Two astronauts from the Shenzhou 20 mission ventured outside the three-module Tiangong space station for a record-breaking 6.5-hour spacewalk on Friday, adding more debris shielding to the outpost. The crew, consisting of commander Chen Dong and rookie astronaut Wang Jie, were assisted by fellow crew member Chen Zhongrui during the extravehicular activity.
This was at least the second time the crew has performed this task, with a similar effort taking place on May 22. During the spacewalk, the astronauts also inspected and maintained equipment on the exterior of Tiangong, as well as performing other duties.
The spacewalk marked Dong’s sixth spaceflight, making him the most experienced Chinese astronaut to have undertaken such an endeavor. The Shenzhou 20 crew is nearing the midpoint of their six-month orbital stay, which began on April 24.
The crew has been conducting a range of experiments in life sciences, microgravity physics, and space material science, among other areas. The Tiangong space station, completed by China in October 2022, is about 20% as massive as the International Space Station and features a T-shaped design.
This marks the ninth crewed mission to visit Tiangong, with one cargo spacecraft departing and another arriving during the crew’s stay. With future plans to add more modules to the outpost, the upgrade of the debris shield is an important step in ensuring the space station’s continued operation.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/chinese-astronauts-beef-up-tiangong-space-stations-debris-shield-during-6-5-hour-spacewalk-video