The Shenzhou-20 crew on board China's orbiting space station completed their first series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) at 16:49 Beijing Time (08:49 GMT) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Assisted by the space station's robotic arm and a ground team in Beijing, astronauts Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui, in close collaboration with Wang Jie, exited the Tiangong space station complex through the node cabin of the Tianhe core module.
The three astronauts worked around eight hours to complete multiple tasks, including the installation of space debris protection devices that had earlier been deployed through the cargo airlock cabin and transferred to an intermediate position by the robotic arm, and the inspection of extravehicular equipment and facilities.
Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui, who undertook the spacewalk, have returned to the Tianhe core module safely, marking a complete success of the mission's first series of extravehicular activities.
This marks the first time since the space station entered its application and development phase on December 31, 2022 that astronauts have exited the complex through the node cabin of the Tianhe core module.
It is also the first time that astronauts' extravehicular activities and cargo deployment have been coupled and implemented in conjunction with each other.
Astronaut Chen Dong conducted his second spacewalk after his first one two years ago, while Chen Zhongrui performed his first extravehicular mission.
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.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete first spacewalk
Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete first spacewalk
