High above Earth, the Shenzhou-20 crew is gearing up for a third spacewalk, marking another milestone on China’s orbiting space station. Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie will don brand-new extravehicular spacesuits, unlocked from their cargo by the recent Tianzhou-9 delivery.
Since docking earlier this year, the trio has already completed two EVAs—one in May and a follow-up in June—testing the station’s robotic arms, replacing experimental gear and gathering critical data. Their latest mission will push both human and suit capabilities a step further, with improved mobility and life-support systems designed for longer sorties.
Beyond spacewalk prep, the crew has been busy inside the station: performing environmental monitoring, fine-tuning life-support systems, managing inventory and moving supplies from Tianzhou-9’s cargo bay. Each task builds toward a self-sustaining laboratory in low Earth orbit, laying the groundwork for future missions.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) reports that Chen, Chen and Wang are in peak physical and mental health, fully ready to tackle the challenges of their next EVA. As the countdown begins, the global space community watches on—eager to see how these new suits perform among the stars.
The outcome of EVA-3 will offer fresh data on spacesuit performance and station operations, shaping the next chapter of human space exploration.
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China's Shenzhou-20 crew to conduct 3rd spacewalk with new spacesuits
cgtn.com
