On May 28th, it was reported by the media that since the Shenzhou-18 astronauts successfully entered the space station on April 26th, they have been working and living in orbit for a total of 32 days until May 27th.
Efficiently, the Chinese astronauts have completed as many as 14 extravehicular activities, not only installing various extravehicular facilities and equipment but also thoroughly testing the collaborative capabilities between astronauts and the robotic arms, as well as the performance of the support equipment for extravehicular activities.
During this process, multiple "firsts" have been achieved and created. As early as July 4, 2021, the Shenzhou-12 astronauts accomplished the first extravehicular activity of the Chinese space station phase, completing the mission successfully after about 7 hours of work.
Subsequently, during the orbital stay of the Shenzhou-14 astronauts, they not only completed three extravehicular activities but also achieved several historic "firsts." They exited the Tianhe experimental module's airlock for the first time, conducted extravehicular rescue verification operations for the first time, and achieved the first cross-segment extravehicular walk, all of which greatly tested the collaborative capabilities between astronauts and the robotic arms, and verified the performance of the Tianhe experimental module's airlock and extravehicular activity-related equipment.
In 2023, the Shenzhou-15 astronauts set a new record for the number of extravehicular activities by a single Chinese astronaut crew during four extravehicular activities. They excellently completed tasks such as installing the extravehicular pump unit, connecting and installing cross-segment cables, and installing support rods for the extravehicular payload exposure platform, demonstrating high levels of professionalism and teamwork.
Furthermore, the Shenzhou-17 astronauts also completed China's first extravehicular facility maintenance task in orbit, making significant contributions to the operation and maintenance of the Chinese space station.
