WANG YAPING: FIRST CHINESE WOMAN To WALK In SPACE

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Astronaut Wang Yaping has become the first Chinese woman to walk in space.

About:

• As a part of ongoing construction, a team of Wang Yaping completed a six-hour stint outside Tiangong space station.
• Wang and her colleague Zhai Zhigang stepped out of Tiangong on November 7, 2021. They installed a suspension device and transfer connectors. This was the first extravehicular activity of Shenzhou-13 crew. They will spend six months at the space station.
• Tiangong, which means heavenly palace, is the latest achievement in China’s move to become a major space power.
• China has landed a rover on Mars and is sending several probes to the Moon.
• The core module of the Tiangong entered orbit earlier in 2021. This station is expected to be operational by 2022.
• Tiangong is expected to operate for around 10 years.

What is the work of crew?

Their work includes setting up equipment and testing technology for future construction.

Background                   

Mission commander Zhai is the former fighter pilot, who performed the first spacewalk of China in 2008. The previous crew, who made first mission to Tiangong Space Station, returned back to Earth in September 2021. They spent three months there.

About Tiangong

Tiangong is a space station being constructed in low Earth orbit by China. It is being constructed between 340 and 450 km above the surface. It is China’s first long-term space station. Construction of the space station is the goal of “Third Step” of the China Manned Space Program. It will have a mass between 80t and 100t, which is about one-fifth the mass of International Space Station. First module, Tianhe core module, was launched on April 29, 2021.