Astronauts install instruments on the first spacewalk outside the Chinese space station

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4 July 2021

For the first time, two astronauts have served outside the Chinese space station, and only completed the second spacewalk in the history of the Chinese space program.

Liu Beoming and Tang Hongbo began a six-hour 46-minute EVA on Saturday (July 3) at 8:11 PM EST (0011 GMT or 8:11 AM Beijing time on July 4). Liu was the first to exit the space station’s Tianhe (“Harmony of the Heavens”) core module, followed by Tang about three hours later.

Wearing 12 upgraded Chinese spacesuits, his colleagues in Shenzhou equipped the space station with tools to support future activities.

Working alone at first, Liu installed a foot restraint and platform at the end of the 33-foot (10 m) station’s robotic arm and then installed the arm himself. Shenzhou 12 commander Ni Hai Sheng then tested the arm controls, and transported Liu from inside the Tianhe unit.

Tang, tied to a handrail that runs along the outside of the space station, later joined Liu in extending the panoramic camera. They then went on to work together to install other EVA equipment with the help of the robotic arm.

China’s manned space agency announced at the end of the spacecraft “After about 7 hours of outdoor activities, the Shenzhou 12 crew working closely together has successfully completed all scheduled missions while in space.”

Liu and Tang completed their spacewalks at 2:57 a.m. EDT (0657 GMT or 2:57 p.m. Beijing time) on Sunday.

A second spacewalk is scheduled for later on the Shenzhou 12 mission, which took off with Ni, Liu and Tang on June 16 and is scheduled to last three months. In addition to testing procedures, EVA is preparing the plant for expansion with the addition of two plant units to be launched in 2022.

China’s first spacewalk was conducted by Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou 7 mission, in 2008. Liu was part of that mission’s crew as well, and during the 22-minute flight, he performed an extra-vehicular activity, popping his head out of the hatch while He was wearing the Russian Orlan spacesuit.

The Chinese Feitian (“spaceflight”) suits are similar in design to the Orlan, with the portable life support system also serving as the spacesuit’s rear entry hatch. The Feitian helmets are equipped with cameras, broadcasting a first-person view similar to NASA’s Extravehicular Spacesuit (EMU).

When not in space, the Shenzhou 12 crewmates have been configuring and testing Tianhe Core Unit systems, conducting science experiments and participating in video downlinks, including speaking directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

When completed, the T-shaped Tiangong (“Heavenly Palace”) space station will be China’s first multi-module space station. In addition to hosting Chinese crews and research, China plans to invite international partners to visit and work on the orbital site.

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