- Spacewalk Success: Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong completed an 8.5-hour spacewalk to install debris shields and inspect the exterior of the Tiangong space station.
- Debris Defense: The EVA focused on reinforcing the station’s protection against space debris, a growing hazard in Earth’s orbit, ensuring the safety and longevity of critical systems.
- Mission Milestones: The Shenzhou 19 crew is halfway through their six-month mission, with future plans including new crewed missions and potential expansions to Tiangong’s modular structure.
Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station successfully conducted a critical 8.5-hour spacewalk to bolster the station’s defenses against space debris. Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, members of the Shenzhou 19 mission, carried out the extravehicular activity (EVA) on January 20, 2025, supported by their crewmate Wang Haoze from within the station. The mission’s objectives included installing debris shields on the Wentian module and inspecting the station’s exterior.
The spacewalk marks the second EVA for Cai and Song, who previously set a record for the longest Chinese spacewalk during their December 2024 outing. This latest effort focused on reinforcing protection around the station’s critical systems, highlighting the growing threat posed by space debris in Earth’s orbit. The astronauts installed specialized shielding designed to safeguard external cables and other vital infrastructure from potential damage.
China’s human spaceflight program has prioritized debris mitigation during its Tiangong missions, conducting multiple spacewalks to enhance the station’s resilience. Previous efforts have included similar installations on the Tianhe core module, underscoring the nation’s commitment to maintaining the safety and longevity of its orbital outpost. With space debris becoming an increasing hazard, such measures are crucial for ensuring the station’s continued operations.
The Shenzhou 19 crew, who arrived at Tiangong in October 2024, are approaching the halfway mark of their six-month mission. They are expected to hand over operations to the incoming Shenzhou 20 crew in the coming months. China’s robust space exploration agenda includes plans to launch additional crewed and cargo missions to Tiangong in 2025, as well as potential expansions to the station’s modular design.
Completed in 2022, the Tiangong space station is roughly 20% the size of the International Space Station and represents China’s growing ambitions in space exploration. With a 10-year operational timeline, the station is poised to remain a cornerstone of China’s human spaceflight program and a hub for scientific research in low Earth orbit.
