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China to help train European astronauts

By Zhao Lei | China Daily Europe | Updated: 2016-07-22 07:34
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Space center unveils collaboration plan and introduces new astronaut fresh from coaching program in Italy

China is making technical preparations to help train European astronauts, a senior scientist has disclosed.

Huang Weifen, deputy research director at China's Astronaut Center, says it is highly likely the country will open some training sessions to European space explorers, as this is on the space authorities' agenda.

The Chinese and European science communities have already benefited from cooperation in astronaut training, she says. In January 2013, European astronauts took part in a weeklong exchange program in China, and the two sides later agreed to enhance collaboration.

"Once the government approves the training plan, we can start immediately," she adds. "We have been making preparations for a long time and have such capabilities."

Huang was speaking on July 20 at a news conference at the Astronaut Center, in the suburbs of Beijing, which also saw the introduction of Ye Guangfu, one of the nation's new astronauts.

The 36-year-old from Chengdu recently completed a week of underground training in Italy organized by the European Space Agency, making him the first Chinese astronaut to participate in multinational training.

The Italian program, Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising, was started in 2011 and is designed to hone an astronaut's skills in multicultural approaches to leadership, following orders, teamwork and decision-making.

Ye, who was joined the program by astronauts from the United States, Russia, Spain and Japan, was responsible for exploring unknown areas in a cave, analyzing data, creating a 3-D model and monitoring the underground environment.

Li Xinke, a senior official with China's Astronaut Center, says Ye did well and was highly commended by his foreign counterparts.

"Space missions often involve high pressure, high risk, isolation and other negative elements that affect a crew's morale and interpersonal relations," Li explains. "Therefore, the cave training is useful for astronauts to improve their adaptation to extreme environments."

According to the Astronaut Center, Ye was an experienced fighter pilot with the Chinese air force before being selected for the nation's manned space program in 2010. He has 1,100 hours of flight time.

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 07/22/2016 page2)

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