CCTV News: In the Shenzhou 18 flight crew, Li Cong and Li Guangsu are two new faces and the third batch of astronauts in the mainland. Among them, Li Cong, who was born in 1989, was evaluated by Ye Guangfu, the commander of this mission, as quick thinking, lively personality, strong understanding ability, and strong hands-on ability. In the past three years, Li Cong has completed the transformation from fighter pilot to astronaut, and he is looking forward to the perfect presentation of space flight in the next six months.
Li Cong, 35, was born in Handan, Hebei Province, and was an Air Force fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut.
Astronaut Li Cong said his childhood dream was to become a singer. In his third year of high school, because he liked sports more at that time, and he also had certain specialties in sports, many people said that this kind of personality was suitable for being a pilot, and that was the first time he heard the word "pilot".
With the yearning for the blue sky, after layers of selection, Li Cong entered the Air Force Aviation University in 2009 and became a flight cadet. The experience of flying into the blue sky for the first time still memorizes him to this day.
Li Cong said: "The first time I flown in, I didn't get used to it, I felt dizzy and wanted to vomit. After a night of tossing and turning, I remembered the perseverance and confidence I had when I first applied for the pilot exam, and decided to fly again the next day. As a result, after flying up the next day, all the discomfort of the first day was completely gone, and the feeling of being free in the sky was still better. ”
After repeated self-challenges and tempering, Li Cong grew into an Air Force pilot who flew fighter planes. In 2018, Li Cong took a group photo with Nie Haisheng at the scene of participating in the astronaut selection, and at this time Li Cong really felt that the aerospace dream was becoming more and more visible.
The centrifuge test is a necessary test for astronauts, and unlike the anti-load training in anti-load suits worn by pilots, the trainees do not have any protective equipment in the centrifuge.
Li Cong said that the first experience of the centrifuge was 4 G, 80 seconds, and at that time he felt that the centrifuge was just like that, and it was not as difficult as he imagined. But when he really started to do 8 Gs and 40 seconds, he felt that his chest was pressed and he couldn't breathe at all, and his vision was basically in the middle, and he could only see a little screen, and some things next to him were basically unclear.
After the primary, secondary and final selection, in September 2020, Li Cong was selected as the third batch of astronauts in the mainland. However, although there is only one word difference between aerospace and aviation, there is a world of difference in what you have to learn.
Li Cong said: "When the pilot gives me a more sassy and cool feeling, I am passionate and heroic when I do some aerobatic maneuvers in the air. After becoming an astronaut, I will calm my mind more and make myself more calm. ”
Wearing a heavy extravehicular suit for a long time in the tank for out-of-cabin simulation training is considered by many astronauts to be one of the most difficult subjects to train. When Li Cong first came into contact with underwater training, it was only a basic action such as boarding the foot limiter, which also required repeated practice and continuous improvement.
Li Cong said: "During underwater training, I can't see where my feet are, I can only look backwards through the mirror, which is not very convenient, and it is basically a blind operation." I didn't feel particularly good after training with 03, and then 01 would tell us what it was like to be in the sky, what it was like to be in the sink, and how the sky and the sink felt differently, and talk to both of us about these experiences over and over again. Later in the training, I basically got on the foot limiter with 03, and I went up directly at one time. ”
After comprehensive systematic training and assessment, Li Cong was selected as the crew of the Shenzhou 18 manned mission. The crew carried out intensive training in physical fitness, psychological adjustment and out-of-cabin activities, and especially strengthened the training of emergency response capabilities.
Li Cong said that the commander's requirement for them is to be ready at all times, and the special situation does not mean that they come when they work, and they do not come when they sleep or rest, so to speak, they must sleep with one eye open.
After three years of unremitting efforts, Li Cong is about to win the sky, and Li Cong is full of expectations and confidence for his first space journey.
Li Cong said: "I look forward to the wonderful feeling of weightlessness in space. This time, you can feel how the space home is built. The most anticipated thing is how to complete the 6-month flight safely, smoothly, error-free and error-free. This expectation is also a challenge and a goal. ”
(Source: CCTV)
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