Chinese made their first spacewalk
According to the statement made by the China Manned Space Program Agency (CMSA), taikonauts Cay Şücı and Song Lingdong completed the team’s first activity outside the station.
Taykonaut Vang Haozı, who remained at the station, provided internal support to the team.
During the spacewalk, which lasted approximately 9 hours, the Taykonaut team carried out operations such as the installation of space debris shields and the control of extravehicular equipment with the help of ground controls and the station’s robotic arm.
This was the 18th spacewalk performed on the space station and the first extravehicular activity of the taikonaut team sent to the station as part of the Shincou-19 mission.
The Shincou-19 taikonaut team was sent to the station on October 30. The team will stay at the station for 6 months, conduct numerous space science experiments, technical tests and spacewalks, and place cargo and personnel modules.
CHINA’S SPACE STATION “TIENGONG”
China established its own space station in orbit because the United States banned cooperation in space research and prevented its participation in the International Space Station (ISS) program.
The “Tiengong” (Sky Palace) Station, which consists of a core module, two laboratory modules and is planned to include a space telescope, was modeled after Russia’s now defunct Mir Space Station.
The main part of the station, the core module called “Tienhı” (Celestial Harmony), will be launched on April 29, 2021, the first laboratory module “Vıntien” (Seeking the Skies) will be launched on July 24, 2022, and the second laboratory module “Mıngtien” (Dreaming the Skies) will be launched on October 31, 2022. It was launched in .
With the installation of the “T” shaped main frame completed with the addition of laboratory modules to the core module, the station moved into the “application and development phase”.
The space telescope called “Şüntien” (Wandering the Skies) is also planned to be added to the station as a separate module.
Personnel are transported by “Şıncou” (Holy Ship) shuttles, and supplies are transported by “Tiencou” (Sky Ship) shuttles to the station, where a 3-person taikonaut team works on a rotating basis.
*Images of the news were provided by AP.