The Shenzhou-20 crew has successfully completed their first spacewalk aboard China's Tiangong space station. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the extravehicular activity (EVA) was performed by two Shenzhou-20 crewmembers on Thursday, May 22, 2025. This mission underscores China's dedication to space exploration and the operational capabilities of its space station.
The spacewalk, which lasted eight hours and concluded at 4:49 a.m. EDT, involved astronauts Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui. Wang Jie assisted from inside Tiangong. This marks the 19th time taikonauts have conducted an EVA on Tiangong, with many focused on installing debris shields.
During the spacewalk, Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui exited through the Tianhe module's node cabin, marking its first EVA use since Tiangong became operational. They successfully positioned a protective sheet on the station's exterior using the robotic arm. The pair also performed routine station maintenance and equipment inspections. The Shenzhou-20 crew arrived at Tiangong on April 24, 2025, for a six-month mission, replacing the Shenzhou-19 astronauts. China plans to launch Shenzhou-21 in Fall 2025. Tiangong, completed in 2022, is planned for continual occupancy for at least the next decade.