Chinese astronauts, Ye Guangfu and Li Cong, were busy this week installing space debris protection on the Tiangong space station. They spent about 6.5 hours working outside the station, with Li Guangsu assisting them from inside by operating the robotic arm. The main goal of this spacewalk was to enhance the station’s ability to operate safely in the long term by installing protection devices for cables and pipelines.
During the spacewalk, Li Cong mounted the robotic arm and conducted an extravehicular inspection of the space station’s facilities using a helmet camera. The astronauts returned to Tiangong through the extravehicular activity (EVA) hatch of the Wentian science module.
This isn’t the first time Chinese astronauts have been involved in such activities. In a previous spacewalk in late May, Ye and Li Guangsu installed space debris protection on the Mengtian experiment module, setting a national record of about 8.5 hours working outside the station.
Li Cong expressed his awe at the beauty of the Chinese space station, mentioning how he couldn’t help but admire it despite the glaring sunlight. He praised the efforts of all the space professionals and expressed his pride in his country.
According to China’s human spaceflight agency, a total of 16 spacewalks have now taken place outside the space station, involving 17 different astronauts. The Shenzhou 15 mission crew holds the record for the most EVAs during a mission, with four spacewalks conducted between November 2022 and June 2023.
The progress and achievements of the Chinese space program are truly remarkable, with astronauts continuously working to improve the functionality and safety of the Tiangong space station. The dedication and hard work of these astronauts highlight the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.
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Andrew, a freelance space journalist focusing on China’s space sector, has been reporting for Space.com since 2019. His work can also be found in publications like SpaceNews, IEEE Spectrum, National Geographic, Sky & Telescope, and New Scientist. Andrew’s passion for space exploration began when he first saw Voyager images of other planets in our solar system as a child. When he’s not covering space news, Andrew enjoys trail running in the forests of Finland. Connect with him on Twitter @AJ_FI for more updates.
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