Cradle of Spaceflight

Name: Cradle of Spaceflight
ISBN: 9787571012175

陈善广Hunan Science & Technology Press · ChinaApr 2025

3.2

Word count: 111K words
Chapters: 27
ISBN: 9787571012175

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Summary

The Spacewalk Book Series is a systematic popular-science education series on spaceflight knowledge, designed to meet the curiosity of a broad audience of space enthusiasts. We hope to help all those who care about China's space program understand and appreciate the fascinating activity of spacewalks, and to share in the excitement and joy they bring. The series comprises three volumes: Exploring the Imprint, Striding Through the Firmament, and Cradle of Spaceflight.

Cradle of Spaceflight answers the question: how is a spacewalking astronaut made? It explains the physiological and psychological requirements for spacewalks and the selection and training process for spacewalking astronauts.

In accessible prose, this volume describes the training astronauts must undergo to earn their spacewalking "license," and uses vivid examples to show the rigorous selection criteria and the stories behind them. Drawing on the training experiences of astronauts at home and abroad, it presents to readers the distinctive underwater training, zero-gravity aircraft training, spacewalk procedure training, simulator training, and vacuum-chamber training in the EVA spacesuit test module.

With detailed materials, warm prose, and exclusive reporting, this volume records the classic historic moment of China's first spacewalk and offers readers the first authoritative account of how China's first spacewalking astronaut stood out through layer upon layer of rigorous selection and training. It also highlights China's spacewalk technology, equipment, and training facilities.

Editor's review

Feitian Yaolan (Cradle of Spaceflight) is an authoritative work written personally by Chen Shanguang, the chief commander of the astronaut system, systematically expounding the construction and development of the astronaut system of China's manned space program. The book's unique value lies in the rarity of its perspective: it is not a popular science book for general readers, but an in-depth review, from the internal viewpoint of an engineering organizer and system designer, of how China built from scratch a complete, reliable, and scientific 'cradle of spaceflight'—a system of astronaut selection, training, medical monitoring, and support. The book discloses in detail the logic behind the formulation of astronaut selection criteria, the scientific basis and implementation details of rigorous training programs such as hypergravity, weightlessness, and wilderness survival, and the life-support engineering system built for the extreme space environment. This content goes beyond simple storytelling and touches the core of such professional fields as systems engineering management, human factors engineering, and space medicine. Reading this book not only reveals the scientific support and arduous efforts behind the glory of Chinese astronauts but also provides a deep understanding of the 'people-oriented' design philosophy and its realization path within a complex systems engineering project. For readers who wish to gain a deeper understanding of how China's space program achieves its core goal of 'sending people safely into space and bringing them home healthy,' this book offers rare first-hand information and deep reflection from the center of decision-making and execution.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in China's manned space program, especially the astronaut system, who seek in-depth understanding
Professionals engaged in or studying systems engineering, human factors engineering, safety engineering, or medical engineering
Researchers and enthusiasts concerned with the organization, management, and implementation paths of major Chinese science and technology projects
Readers seeking authoritative space-themed books with an insider perspective

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking only light, highly narrative personal biographies or anecdotes of astronauts
Readers looking for basic introductory space science books or children's books

Reading tips

It is recommended to read alongside the timeline of China's manned space missions, cross-referencing the system construction described in the book with actual mission practices
Focus on the accounts of decision-making processes, technology path choices, and problem-solving to appreciate the wisdom of complex engineering management
There is no need to understand all technical details at once; focus on grasping the design logic and interrelationships of each system (such as selection, training, and medical monitoring and support)

About the publisher

Hunan Science & Technology Press China · Founded in 1979

Hunan Science & Technology Press has long focused on science popularization and medical publishing, balancing academic depth with accessibility for general readers. Among the 462 titles in the database are Richard Feynman's classic lectures on QED, the nature of physical laws, and relativity in the "Approaching Feynman" series, as well as general-audience works such as George Gamow's One, Two, Three... Infinity and Sean Carroll's The Big Picture. Its paleontology and dinosaur list includes Gregory S. Paul's Princeton field guides and authors such as Xing Lida. Hermann Weyl's Symmetry further reflects the press's attention to classic works bridging science and the humanities. Overall, the publisher shows a clear author profile and an emphasis on illustrated, well-rounded science publishing across both translated and original titles.

版权信息
导读
前言
第一章优中选优
群英荟萃，太空门槛有多高
问鼎苍穹，你可担当重任吗
挖潜排短，岂容半点隐患
向天问心，孰能从容相对
第二章百炼成钢
千锤百炼，体质训练
知己知彼，航天环境适应性训练
驾驭飞船，练就娴熟技能
扣人心弦，建立稳健心态
应急自救，危难之中生存
虚实结合，模拟飞行全程
第三章天外漫步
出舱活动训练技术
出舱活动理论训练
出舱活动专业技能训练
出舱程序训练
出舱活动任务训练
出舱航天员的心理训练
第四章飞天基地
初现端倪的飞天基地
美国约翰逊航天中心
俄罗斯加加林航天员训练中心
中国航天员科研训练中心

FAQ

What is the difference between this book and astronaut autobiographies (such as Yang Liwei's Tiandi Jiuchong)?

The core difference lies in perspective and depth. Astronaut autobiographies focus on personal experiences, feelings, and stories of growth, and are more narrative and emotionally engaging. Feitian Yaolan, from the perspective of the system's chief designer, comprehensively and rationally explains the construction principles, technical content, and management logic of the entire selection, training, and support system that enables astronauts to fly, and is more systematic and professionally deep. The two are complementary: the former is the heroic epic 'on stage,' while the latter is the engineering blueprint 'behind the scenes.'

Does the book contain many technical terms, and is the reading threshold high?

The book is based on space engineering practice and inevitably involves professional concepts in fields such as space medicine and engineering. However, the author balances professionalism with readability and provides necessary explanations of key terms and principles. For readers with some scientific literacy and a sustained interest in space, understanding the main content should not pose an excessive barrier. Readers may regard it as an in-depth exploration of specialized knowledge in the astronaut system.

Which stage of astronaut system construction does this book mainly reflect?

Against the background of the 'three-step' strategy of China's manned space program, the book systematically summarizes the comprehensive construction process, key technological breakthroughs, and valuable experience accumulated by the astronaut system over the long period from the program's inception to the completion of the space laboratory missions. It is both a review of past achievements, and its systems engineering thinking and methodology also have ongoing guiding significance for the future development of China's manned spaceflight.

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About the author

陈善广 Author

Chen Shanguang: publicly available information is limited, and his research focus can only be glimpsed from the works held in the library. Three titles are currently available—Exploration Imprints, Strolling Through the Firmament, and the Cradle of Flight—all classified under industrial technology and centered on aerospace and human spaceflight. Judging from their titles, these books combine technical records with popular-science narration, reviewing the course of aerospace exploration while presenting flight practice and the foundations of talent development, which reflects the author's careful, systematic writing on space themes. As information on his dates, nationality, education, and positions cannot be verified, this profile makes no conjecture and describes only the subject matter and style of the works. Readers interested in the development of China's space program may use these three books to understand the author's perspective and manner of expression; further biographical and academic details can be added once more public information becomes available.