Photo: Live from CCTV coverage via CNSA Watcher on Youtube
For the first time in 13 years, taikonauts took a step in space for China's ambitious space program. On July 4th, crew members aboard the new Tiangong space station conducted their first spacewalk. This was China's second spacewalk, following the one performed on the Shenzhou-7 mission in 2008.
It has been more than a decade since China's first-ever spacewalk was performed by Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou 7 mission. Part of that mission's crew was Liu Boming, the same taikonaut that ventured into space on July 4th around the new Tiangong space station.
Three astronauts arrived on June 17th aboard China's third orbital station, which is part of the country's ambitious space program that will put two space stations on our planet's orbit at the same time. As the construction work on its Tianhe core module has only just started, the astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo are expected to carry a number of technical tasks during their three-month stay.
For their first spacewalk, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo opened the exit door of the core module at 8:11 p.m. EDT (8:11 a.m. Beijing Time). According to China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), they tested next-generation Feitian spacesuits, how the robotic arm performed, and adjusted the extravehicular panoramic camera to allow for a better view of the core module.
After completing the installation of a foot limiter and an extravehicular platform on the robotic arm, they carried out the equipment assembly to be used on future missions. During this time, commander Nie Haisheng supported the two astronauts from inside Tianhe.
After approximately seven hours of extravehicular activities, CMSA declared the mission successful. Once the tasks were completed, taikonauts Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo returned to the core module at 2:57 a.m. EDT ( 2:57 p.m. Beijing Time).
The Shenzhou-12 crew is currently in good condition and is expected to perform another spacewalk during their next two months stay on the Tiangong space station.
Three astronauts arrived on June 17th aboard China's third orbital station, which is part of the country's ambitious space program that will put two space stations on our planet's orbit at the same time. As the construction work on its Tianhe core module has only just started, the astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo are expected to carry a number of technical tasks during their three-month stay.
For their first spacewalk, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo opened the exit door of the core module at 8:11 p.m. EDT (8:11 a.m. Beijing Time). According to China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), they tested next-generation Feitian spacesuits, how the robotic arm performed, and adjusted the extravehicular panoramic camera to allow for a better view of the core module.
After completing the installation of a foot limiter and an extravehicular platform on the robotic arm, they carried out the equipment assembly to be used on future missions. During this time, commander Nie Haisheng supported the two astronauts from inside Tianhe.
After approximately seven hours of extravehicular activities, CMSA declared the mission successful. Once the tasks were completed, taikonauts Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo returned to the core module at 2:57 a.m. EDT ( 2:57 p.m. Beijing Time).
The Shenzhou-12 crew is currently in good condition and is expected to perform another spacewalk during their next two months stay on the Tiangong space station.
The 2 #Chinese #Shenzhou12 #taikonauts Liu Boming &Tang Hongbo went outside core module for the 1st extravehicular mission which lasted for 7 hours this morning, marking a full success of the 1st #spacewalk for the astronauts at the #spacestation. pic.twitter.com/SVIkvbxqp9
— Ambassador Deng Xijun (@China2ASEAN) July 4, 2021
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