China completes 20 astronaut extravehicular activities

JIUQUAN -- China has successfully carried out 20 astronaut extravehicular activities (EVAs) over the course of its space program, with its EVA technology among the most advanced worldwide, a spokesperson with the China Manned Space Agency said on Wednesday.

The longest single EVA by Chinese astronauts reached nine hours, setting a world record, said CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang at a press conference on the Shenzhou XX crewed spaceflight mission.

The extravehicular spacesuits, Feitian, meaning flying into space, have maintained good performance and stable conditions in EVAs since the Shenzhou XII mission. The highest usage of a single spacesuit has reached 17 times, according to the spokesperson.

The space station's robotic arms, which can be connected and "crawl" on the exterior of the space cabins due to their unique designs, enable astronauts to access all EVA areas.

Additionally, the coordination support system between space and ground has been refined to provide robust professional backing for EVA planning, real-time control, cross-system collaboration, and emergency response.

The EVAs help verify key technologies concerning extravehicular spacesuits, airlock cabins, robotic arm-assisted operations, and coordination support between space and ground, Lin said.

The activities include the installation of an expansion pump set, payload exposure platform support rods, panoramic camera brackets, as well as the connection of cross-module cables, fulfilling the space station's full functional design.

Following damage to the solar wing cables of the Tianhe core module caused by space debris impacts, astronauts carried out China's first extravehicular maintenance via two EVAs. They successfully eliminated the impact on the solar arrays and restored the power supply.

To ensure the space station's long-term reliability amid growing debris threats, China transitioned from reactive repairs to active prevention, conducted multiple EVAs for inspections, and installed space debris shielding devices, significantly enhancing orbital defense capabilities of the space station.

China's EVAs have evolved from technical verification and basic operations to complex mission execution, and will play an increasingly vital role in the long-term operation of the space station, Lin concluded.