Description: (Chinese Major General, Former Taikonaut, and Military Pilot)
Yang Liwei, a Chinese major general and former military pilot, made history in October 2003 as the first person sent into space by the Chinese space program. As a former taikonaut of the People's Liberation Army, he piloted the Shenzhou 5 mission, leading China to become the third country to independently send humans into space. Yang Liwei currently serves as a vice chief designer of China Manned Space Engineering, playing a crucial role in advancing China's space exploration endeavors.