Taikonauts from the crew “Shenzhou-20”, located at the Chinese orbital space station “Tiangun” (“Heavenly Palace”), successfully completed their first exit to outer space. This was reported by the Office of the Program of piloted flights of China (CMSA).
According to the statement, the crew commander Chen Dong and engineer Chen Zongjuy went beyond the station, and the third member of the Wang Jie crew coordinated the operation from the inside.
During the 8-hour mission, Taikonauts first left the main Module of Tianhe (“Harmony of Heaven”) and installed equipment for protection against cosmic garbage. This is the 21st exit to the outer space as part of the Tiangun program and the first-for the crew “Shenzhou-20”, which arrived at the station on April 24. The crew will stay in orbit within six months.
Chinese orbital station “Tiangun”
China built its own space station after the United States refused it to participate in the program of the International Space Station (ISS). The Tiangun station includes one main module and two laboratory. It is also planned to add an orbital telescope “Sunnyan” (“observing heaven”).
The main module of Tianhe was brought to orbit on April 29, 2021, the laboratory modules “Wennyan” (“Search of Heaven”) and “Manchean” (“Dream of Heaven”) – respectively on July 24 and October 31, 2022. As a result, the station received a T-shaped structure.
Taikonauts are delivered to the station by ships of the Shanzhou series (“Holy Ship”), and the supply is carried out by the transport modules “Tianzhou” (“Heavenly Ship”). Three taiconauts with crew rotation are constantly working at the station.