Chinese astronauts make their first spacewalk outside the new station

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Beijing (AFP) – Two astronauts made their first space walk Sunday outside China’s new orbital station to work on a 15-meter (50-foot) robotic arm.

State TV showed Liu Beoming and Tang Hongbo climbing out of the airlock as the ground rolled from beneath them. The third crew member, Commander Nie Haisheng, remained inside.

The astronauts arrived on June 17 for a three-month mission aboard China’s third orbital station, part of an ambitious space program in which a robotic rover landed on Mars in May. Their mission comes as the ruling Communist Party celebrates its centenary.

The station’s first unit, Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, was launched on April 29. This was followed by a robotic spacecraft fitted with food and fuel. Liu Weni and Tang arrived on June 17 aboard the Shenzhou capsule.

On Sunday, Liu and Tang were completing the installation of a robotic arm that will be used to assemble the rest of the station, according to state media. State TV said their space suits are designed to allow them to work in the vacuum of space for up to six hours if necessary.

The space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through the end of next year to add two more units to the 70-tonne station.

Liu is a veteran of the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008, where Zhai Zhigang made the first spaceflight to China. Ne makes his third trip into space while Leo makes his first. They are all military pilots.

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