This image captured at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China shows the Shenzhou-15 and Shenzhou-14 crew communicating after a historic gathering in space on Nov. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-15 taikonauts on board the orbiting Chinese space station Tiangong recently completed their second spacewalk, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu, together with Deng Qingming who worked inside the space station to support his crewmates, collaborated to accomplish all of the set tasks. Fei and Zhang safely returned to the Wentian lab module.
The three-man crew have been living in orbit for three months since they entered the space station combination on Nov. 30, 2022.
The Shenzhou-15 mission wraps up the last stage of the space station construction and commences the first stage of its application and development.
They have completed various tasks, including two extravehicular activities, continuous maintenance of the manned environment, the assembling and testing of the scientific experiment cabinets of the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules, and sending cargo outboard.
The scientific experiment projects in the space station have been advanced as planned and have obtained initial results, according to the CMSA.
With the cooperation of ground researchers and astronauts, the experimental system in the Mengtian's combustion cabinet successfully performed its first in-orbit ignition test.
The test verified the functions of the combustion science experimental system of the space station and the accuracy and scientificity of the overall experimental process.
In addition, China's self-developed two-photon microscope successfully obtained the three-dimensional structural images of the astronauts' skin cells, providing a promising tool for the future health monitoring of astronauts in orbit.
The two-photon microscope was sent to China's space station last November onboard the Tianzhou-5 cargo craft.
More scientific experiments and extravehicular activities will be conducted during the Shenzhou-15 mission, according to the CMSA. ■
