Chinese astronauts set record with longest spacewalk
Technology
The duo “completed the installation of the space station’s space debris protection device
(Web Desk) - A pair of Chinese astronauts has completed a record-breaking spacewalk, spending 8.5 hours outside their country’s Tiangong space station.
Ye Guangfu and Li Guangsu’s spacewalk was the longest by Chinese astronauts, according to state news agency Xinhua. The previous record was eight hours.
The duo “completed the installation of the space station’s space debris protection device and the inspection of extravehicular equipment and facilities”, the China Manned Space Agency said in a statement on Tuesday
The agency has been concerned about floating debris damaging the space station since Tiangong experienced a partial power loss after space junk struck its solar panels recently.
The two astronauts returned safely to their lab module aboard the space station after the trip outside, Xinhua reported.
They were assisted by a third astronaut, Li Cong, who closely monitored them and their activities from inside the station.
Tiangong’s robotic arm and a team on Earth also lent a helping hand.
This was their first spacewalk as part of the six-month-long Shenzhou 18 mission which was launched in April.
“According to the plan, a large number of scientific experiments and technical tests as well as astronaut crew extravehicular activities and application payload extravehicular missions will be carried out during Shenzhou 18 manned flight mission,” the space agency said.
