Hong Kong CNN —China says two of its astronauts completed a nine-hour spacewalk Tuesday, a figure that beats the US-held record for the world’s longest spacewalk set in 2001, in the latest milestone in the country’s ambitious space program.
Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, crew members of the Shenzhou-19 spaceflight, wrapped the nine-hour extravehicular activity, better known as a spacewalk, just before 10 p.m. Beijing time, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The previous record of eight hours and 56 minutes was set by US astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms on March 12, 2001, according to NASA.
Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong wrapped a nine-hour spacewalk just before 10 p.m. Beijing time Tuesday, China's space agency said.
The China National Space Administration has in recent years carried out a series of increasingly complex robotic lunar missions, including the first-ever return of lunar samples from the far side of the moon earlier this year.
Persons:
Cai Xuzhe, Lingdong, James Voss, Susan Helms
Organizations:
Hong Kong CNN, China Manned Space Agency, US, NASA, China National Space Administration
Locations:
Hong Kong, China, Beijing, China Manned Space Agency China, United States