According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), two astronauts Tsai Xuzhe and Tong Lingdong ended their space activities at 9:57 p.m. on December 17 (Beijing time). The spacewalk lasted 9 hours. This is the first trip of the Shenzhou 19 mission and breaks the record set more than two decades ago by NASA astronauts (USA).
Chinese astronauts walk in space on December 17, 2024
The previous record was set on March 11, 2001 when American astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms spent 8 hours and 56 minutes outside the space shuttle Discovery during a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
South China Morning Post commented that the above 9-hour spacewalk marked a milestone in China’s space history. Astronauts aboard Shenzhou 19 worked closely with the space station’s robotic arm and ground science staff, completing tasks such as installing debris protection devices. spaceflight, inspection and maintenance of equipment and facilities outside the ship.
This spacewalk marked the return of astronaut Cai Xuzhe after 2 years, while Tong Lingdong became China’s first 9X generation astronaut to perform this activity.
To date, Chinese astronauts have completed 18 spacewalks. Earlier this year, during the Shenzhou 18 mission, two astronauts Diep Quang Phu and Ly Quang To also completed a similar mission, spending 8 hours and 23 minutes outside the Thien Cung space station.
Not the first spacewalk, but still history-making
