JIUQUAN, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- More than 20 candidates have been shortlisted for the final selection of China's fourth generation of taikonauts, including several candidates from Hong Kong and Macao, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference on Wednesday.
The selection process was launched in 2022, with the aim of selecting 12 to 14 reserve taikonauts. The selection will include different fields of expertise, such as spacecraft pilots, spaceflight engineers and payload specialists.
Lin Xiqiang, the agency's spokesperson, said the spacecraft pilots will be selected from aviators now serving in the armed forces. The flight engineers and payload specialists will be chosen from those in relevant industries, universities and scientific research institutions.
"For the first time, the post of payload specialist is open to candidates from Hong Kong and Macao," Lin added.
In March 2023, the first round of the new taikonaut selection was completed, with 100-plus candidates being picked. The second round wrapped up in August, and more than 20 candidates advanced to the finals.
According to Lin, the selection work is set to wrap up before the end of this year. If they can pass the final selection, the candidates from Hong Kong and Macao will enter the taikonaut research and training center early next year.
"Let's look forward to their good news," Lin said.
I was sent an explicit photo by a stranger on my birthday so I took hilarious revenge on him
Esteury Ruiz homers and the A’s beat the Cardinals 6
Golden Bachelor couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist reveal how her job impacted their marriage
Spain's love swap! Former Man City star Ferran Torres' ex
Skye Wheatley hosts reunion with her I'm A Celebrity co
Khloe Kardashian, 39, cradles 'my baby' Tatum, 20 months, on private jet in heart
Beyonce surprises Dawn Staley with gifts after her third NCAA title with South Carolina
Russian air defense forces neutralize over 30,000 Ukrainian aerial weapons
Trump Media fires auditing firm that US regulators have charged with 'massive fraud'
Gisele Bundchen shows off her figure in a tied
Suspect in custody after video recorded him appearing to steal a police vehicle amid gunfire
Kim Kardashian credits North West, 10, for taking her sultry vacation pictures in Turks and Caicos