China’s Shenzhou 14 Astronauts Take A Spacewalk

Today, we have a slightly different kind of story. On Thursday, Chinese astronauts on the Shenzhou 14 took their first spacewalk. And so we’re going to look at spacewalks and the new Chinese space station undergoing construction.

China’s ongoing effort to build its space station, called the Tiangong, has seen another leap since the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft docked with the Tianhe core of the station. The extravehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk, conducted by astronauts Chen Dong and Liu Yang, lasted 6 hours, working on the new Wentian module launched in July. Their crewmate Cai Xuzhe assisted the operation from the inside. This spacewalk is the first time astronauts have used the sizeable airlock on the Wentian module. Astronauts from the previous missions Shenzhou 12 and 13 used the docking hub on the Tianhe core module as an airlock. That docking hub now gets used to connect the core and the Wentian module.

Spacewalks or EVA usually last six to eight hours, with astronauts conducting experiments or repairs outside the spacecraft or station. That is very challenging for the astronauts that do this work, especially when you need to wear a spacesuit. So astronauts undergo intense training at their space agencies to ensure they are ready for operations and even emergencies. Astronauts’ mental health also gets monitored since panicking in outer space could worsen a situation. Astronauts also train in their spacesuits, like removing and adding parts onto a spacecraft or space station.

Such training requires a large area and also water. Because there is very little gravity in outer space compared to on Earth, training in a weightless environment is hard to duplicate. However, researchers for these space programs have a similar solution to that of real outer space: A pool filled with water. This solution would simulate the weightlessness in outer space when taking a spacewalk. Since the spacesuits are airtight and have oxygen tanks and other technology, it is also capable of going underwater.

But no matter how strong an astronaut is, they still need a lot of equipment to survive in outer space. That equipment gets stored in the spacesuit, which contains breathable air, hydration systems, cooling systems, tools to help aid spacewalks, etc. It shields the astronauts from space radiation and other harmful particles and objects like rocks and micro-debris. Spacesuits get equipped with jet packs, used in emergencies as a backup plan to get back to the airlock on the station. However, astronauts doing spacewalks would also be attached to the station via a durable, flexible cord and sometimes even footholds, adding another precaution.

Sadly, China isn’t allowed on the International Space Station, a space station collaboration between many countries, for trust reasons. But that doesn’t stop China’s efforts in space exploration. The Tiangong Space Station under construction in space would be another step for China in the ongoing space race. Space stations get used to doing various experiments and activities that otherwise would be impossible to do on Earth. In the future, space agencies are planning to build bases on the Moon and Mars. So it is crucial to know how to survive in outer space without Earth’s atmosphere.

A space station consists of many modules like the Wentian and Tianhe modules mentioned previously. These modules are shipped one by one on various missions by rockets. The core module goes into space first as a centerpiece to the entire station’s structure and has connection points for other modules. The following modules connect to the core. Space stations usually have lots of solar panels to ensure a steady supply of electricity from the sun to operate all the equipment on board.

So there is still some way to go until China’s new Tiangong Space Station is complete. But when you want to build such a big feat in outer space, you need lots of patience. Do you want to be an astronaut? Life may be difficult and exhausting. However, continuing to the end will ultimately bring you success. That’s the end of this production from the New News Newsminute. Thank you for reading, and tune in next time for more.