Liu Yang
Liu Yang (刘洋) is a Chinese pilot who could be selected as the only female astronaut among the three-person crew on the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft.
Born in Henan Province in central China in 1978, Liu is an only child. In 1997, she enrolled at the Changchun Air Force Aviation College and became one of the first female air force pilots from Henan Province since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In 2001, she was assigned to an air force aviation division in the Guangzhou Military Region, which is known as the "Cradle of female Pilots."
Liu holds the rank of Air Force Lieutenant. She has more than eleven years of aviation experience and is trained to pilot four types of aircraft.
The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft will be launched in mid June. It was reported earlier that Shenzhou 9’s three-person crew might include a female astronaut, who would subsequently become China's first female astronaut in space. The final decision is about to be made between two candidates.
