On October 30, China’s Shenzhou-19 spacecraft successfully docked with the Tiangong space station, marking another milestone in the nation’s growing space program. Chinese astronauts, known as "taikonauts," Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong carried out an extensive extravehicular activity (EVA) aka spacewalk while their crewmate, Wang Haoze, remained inside the station.

During the spacewalk, Cai and Song installed protective equipment on Tiangong’s exterior and performed crucial maintenance before safely returning to the station.

“I have exited the cabin and feel great,” Song said at the beginning of the EVA, according to a video released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Spacewalk Details

The two taikonauts focused much of their nine-hour EVA on installing protective devices to shield the Tiangong space station from space debris. They also conducted inspections and maintenance on the station’s exterior systems.

The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) detailed the mission’s achievements in a WeChat update on Tuesday, stating that the team "worked closely together, and with the support of the space station's robotic arm and ground scientific researchers, completed the installation of the space station's space debris protection device, the inspection and disposal of extravehicular equipment and facilities, and other tasks."

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Record-Breaking Achievement

This spacewalk set a new record for China, surpassing the global benchmark for EVA duration. 

According to the South China Morning Post, the nine-hour activity outpaced the previous Chinese record of 8.5 hours, set in May 2024 by the Shenzhou-18 crew.

It also exceeded the previous world record held by NASA astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms, who conducted an eight-hour and fifty-six-minute EVA in March 2001.

Notably, Songborn in the 1990s became the youngest taikonaut to participate in a spacewalk.

Shenzhou-19 Mission and Future Plans

Spacewalks are inherently high-risk activities requiring extensive training and advanced support systems. 

The Shenzhou-19 crew has now spent nearly 50 days aboard Tiangong, conducting scientific experiments and performing maintenance tasks. Their six-month mission includes research in space life sciences and protein crystal structure analysis.

China’s ambitious space exploration agenda continues with plans to launch the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 missions in 2025, further cementing its status as a major force in space exploration.