China's space program reached a significant achievement on Tuesday as two of its astronauts completed a nine-hour spacewalk. The nine-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) by Shenzhou-19 crew members Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong exceeded a 22-year record previously held by the US.
The astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station have established a new world record for the longest spacewalk, according to the South China Morning Post.
Cai and Song finished the nine-hour extravehicular activity, commonly known as a spacewalk, just before 10 p.m. Beijing time, as reported by the China Manned Space Agency. As per NASA, the former record of eight hours and 56 minutes was achieved by US astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms on March 12, 2001.
The two Chinese astronauts exited the Wentain Lab Module, secured by safety cables. China has made considerable efforts to position itself as a prominent contender in space, a field that nations, including the US, are increasingly exploring not only for scientific advancements but also for resources and national security, as noted by CNN.
Both astronauts received assistance from their crewmate Wang Haozhe, who stayed inside the station. The success of the mission was also aided by Tiangong's robotic arms and ground control teams.
In recent times, the China National Space Administration has undertaken a series of progressively complex robotic lunar missions, including the historic return of lunar samples from the far side of the moon earlier this year.
Additionally, it aims to become the second nation, following the United States, to land on the moon and has introduced a specially designed spacesuit for the mission planned for completion by 2030.
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