Liu Yang

Imagine being the very first woman from your whole country to fly into space! In June 2012, Liu Yang did exactly that. She became the first Chinese woman to travel into orbit. That bold moment made headlines and showed girls everywhere that space is for everyone.

Who is Liu Yang? Born in 1978, she trained as a fighter pilot before joining China’s astronaut program. The single most important thing about her life is that she broke a big barrier: she was the first woman from China to fly in space. She belongs to the 21st-century growth of China's space program.

What did she do in space? Liu Yang flew aboard Shenzhou 9 to the Tiangong-1 space lab with two teammates. The mission successfully docked the spacecraft with the lab — a major step for learning to build space stations. Liu helped run scientific experiments and practiced important flight tasks that help future missions succeed.

Why does her flight matter? Liu Yang inspired millions and gave many girls a new idea of what they can become. She showed that training, teamwork, and bravery can turn a big dream into a real journey to the stars. Today she remains a proud symbol of China’s growing place in space.