The Shenzhou 13 astronauts aboard the Chinese space station took the primary spacewalk of their mission Sunday (Nov. 7), marking the nation’s first spacewalk by a feminine astronaut.
The three Shenzhou 13 crewmembers— commander Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu — arrived at the Tianhe space station module hours after launch on Oct. 15. The China Manned Space Agency introduced plans for the spacewalk in a press release (Chinese) on Friday (Nov. 5). At the time, the company didn’t present data on the exact timing or targets of the spacewalk, nor which crewmembers would embark on the extravehicular exercise.
On Sunday, CMSA announced that the spacewalk was underway and it was being carried out by astonauts Zhai Zhifang, the Shenzhou 13 mission commander, and Wang Yaping, the nation’s second feminine astronaut to fly in space. Wang is now China’s first feminine spacewalker. Their spacewalk was anticipated to final six hours.
Related: The latest news about China’s space program
Wang Yaping grew to become China’s second lady in space in 2013 aboard the Shenzhou 10 mission. Zhai, in the meantime, grew to become the primary Chinese astronaut ever to perform a spacewalk throughout the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008.
Clues that Wang would carry out the spacewalk appeared final week in CCTV interviews by Chinese space officers.
“The Shenzhou 13 astronauts have finished their settling-in settings. And they have unpacked the new extravehicular suit we just sent up with the Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft and completed various tests to make sure the space suit is well set for extravehicular activities,” Wu Hao, an assistant researcher of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, told CCTV.
Two fits had been despatched aboard Tianzhou 2 to help Shenzhou 12 spacewalks, however the extra go well with advised it may very well be one particularly for Wang.
Two to a few extravehicular actions are deliberate for the six-month-long Shenzhou 13 mission, in line with a pre-launch press convention on the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Major targets had been acknowledged to incorporate putting in an adaptor to permit Tianhe’s giant arm to hook up with one other, smaller arm that might be on a future module.
The Shenzhou 13 crew have been throughout their three weeks in orbit. The mission is deliberate to final twice so long as the three-month-long Shenzhou 12, China’s earlier longest mission.
During this time the astronauts have efficiently transferred provides from the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft docked with Tianhe, together with finishing up upkeep, performing every day workout routines to counter the results of microgravity and conducting medical examinations and scientific experiments, the CMSA assertion famous.
Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu, making his first journey to space, additionally examined the microbial content material of water aboard Tianhe, footage released this week revealed.
The crew additionally ready for and drilled for emergency operations together with evacuation and first support. Meanwhile on the bottom at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2F rocket and the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft are in a state of near-readiness within the case of an emergency in orbit.
Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook
