Why does China require that its astronauts be married?
Probably seen as America鈥檚 , China has recently emerged as a major space power after conducting their in 2008 (not to mention launching a around the Moon).
With future plans of launching and sending (aka Chinese astronauts) , China is going to need a lot of space pioneers鈥損rovided they are hitched to a spouse.
() Earlier this year, Chinese space officials said that one requirement for China鈥檚 first female astronauts was that they were married, a requirement that is also upheld for China鈥檚 male astronaut candidates.
Excluding the single masses from participating in the final frontier may sound like an odd rule, especially when you consider the fact that there are in China on the prowl (which is of itself a ).
However by requiring Taikonauts to be married, China could be planning on in the not so distant future (a strategy that may help them establish a permanent presence on both the Moon and Mars).
Note: To my knowledge neither NASA or Russia require their astronauts and cosmonauts to marry, respectively, although the Chinese are insisting that married astronauts are better than bachelors (at least psychologically).
Darnell Clayton blogs at
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