Shenzhou-19 crew completes first extravehicular activities

Shenzhou-19 crew members aboard China’s orbiting space station completed the first extravehicular activities (EVAs) of their mission at 9:57 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Tuesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, worked for nine hours on completing multiple tasks, including the installation of space-debris protection devices. They were assisted by the space station’s robotic arm and a team on Earth.

Cai and Song, the two crew members assigned the EVA duty, have since returned safely to the Wentian lab module.

The mission of the first extravehicular activities of the Shenzhou-19 crew was a complete success, setting a new record for the duration of extravehicular activities by Chinese astronauts, said the CMSA.

It marked Cai’s second EVAs in space, following his initial EVAs during the Shenzhou-14 mission two years ago. Song became the first Chinese astronaut born after 1990 to carry out EVAs, said the agency.

The Shenzhou-19 crew is set to carry out a slew of scheduled space-science experiments and technical tests, while they will also undertake additional extravehicular activities and install payloads outside the space station, the agency added. ■

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec. 17, 2024 shows Shenzhou-19 astronauts preparing for extravehicular activities. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec. 17, 2024 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Song Lingdong performing extravehicular activities outside China’s orbiting space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec. 17, 2024 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe performing extravehicular activities outside China’s orbiting space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec. 17, 2024 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Song Lingdong waving his hand during extravehicular activities outside China’s orbiting space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec. 17, 2024 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe leaving China’s orbiting space station for extravehicular activities.

Reference Link:-https://english.news.cn/20241218/27b051d664684744b0862078d8de953a/c.html

Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan Founder & Chair, Global Silk Route Research Alliance

Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…

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