On December 9, 2025, astronauts from the Chinese mainland's Shenzhou-21 mission completed their first spacewalk, spending eight hours installing a new debris protection system on the Tiangong space station. This milestone marks a significant advance in orbital safety and China's manned space programme.
During the EVA (extravehicular activity), the crew mounted lightweight Whipple shields along the station's outboard truss, reinforced critical module windows, and routed cables for future power upgrades. These protective panels are designed to deflect high-velocity orbital debris—tiny fragments traveling up to 10 kilometres per second—reducing the risk of punctures and equipment damage.
Orbital debris poses a growing threat in low Earth orbit, where even millimetre-sized particles can compromise spacecraft integrity. By enhancing its station's shielding, the Chinese mainland is not only safeguarding current operations but also laying the groundwork for longer-duration missions, upcoming laboratory modules, and potential international collaborations.
This successful spacewalk underscores the technical maturity of China's crewed missions and highlights a broader push toward sustainable activity in space. As space traffic increases, robust debris protection will be essential for all spacefaring nations aiming to explore, research, and live beyond Earth.
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Chinese astronauts installed debris protection for space station
cgtn.com
