New taikonaut crew completes first spacewalk

The Shenzhou-17 taikonaut crew, currently serving on China's Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) Space Station in Earth's orbit, has completed its first spacewalk.

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New taikonaut crew completes first spacewalk

According to a statement from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), taikonauts Tang Hongbo and Tang Shengjie completed the crew's first activity outside the station. Taikonaut Jiang Xinlin, who remained on the station, provided support to the team from inside.

During the spacewalk, which lasted approximately 7.5 hours, the taikonaut crew performed tasks such as repair testing on the solar panel of the station's core module, Tianhe. This was the 12th spacewalk conducted at the space station and the first extravehicular activity for the taikonaut crew sent to the station as part of the Shenzhou-17 mission.

The Shenzhou-17 taikonaut crew was sent to the station on October 26. The crew, which will serve on the station for 6 months, is conducting space science experiments, technical tests, and the installation of extravehicular modules.

CHINA'S SPACE STATION "TIANGONG"

China established its own space station in orbit after the U.S. banned cooperation in space research and prevented its participation in the International Space Station (ISS) program.

The "Tiangong" station, which consists of one core module and two laboratory modules, with a space telescope planned to be added, was built modeled after Russia's now-defunct Mir Space Station.

The station's main component, the core module named "Tianhe" (Heavenly Harmony), was launched on April 29, 2021; the first laboratory module, "Wentian" (Quest for the Heavens), on July 24, 2022; and the second laboratory module, "Mengtian" (Dreaming of the Heavens), on October 31, 2022.

With the addition of the laboratory modules to the core module, the installation of the station's T-shaped main structure was completed, and the station entered its "application and development phase."

A space telescope named "Xuntian" (Surveying the Heavens) is also planned to be added to the station as a separate module.

Personnel are transported to the station, where a 3-person taikonaut crew serves on a rotating basis, via "Shenzhou" (Divine Vessel) spacecraft, while supply materials are carried by "Tianzhou" (Heavenly Vessel) spacecraft.

News Source: AA