According to a statement by the China Manned Space Program Agency (CMSA), crew members Tang Hongbo, Tang Shingcie and Ciang Shinlin completed the activity outside the station with the support of the ground crew.
During the spacewalk, which lasted about 8 hours, the crew performed solar panel repair and other maintenance operations on the station’s core module Tienhı.
This was the 13th spacewalk on the station and the second off-board activity of the crew of astronauts sent to the station as part of the Shinchou-17 mission.
The Shinchou-17 crew was sent to the station on October 26. The team, which will serve at the station for 6 months, conducts space science experiments, technical tests and the installation of off-board modules.
China’s space station “Tiengong”
China has built its own space station in Earth orbit in response to the US ban on cooperation in space exploration and blocking its participation in the International Space Station (ISS) program.
The Tiengong Space Station, which consists of a core module, 2 laboratory modules and a space telescope, was built on the model of Russia’s now defunct Mir Space Station.
The core module “Tienhı (Celestial Harmony)” was launched on April 29, 2021, the first laboratory module “Vintien (Searching the Heavens)” on July 24, 2022, and the second laboratory module “Mıngtien (Dreaming the Heavens)” on October 31, 2022.
With the addition of laboratory modules to the core module, the “T” shaped main skeleton of the station was completed and the station entered the “application and development phase”.
The space telescope called “Shuntien (Wandering the Skies)” is also planned to be added to the station as a separate module.
The station is manned by a rotating crew of three astronauts, with personnel being transported by “Shincou (Holy Ship)” shuttles and supplies by “Tiencou (Sky Ship)” shuttles.
