On May 28th, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, at 18:58 Beijing time on May 28, 2024, after approximately 8.5 hours of extravehicular activity, Shenzhou-18 astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu safely returned to the Tianhe core module, marking a successful completion of the EVA.
With the coordination and support of the space station robotic arm and ground research personnel, this EVA included tasks such as installing space station debris protection devices and conducting inspections of external equipment facilities.
Astronaut Ye Guangfu once again walked in space, while astronaut Li Guangsu performed his first EVA task.
As planned, the Shenzhou-18 manned mission will also conduct a large number of scientific experiments, technological tests, astronaut EVAs, and payload deployments during its mission.
Shenzhou-18 is expected to achieve several new breakthroughs in Chinese space technology:
It will carry out the first domestic in-orbit aquatic ecological research project, marking a breakthrough in China's ability to cultivate vertebrates in space.
It will conduct the world's first in-orbit study on the function of plant stem tip meristems, revealing the adaptive mechanisms of plant evolution to gravity.
It will perform 6 cargo airlock deployments and 2 to 3 EVAs.
