
Chen Dong recalled: "Swivel chair training is my weakness, at the beginning, every time after the rotation, I would break out in cold sweat and get dizzy. In order to exercise the vestibular function, I bought a computer chair that could be rotated, sat on it whenever I had time, and pushed myself around. ”
What made Chen Dong even more difficult was the psychological adaptation training in a small environment, and he had to stay awake for 72 hours during the simulation training with only 7 square meters.
People must sleep, although Chen Dong and other astronauts have strong psychological quality, it is inevitable that sleepiness will attack.
Especially at three or four o'clock in the morning, it is the most exhausting. Although the mind is clear, the eyelids are always fighting.
However, this training was a group of three, Chen Dong proposed that everyone take turns singing and telling stories, and finally, with the cooperation of team spirit, everyone passed this torturous training.
Compared with drowsiness, Chen Dong's deepest impression is overweight endurance adaptive training, each overload must reach 8 G, that is, 8 times the body's own weight.
Chen Dong told reporters: "At the beginning of training, you will feel that there is a mountain pressing on every inch of your skin and every cell.
Even the organs will have a feeling of displacement. Obviously there is no crying, but the tears will be thrown out uncontrollably. ”
This is not only a physical test, but also a test of mental endurance.
There is a red button next to the seat, and once pressed, the training will stop immediately, but it also means the end of the dream of traveling the universe.
It is precisely with these 6 years of hard training that Chen Dong has become today.
It is worth mentioning that because of closed training, Chen Dong has not been in touch with his mentor Yao Zhiqiang for many years.
Yao Zhiqiang asked Chen Dong's parents, the two old men also knew nothing, Yao Zhiqiang thought that his beloved disciple was missing, so he was anxious to report and find it.
It wasn't until Yao Zhiqiang saw Chen Dong on TV that he let go of his heart.
To sum up, behind anyone's success, there is an unforgettable growth experience. It is these unforgettable experiences that have created the praised aerospace hero Chen Dong.
It is believed that in the future, Chen Dong will lead China's astronauts into new glory.