Zhai Zhigang (Chinese: 翟志刚; pinyin: Zhái Zhìgāng; born 11 October 1966^[2]) is a Chinese major general of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) in active service as a People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonaut. During the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008, he became the first Chinese citizen to carry out a spacewalk.^[3] He was a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) fighter pilot.

Zhai was born in Longjiang County, Heilongjiang Province, on October 11, 1966.^[4] He is the youngest of six children.^[4] He attended Longjiang County No. 2 High School.^[4] He enrolled at the PLA Air Force Aviation University and studied to be a fighter pilot and then as a squadron leader.

Zhai became a lieutenant colonel and pilot trainer in the PLAAF after logging 1000 hours of flying time.^[5]

In 1996, Zhai was selected as a candidate for the taikonaut program and was selected to be the first group of fourteen in 1998. He was one of three members of the final group to train for the Shenzhou 5 flight. Yang Liwei was picked for the flight, with Zhai Zhigang ranked second ahead of Nie Haisheng. Zhai was one of the six taikonauts in the final training for Shenzhou 6 Ta Kung Pao newspaper had reported that Zhai Zhigang and Nie Haisheng were the leading pair, after having been in the final group of three for Shenzhou 5. However, Zhai had been paired with Wu Jie during training. Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng flew the flight.

Zhai's favourite pastimes are calligraphy, dancing and gadgets. He is married to Zhang Shujing and has one son.^{[citation needed]}

• List of Chinese astronauts
• Chinese space programme