Wang Yaping

Wang Yaping was born in January 1980 in Zhanggezhuang, Fushan District, Yantai City, Shandong Province. Her family is an ordinary rural family; her father is a farmer primarily engaged in cherry orchard cultivation, and her mother’s occupation is not mentioned. Wang Yaping's father's name is Wang Wenjun, and her mother’s name is Wang Shuzhi. Her educational background begins with complete primary school, and from September 1991 to June 1997, she attended Yantai No. 23 Middle School.

In 1997, Wang Yaping was admitted to the Air Force Changchun Flight College, beginning her professional training as a pilot. During her four years of university, she systematically studied academic courses while mastering flying techniques for four different aircraft models. In 1998, she participated in her first test pilot session, successfully flying an aircraft into the sky. In May 2000, Wang Yaping joined the Communist Party of China. In 2001, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Military Science and subsequently joined the Wuhan Air Force Transport Aviation Troops, serving as a transport aircraft pilot with over 800 hours of flying time.

From 2008 to 2010, Wang Yaping participated in numerous major missions, including earthquake rescue operations following the Wenchuan earthquake and cloud dispersal efforts during the Beijing Olympics. In May 2010, she was selected as one of the second batch of astronauts, becoming a female candidate astronaut. After rigorous selection, in March 2012, she was confirmed as a backup crew member for the Shenzhou 9 mission. In June 2013, she carried out the Shenzhou 10 mission, becoming one of China's first female astronauts to perform spaceflight tasks.

Between 2014 and 2016, Wang Yaping pursued a master’s degree in Journalism and Communication at Peking University, earning a Master’s degree in Communication. Later, in 2018, she entered the School of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences at Peking University to pursue her doctoral degree under Professor Su Yanjie. Her research mainly focuses on the psychological effects of space environments on astronauts. During this period, she completed multiple ground simulation experiments, and some of her scientific research results have been published in core domestic journals.

In December 2019, Wang Yaping joined the crew of the Shenzhou 13 mission. By October 2021, she became one of the core crew members of Shenzhou 13, undertaking tasks related to the space station. On April 24, 2022, the China National Space Administration appointed her as a Chinese spacepublic welfare ambassador. In September of the same year, she was elected as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. On January 17, 2023, she was elected as a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and in October 2023, she was elected as vice chair (concurrently) of the 13th National Women's Congress of China.

Wang Yaping has received numerous honors in the field of space, including titles such as "Hero Astronaut," "Level 3 Space Achievement Medal," and national science popularization ambassador. She has frequently given space lectures, becoming an important promoter of space science education in China. She has also spoken at various national events and academic conferences to disseminate space science knowledge.

Regarding her family, her spouse is pilot Zhao Peng, and they held their wedding in Wang Yaping’s hometown on October 1, 2006. She has a daughter named Zhao Yunxi. Her personal motto includes “From Tiangong 1 and 2 to Shenzhou 10 and 11, growing along with the development of the motherland,” emphasizing that “a great era requires great sentiment.”

Her achievements and contributions are widely reported; multiple books depicting her life have been published, and she has been featured on stamps. As China's first female astronaut in the space station and the country’s first female spacewalker, Wang Yaping symbolizes the continuous innovation and development of China's space endeavors.