Zhu Yangzhu

Zhu Yangzhu, male, was born in September 1986 in Zhu Dazhuang Village, Datun Street, Pei County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. His parents made their living through farming; despite a poor family background, they invested significantly in their children’s education. As the eldest son, Zhu Yangzhu has two younger brothers: Zhu Yanglong and Zhu Yangguang, who respectively graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology and Soochow University. From a young age, Zhu Yangzhu demonstrated a strong interest in flight and spaceflight. The patriotic atmosphere at home also influenced his growth.

After graduating from Pei County Middle School in Jiangsu Province in 2005, Zhu Yangzhu took the college entrance examination and applied to the School of Astronautics of the National University of Defense Technology (formerly the Aeronautics and Astronautics College). During his undergraduate studies, he majored in Aircraft Systems and Engineering. After graduation, he chose to pursue Master's and Doctoral degrees under the supervision of Professor Yi Shihe. During university, he participated in scientific research projects that won first-class awards from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Invention Award. In his graduate years, Zhu Yangzhu received honors for his excellent Master's and Doctoral theses from Hunan Province and the entire PLA.

After completing his Master's and Doctoral studies, Zhu Yangzhu spent ten years at the National University of Defense Technology for his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral education. He also engaged in postdoctoral research at the National Key Laboratory for Explosion Impact Disaster Prevention at thePLA University of Science and Technology, focusing on experimental aerodynamics and aerothermal optics. He has a certain academic reputation in his research field and has served as an associate professor at the Strategic Support Force Aerospace Engineering University.

In September 2020, Zhu Yangzhu was officially selected as an astronaut in China’s third batch of spaceflight personnel, becoming China's first professional astronaut without a flight background. Throughout rigorous selection and training, he overcame numerous technical and physical challenges and ultimately became an important member of the Shenzhou 16 mission. On May 30, 2023, Zhu Yangzhu launched aboard the Shenzhou 16 crewed spacecraft, entered the space station, and completed extravehicular activities and multiple space tasks. His performance in space received widespread attention, making him China’s first spaceflight engineer to perform spacewalks.

After completing his space mission, Zhu Yangzhu was awarded the title of “Hero Astronaut” in 2024 and received the “Third-Class Space Meritorious Medal.” He was also elected as the Vice Chairman of the 14th Committee of the China Youth Federation. Following the mission, Zhu Yangzhu led a team to summarize their experience and promote the development of China’s space station.

Zhu Yangzhu leads a relatively low-profile personal life. He maintains a diligent learning attitude. His family includes his parents and two younger brothers, all graduates of higher education institutions. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, having ridden as far as Loudi, and in the tenth anniversary of his graduation, he returned to Changsha to reunite with teachers and friends. Zhu Yangzhu states that his dream of flying into space originates from his family’s patriotic sentiments and his own longing for blue skies. He once aspired to become a pilot but shifted his focus to space research. He perseveres in striving to realize his value in the field of space exploration.