2024-07-07 12:24:22
Hong Kong: China is busy securing its space station Tiangong after the explosion of a Russian satellite last week. Two astronauts of Shenzhou-18 did a spacewalk on Wednesday night to provide additional security cover to China’s space station after the explosion of the Russian satellite. The South China Morning Post quoted an official of the Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation as saying. The official told China’s state television CCTV that during the spacewalk, protective equipment was mainly installed on the external cables and pipelines of the space station. He said that this will reduce the risk arising from the possible collision of space debris and will help in increasing the safety of the space station. Earlier, the US Space Command had reported that a Russian satellite observing the Earth had exploded in orbit on June 26. More than 100 pieces of it were scattered in space, which has posed a threat to astronauts and other satellites.
Two Chinese astronauts did a spacewalk
Immediately after the explosion, NASA’s mission control instructed the six American astronauts on the International Space Station to take safe shelters to reduce the risk of debris. On Wednesday, China also completed safety measures to protect its space station from debris. Just before 11 pm Hong Kong local time, Chinese astronaut Li Kang reached outside the space station while doing a spacewalk. During this, astronaut Ye Guangfu handed over necessary equipment and devices to Li.
The campaign lasted six and a half hours
After this, Guangfu also reached the work place on the outside of the station and helped Li in installing safety equipment. After installing the equipment, Li Kang reached the inspection point with the help of a robotic arm, where he surveyed and photographed the surface condition of the payload adapter with the help of his helmet camera. After a mission of six and a half hours, both astronauts returned to the lab module.