Chen Zhongrui (; born October 1984) is a Chinese People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonaut selected as part of the Shenzhou program. Biography. Born in Chendazhao Village, Hua County, Henan Province in October 1984. He has loved machinery since childhood and once dreamed of becoming a tractor driver. When he graduated from junior high school, he began to prepare for the Air Force pilot selection test. After passing the test, he entered the Air Force Changchun Flight Academy and was the first batch of flight trainees to fly solo. He began to dream of becoming an astronaut. Astronaut career. In 2018, he participated in the third batch of astronaut selection and was selected in September 2020. On April 24, 2025, Chen launched on the Shenzhou 20 mission to the Tiangong space station, where he is currently serving as operator.