Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe, mission commander, and Lieutenant Colonel Song Lingdong exited the Wentian lab module and concluded their EVA at 8:50 pm on Friday, following an extensive seven-hour operation outside the expansive orbital complex.
Lieutenant Colonel Wang Haoze remained inside Tiangong throughout the EVA, assisting the pair with coordination and support from within the station.
Guided by mission control and aided by Tiangong's robotic arm, Cai and Song accomplished all scheduled objectives, which included mounting external support equipment, installing shields to protect against space debris, and inspecting various pieces of extravehicular gear, the agency reported.
This operation marked the 20th spacewalk conducted by Chinese astronauts to date. It was also a personal milestone for Cai, who became the first Chinese astronaut to complete five spacewalks. He previously executed two EVAs during his inaugural spaceflight aboard Shenzhou XIV in the latter half of 2022.
During the current mission, Cai and Song carried out their initial spacewalk on December 17, which lasted over nine hours and set a new global record for EVA duration, surpassing the previous record of 8 hours and 56 minutes set by U.S. astronauts in March 2001.
Their second EVA of the mission occurred on January 20 and 21, with Cai and Song again teaming up for the task.
The Shenzhou XIX crew, the eighth rotation aboard the Chinese orbital station, launched on October 30 last year via a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China. They reached Tiangong the same day, taking over from the Shenzhou XVIII team.
Since docking, the crew has carried out a wide array of scientific experiments and technical operations, all progressing efficiently.
The space agency noted that the trio is scheduled to return to Earth by late April or early May.
Related Links
China Manned Space Agency
The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology
China News from SinoDaily.com
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