The Shenzhou-19 crew recently successfully completed the first series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) on the Chinese space station, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced. During a long nine-hour extravehicular activity (EVA).the Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, supported by their colleague Wang Haoze inside the station and by a team on Earth, have completed a series of complex operations, including the installation of protection against space debris. Cai and Song, specifically trained for EVAs, used the station’s robotic arm, demonstrating excellent coordination between the crew in space and the support team on Earth.
At the end of the external activities, the two astronauts returned safely to the Wentian moduleconcluding the mission successfully. This operation not only strengthens the safety and effectiveness of China’s EVA procedures, but also sets a new duration record for Chinese astronauts’ extravehicular activities, adding a major success to the country’s space program.
This was the second EVA for Cai Xuzhe, who had already participated in similar operations during the Shenzhou-14 mission two years ago. Another significant event was the EVA debut of Song Lingdong, the first Chinese astronaut born after 1990 to perform an extravehicular activity, highlighting the generational change and the commitment to training new figures in the Chinese space sector.
The Shenzhou-19 crew won’t stop there. More EVAs and the installation of new scientific instruments outside the space station are planned in the coming months. Furthermore, the crew will conduct a series of scientific experiments and technological tests in space, with the aim of expanding our knowledge of the extraterrestrial environment and testing new technologies in extreme conditions.
Image Credits Xinhua/Li Jie
