Zhang Lu
Zhang Lu is a Chinese fighter pilot and taikonaut whose two Tiangong missions made him one of China's leading operators. By 2026 he had commanded Shenzhou 21 and held Chinese records for spacewalk count and EVA time.
- Born
- November 1, 1976
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Hanshou County, Hunan,China
Flights
2
Spacewalks
7
EVA time
47 hours, 47 minutes
In space
395 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes
Bio
Zhang trained through the People's Liberation Army Air Force Aviation University and served as a fighter pilot before selection to China's second astronaut group. His operational path combines the older pilot tradition with the station-era demands of EVA and crew command.
His first flight, Shenzhou 15, placed him aboard Tiangong during the station's early permanent-crew phase. He later commanded Shenzhou 21, which became extended and returned via Shenzhou 22 after the return-vehicle reshuffle caused by Shenzhou 20 damage.
Zhang connects China's assembly-era station work to more mature long-duration operations. His repeated EVAs and command role make him one of the central Chinese station astronauts of the 2020s.