Chen Zhongrui
Chen Zhongrui is a Chinese taikonaut from the third Chinese astronaut group and a Shenzhou 20 crew member. His first spaceflight placed him directly into mature Tiangong station operations.
- Born
- October 1, 1984
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Hua County, Henan,China
Flights
1
Spacewalks
1
EVA time
6 hours, 29 minutes
In space
203 days, 23 hours, 23 minutes
Bio
Chen was born in Henan and came from a People's Liberation Army Air Force fighter-pilot background. China selected him in the third astronaut group in 2020, a class built for regular Tiangong station rotation and specialized station work.
He launched on Shenzhou 20 on April 24, 2025, with Chen Dong and Wang Jie. The crew carried out long-duration station research, maintenance, and work aboard Tiangong.
The crew's planned return on Shenzhou 20 was changed after suspected debris damage was found in the return window. Chen Zhongrui returned safely on Shenzhou 21 on November 14, 2025; Shenzhou 20 later returned uncrewed.