China has announced that two of their astronauts completed a nine-hour spacewalk on Tuesday, beating the record held by US astronauts since 2001. This marks the latest milestone in China’s space program.
The two astronauts who completed the feat for China were Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, crew members of the Shenzhou-19 space flight. According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMS), the pair clocked the nine-hour space walk just before 10 p.m. local time in Beijing.According to the China Manned Space Agency
NASA astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms held the previous record, an eight-hour and fifty-six-minute spacewalk on March 12, 2001.
This spacewalk record is another step toward China becoming a major figure in Space
China has consistently strived to become a major player in space, given that the final frontier has become increasingly appealing for countries in terms of scientific matters, resources, and even national security.
During the spacewalk, Chinese officials reported that Cai and Song, alongside Wang Haoze who remained on the spacecraft, “worked closely together, and with the support of the space station’s robotic arm and ground scientific researchers, completed the installation of the space station’s space debris protection device, the inspection and disposal of extravehicular equipment and facilities, and other tasks.”
9 hours！#Shenzhou19 crew members completed the #firstspacewalk of their mission on Dec. 17, setting a new record for the longest duration of extravehicular activities by Chinese astronauts. pic.twitter.com/Lms4G0UHti
— Wu Lei (@wulei2020) December 17, 2024
For instance, the China National Space Administration (CMSA) has carried out complex missions with robots on the Moon in recent years. Perhaps the most notable mission during this time is the first-ever return of lunar samples from the moon’s far side in early 2024.
China is also considering landing on the moon, aiming to become the second country after the U.S. to land on our natural satellite. The mission is scheduled for 2030.
What’s next for China’s space program?
As mentioned, China is currently eyeing a manned mission to the moon, but this is just the beginning of Chinese space exploration. Plans are underway for a sustained Chinese lunar presence, and China plans to establish a research station on the moon by 2035.
Egg-shaped igloos will be constructed on the lunar surface, utilizing moon dust bricks that will be tested aboard Tiangong.
But the country is aiming further than the moon. Three ambitious missions are in the works for planetary exploration. For instance, the Tianwen-2 mission aims to sample near-Earth asteroids and probe-main belt comets.
The Tianwen-3 mission is a Mars sample return, aiming to collect Martian samples and bring them back to Earth, whereas the Tianwen-4 mission will explore the Jupiter system
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