According to official Chinese channels, two astronauts from the China National Space Administration completed a nine-hour spacewalk on December 17. If the news were confirmed it would be the longest extravehicular activity in the history of space exploration. In June the Chang’e probe brought back to Earth samples from the dark side of the Moon.
Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong are two Chinese astronauts. The October 29th they left with the mission Shenzhou-19 towards Tiangong, the Chinese space station in low Earth orbit that in recent years has become the center of the Beijing space program. The first civilian Chinese astronaut also arrived here in May. In this mission Xuzhe and Lingdong completed aextravehicular activity (EVA) exactly long nine hours. The EVA was completed on December 17th.
It is a record that had never been achieved before history of space explorationthe record belonged to US astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms. They had established it on March 12, 2001 with a durable EVA eight hours and 56 minutes. EVA, also known as a spacewalk, is currently one of the most difficult missions astronauts can complete.
From a more strategic point of view this record is first of all a signal. In recent years, Beijing has begun to carve out a space for itself outside our atmosphere. In June the China National Space Administration managed to bring a series of samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth with the Chang’e probe. And again. In 2030 Beijing plans to complete a moon landing: if successful, the astronauts arriving on lunar soil would be the first Chinese citizens on our satellite.
Andrea and Anthea begin training, they will be the next astronauts: “It all starts from a phone call”
Because EVA is one of the most complex missions in an astronaut’s career
During a spacewalk astronauts are alone in spaceprotected only by their suit. Indeed, given the level of materials and technology, we are talking about one rather than a suit small spaceship sewn to measure. Samantha Cristoforetti in his book Diary of a trainee astronaut explains that every single piece of the spacesuit must be chosen to adapt to the exact conformation of the astronaut’s body.
Usually these extravehicular activities are scheduled for maintenance operations or upgrades necessary for the maintenance of the International Space Station. Despite the tests, the training and all the attention that can be put into the ground. The July 16, 2013 the Italian astronaut Luca Parmitanothe first Italian to participate in an EVA, had to face an accident while outside the International Space Station because the helmet of his suit had filled with water.
