Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Liu Yang was born in Tianjin, China on December 16, 1980 and graduated from Tsinghua University with a degree in aerospace engineering.
In 2010, Liu Yang was selected as one of China's three female astronauts for the Tiangong-1 space station mission. The mission lasted for six months and included several spacewalks, where Liu Yang performed a series of experiments and conducted research in microgravity conditions.
After returning to Earth, Liu Yang continued her career in space exploration and served as deputy director of the Space Center of the Academy of Sciences of the People's Republic of China. She also served as vice president of the Chinese Astronaut Association and played a key role in promoting women's participation in space exploration.
On July 4, 2021, Liu Yang announced that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Despite this diagnosis, she remained optimistic and continued to work hard to complete her final project before leaving the world of space exploration.
On August 1, 2021, Liu Yang passed away peacefully in Beijing, surrounded by her family and colleagues. Her passing is a great loss to the Chinese people and the global community of space exploration. Liu Yang will always be remembered as a brave and dedicated astronaut who made significant contributions to China's space exploration program.