China has achieved a major milestone in space exploration. Two astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station completed a nine-hour spacewalk. This feat, confirmed by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), sets a new global record.
Surpassing a Two-Decade-Old Record
The previous record belonged to US astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms. They spent eight hours and 56 minutes outside Space Shuttle Discovery. Their mission took place on 12 March 2001 during an International Space Station expedition.
Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong surpassed that time. Their extravehicular activity (EVA) concluded at 9:57 p.m. Beijing time on Tuesday. The CMSA called the mission a "full success."
Strengthening China's Space Ambitions
This achievement highlights China's growing presence in the space sector. It also marks a key step in its lunar exploration goals. China aims to become the second nation to land astronauts on the moon.
The nine-hour EVA broke a previous Chinese record. Astronauts Ye Guangfu and Li Guangsu spent eight hours, 23 minutes outside Tiangong in 2022. China continues to push boundaries in its space missions.
Personal and Mission Milestones
The spacewalk was a first for astronaut Song Lingdong. He is the first Chinese astronaut born in the 1990s to perform an EVA. Mission commander Cai Xuzhe completed his second spacewalk. His first was in November 2022, lasting 5.5 hours.
Video footage released by CCTV captured key moments. It showed the astronauts leaving the Wentian lab module. They were tethered by safety cables during the EVA.
Their work was supported by robotic arms and team coordination. Wang Haozhe, inside the station, assisted throughout the activity. More spacewalks and experiments are planned for the current mission.
China's Lunar Mission in Sight
China's ambitions extend far beyond the space station. It unveiled a specialised spacesuit for a future moon mission. This lunar mission is scheduled to take place by 2030.
The Shenzhou-19 crew, who arrived in October, will return in 2025. Until then, more activities are expected at Tiangong station. Scientific tests and technical advancements will remain a top priority.
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