Taikonauts Tie Chinese Record With Fourth Spacewalk [SZ-20 EVA-4]
Two taikonauts selected in 2020 have performed their first spacewalk together too.
Coming toward the end of their mission on board the Tiangong Space Station, the Shenzhou-20 crew performed their fourth spacewalk. This spacewalk had Chen Zhongrui (in the red suit) and Wang Jie (donning the yellow suit) head outside via the Wentian module’s airlock.
The mission’s fourth spacewalk is reported to have lasted around six hours over September 25th and 26th, with the spacewalkers safely returning inside at 01:35 am China Standard Time (17:35 pm Universal Coordinated Time, just on September 25th). Today’s spacewalk was Chen Zhongrui’s third and Wang Jie’s second.
Once again, this spacewalk did not utilize two newly delivered and improved Feitian (飞天航天服) spacesuits, sent up via Tianzhou-9 in July. Those suits are also decorated in red and blue, making it difficult to identify if they were used, minus the lack of taikonaut signatures on the back.
While outside the station, Chen and Wang are said to have conducted routine inspections of the three modules and two docked spacecraft, the resupply spacecraft Tianzhou-9 and their Shenzhou spaceship. Like the mission’s three other spacewalks, the installation of debris protection devices was the primary task, with newly installed panels protecting multiple systems in critical locations.
Crewmate of the two spacewalkers, spaceflight veteran Chen Dong, supported the duo from inside the Tianhe module. In coordination with teams on the ground and Tiangong’s robotic arm, which took an ‘optimized’ route to the work site. With Chen Dong inside, today’s spacewalk was the first time two third batch taikonauts (those selected in October 2020) performed a spacewalk together.
Now back inside, the Shenzhou-20 mission has tied Shenzhou-15 for most spacewalks performed outside Tiangong, both with four. Forty-one days ago, the crew performed their third spacewalk, twenty days before that they ventured outside for their second, with a first sixty-five days earlier.
At present, it is unlikely that the Shenzhou-20 crew will conduct another spacewalk, as they are expected to return to Earth about one month from now after the Shenzhou-21 mission arrives in mid-to-late October. The final month of the mission, like previous ones, will have the three taikonauts conducting science and technology experiments related to space life sciences, microgravity physics, space materials science, space medicine, and other advanced technologies.
Meet the Shenzhou-20 crew
Chen Dong (陈冬)
For his third spaceflight, having flown for the Shenzhou-11 and Shenzhou-14 missions, Chen Dong of Henan province, born December 1978, is the Commander for the Shenzhou-20 mission. Chen was selected as a taikonaut in 2010 as part of the second batch.
Prior to his space career, Chen enlisted in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force in 1997 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1999. Following the Shenzhou-11 mission, he was awarded the Spaceflight Merit Medal (Third Class) along with the honorary title of hero taikonaut in 2016.
Chen Zhongrui (陈中瑞)
For his first spaceflight, Chen Zhongrui of Henan province, born October 1984, is the Operator for the Shenzhou-20 mission. Chen was selected as a taikonaut in 2020 as part of the third batch.
Prior to his space career, Chen enlisted in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force in 2003 and joined the Communist Party of China in 2005.
Wang Jie (王杰)
For his first spaceflight, Wang Jie of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, born September 1989, is the Science Operator for the Shenzhou-20 mission. Wang was selected as a taikonaut in 2020 as part of the third batch.
Prior to his space career, Wang was an engineer from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and joined the Communist Party of China in 2009.