3-3-2024 (BEIJING) Astronauts Conduct Second Spacewalk to Repair Solar Panels on China’s Tiangong Space Station (Astronauts Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin successfully completed the second spacewalk on China’s Tiangong space station on Saturday. The eight-hour mission aimed to repair damaged solar panels on the orbiting facility.)
The China Manned Space Agency announced that Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin ventured outside the station to carry out the repairs using a robotic arm located on the exterior of the Tianhe core module.
Meanwhile, astronaut Tang Shengjie remained inside the station to assist with coordinating the operation and liaising with scientists on Earth.
The agency highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating that it was the first time Chinese astronauts had conducted maintenance on extravehicular facilities of an orbiting spacecraft.
Following the successful completion of the repairs, Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin safely returned to the Wentian experimental lab module.
In addition to the repair mission, the astronauts also performed inspections on the surface of the Tiangong space station.
The Shenzhou 17 crew had previously conducted their first extravehicular maintenance mission on December 21, during which they commenced the task of repairing the solar panels. This initial spacewalk lasted approximately 7½ hours.
After the latest spacewalk on Saturday, the power output from the solar panels returned to normal levels.
The flexible solar panels, located on the Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian experimental modules, are responsible for powering the Tiangong space station.
Prior to the crew’s departure in October, Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, revealed that the solar panels had sustained minor damage from space debris.
On Friday, the agency announced its plans for the spacewalk, confirming that the crew had conducted inspections on their spacesuits and station equipment.
Since their mission in December, the Shenzhou 17 crew members have been practicing the operation of the robotic arm and familiarizing themselves with safety protocols and debugging procedures, as stated by the agency.
The Shenzhou 17 crew is scheduled to return to Earth in April after handing over control of the Tiangong space station to the Shenzhou 18 crew. However, the members of the Shenzhou 18 crew and their departure date have not yet been announced.
During their remaining time on the Tiangong, the Shenzhou 17 crew will continue to carry out planned scientific experiments in fields such as life sciences and microgravity.
