The Shenzhou-20 crew members, who are currently onboard China's space station, will conduct their first extravehicular activities within the next few days, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Wednesday.
Since entering the Tiangong space station on April 25, the three astronauts have completed a series of tasks in orbit, including the rotation with their predecessors Shenzhou-19 crew members, the maintenance and upkeep of the space station platform, inspections and tests of EVA suits, and medical rescue exercises.
All space science experiments have been progressing as planned, the agency said.
It also confirmed that the three Shenzhou-20 crew members are in good health and the space station is operating smoothly, ready for the upcoming space walk.
Shenzhou-20 crew gears for maiden extravehicular activities
China's smart consumer device manufacturing sector has seen rapid growth this year, fueled by a government-backed trade-in program and the expansion of diversified consumption scenarios.
From January to May, the country's electronic information manufacturing industry maintained strong momentum, with total revenue of enterprises above the designated size reaching 6.49 trillion yuan (some 900 billion U.S. dollars), up 9.4 percent year on year.
Production of electronic consumer goods recorded steady increases. Over 140 million computers were produced during the period, up 8 percent from a year earlier, while 14.04 million television units rolled off assembly lines, up 1.7 percent year on year.
"Consumption scenarios are becoming more diversified. On the demand side, new smart products are quickly entering the market, opening up emerging markets in home services, health management, and beyond. On the supply side, the industry is clearly moving toward transformation and upgrading, with new growth drivers accelerating," said Zuo Kairui, director of the Industry Development Department of the Institute of Policy and Economics at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
Looking ahead to the second half of the year, China plans to go on promoting its "AI plus consumer goods" initiative, encouraging the development and application of new technologies such as smart wearables, ultra-high-definition video, brain-computer interfaces, and robotics.
Meanwhile, authorities will continue to foster high-growth consumer sectors and guide the smart device industry toward greener, more service-oriented development.
China's smart consumer device industry sees rapid growth amid policy boost