Chinese astronauts have made history by completing the longest-ever spacewalk, spending nine hours outside the Tiangong space station. This record-breaking extravehicular activity (EVA) was achieved by Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, members of the Shenzhou 19 mission, surpassing the previous record of 8 hours and 56 minutes set by NASA astronauts in 2001 .
The mission took place from late Monday night into Tuesday morning and was declared a success by China’s Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO). The astronauts conducted tasks such as installing space debris protection devices, inspecting equipment, and performing maintenance with the assistance of robotic arms .
Key Highlights:
• Cai Xuzhe, the mission commander, led the EVA, starting at 11:51 PM EDT and concluding at 8:57 AM EDT the following morning.
• Song Lingdong, aged 34, became the first Chinese astronaut born in the 1990s to perform a spacewalk .
• The mission also marks the 17th EVA carried out at the Tiangong station, which has been operational since April 2021 .
The astronauts wore second-generation Feitian spacesuits, capable of supporting up to eight hours of external activity, showcasing advancements in China’s space technology .
This accomplishment highlights China’s growing dominance in space exploration as it continues to develop the Tiangong station and prepares for future missions.