JIUQUAN -- Zhu Yangzhu, who captured the nation's memory in 2023 as China's first spaceflight engineer in orbit, is poised to write the next chapter of his cosmic story.

Appointed commander of the Shenzhou XXIII mission, Zhu is set for a launch late Sunday alongside two crewmates, with one member slated to undertake a record-breaking one-year stay in orbit.

"We are like three different pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together to form a seamless, powerful whole, united in thought and action to accomplish this mission," Zhu said at Saturday's press conference, where he appeared alongside his two teammates.

As the country's first spaceflight engineer to serve as a commander, he described his crew's synergy with a unique formula: achieving a "one plus one plus one equals one" mindset, where they think as one and pull in the same direction, while delivering a technical capability that is "greater than three."

Born in 1986 in Peixian county, East China's Jiangsu province, Zhu was fascinated with flying as a child.

He earned master's and doctoral degrees and became an associate professor at the Space Engineering University.

In 2020, his persistence paid off when he was selected for China's third batch of astronauts. On May 30, 2023, Zhu blasted off aboard the Shenzhou XVI spacecraft for his maiden voyage.

During the five-month mission, he became the first spaceflight engineer to conduct a spacewalk, meticulously completing operations in cooperation with his crewmates. Upon returning to Earth, he was awarded a medal and the honorary title "heroic astronaut" for his service to China's space endeavors.

"Returning from space is not the end, but a new starting point," he said. Facing his honors, he humbly reset his mindset, completing his post-flight recovery before fully transitioning into new training and preparations.

This rigorous new training and preparation included facing the extreme challenges of an unknown environment in the country's first astronaut cave training in December 2025. As a member of the first team to enter the caverns, Zhu confronted a severe test of physical endurance and psychological resilience.

According to him, upon entering the narrow passages, he was overwhelmed by a strong sense of confinement, accompanied by tightness and breathlessness.

"The more dangerous the situation, the more I must steady my mind; the more difficult it gets, the more I must hold my rhythm," he told himself silently.

To further hone his psychological endurance in extreme environments, he even suggested that his teammates briefly turn off their helmet lights to experience the boundless darkness and absolute silence of deep space.

Transitioning from a spaceflight engineer to a commander leading a team, Zhu's second space journey carries a heavier mission and personal responsibility.

As commander, he holds himself to higher standards. At the crew's first meeting, Zhu wrote the goal on the whiteboard: "Live happily, work efficiently, and achieve zero errors and zero mistakes."

"We shoulder not just a mission, but a nation's expectations and dreams," he said.

His inner resilience was perfectly captured in a recent exercise where he identified himself as a "butterfly" rather than the "bees."

"Beyond loyalty and independence, it represents the power to stick to one's dreams and the strength to break through the cocoon," he explained.

"We are fully prepared, and the interests of our motherland always come first. If my country needs me, I am ready to answer the call," Zhu said.