Chinese Astronauts Conduct Spacewalk to Repair Shenzhou 20

Chinese astronauts conducted an eight-hour spacewalk on December 9, 2025, to inspect the damaged Shenzhou 20 spacecraft. The spacewalk, which concluded around 5:45 a.m. EST, involved two of the three astronauts from the Shenzhou 21 mission.

The tasks included inspecting and photographing the Shenzhou 20 return capsule's windows, installing the space station's space debris protection system, and replacing the multi-layered cover of the temperature control adapter.

The Shenzhou 20 vehicle had been carrying three astronauts for a six-month mission but was deemed unsafe for return due to cracks in its windows, caused by a space junk strike. The original crew returned to Earth aboard Shenzhou 21 on November 14, 2025, after the vehicle's arrival at the Tiangong space station on Halloween.

The Shenzhou 22 spacecraft was subsequently launched without a crew on November 24 to ensure a safe return for the Shenzhou 21 astronauts. This EVA marked the first for the Shenzhou 21 mission, featuring commander Zhang Lu, who previously flew on Shenzhou 15, rookie Wu Fei, the youngest astronaut from China at age 32, and Zhang Hongzhang, who assisted from inside the station.

The mission underscores China's advancements in human spaceflight and its commitment to maintaining the Tiangong space station, as stated by the China Manned Space Agency.