'9 hours in space': China’s Tiangong crew beats NASA’s record in epic spacewalk
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Historic Walk
Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong set a record with a nine-hour spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station.
EVA Record
The spacewalk surpassed NASA’s 2001 record of 8 hours and 56 minutes, marking a new milestone.
Credit: NASA
Mission First
This was the first extravehicular activity (EVA) for the Shenzhou 19 mission, which arrived on Tiangong in October.
Daring Duo
Cai and Song completed critical tasks, including installing debris shields and inspecting station equipment.
Robotic Aid
With assistance from Tiangong’s robotic arm and ground teams, the astronauts ensured mission success.
Young Pioneer
Song Lingdong, 34, became the first astronaut born in the 1990s to conduct a spacewalk, adding a generational milestone.
Precision Timelines
The EVA began at 11:51 p.m. EDT on Dec. 16 and lasted until 8:57 a.m. EDT on Dec. 17, totaling nine hours and six minutes.
Tianhe Legacy
The Tiangong station, completed in 2022 with its T-shaped design, has now hosted 17 EVAs since its inception.
Global Milestone
CMSEO officials hailed the EVA as a “complete success,” cementing China’s growing dominance in space exploration.
Credit: CMSA
Future Ambitions
The record-breaking mission signals China's readiness for more complex space missions, pushing human spaceflight boundaries.