China recently sent its first woman into space, along with two other members on a 6-month mission.
Wang Yaping is the name of the astronaut and first Chinese woman in space. Her spacewalk objective was to continue the construction of a space station, Tiangong. In this sense, information about the mission was announced last Monday (8), by Chinese authorities.
The first woman in space sent by China is 41 years old, and is a pilot and army colonel. In addition, Yaping is also a member of the Shenzhou-13 mission, which launched in October. The Tiangong space station, which means “celestial palace”, is the country’s new venture. Recently, China has sought to advance in an attempt to become a space power. Thus, the new plan joins the vehicle sent to Mars and the probes to the Moon.
The Tiangong station’s central module entered orbit later this year. Therefore, it should be operational in 2022. The first Chinese woman in space and her mission colleague, Zhai Zhigang, left the module last Sunday night. Their objective was to install a suspension device and transfer connectors at the station.
China sends first woman into space
According to the Chinese Space Agency, Wang Yaping’s mission marks the first extravehicular activity by the Shenzhou-13 crew. Likewise, it is also the first walk in Chinese space history with the participation of a female astronaut. In a statement, the agency also revealed that the process was smooth and a success.
The Chinese Tiangong station is expected to remain operational for at least 10 years. Wang Yaping is not only the first woman in space sent by China, but also the first woman to enter the station. Their mission commander, Zhai Zhigang, is a former combat pilot. In 2008, she made her first spacewalk through China. The group’s operation on Sunday only took place weeks after takeoff, and among the members, in addition to Wang and Zhai, was also Ye Guangfu.
The three departed from the Jiuquan launch center, which is located in the Gobi Desert, northwest China. Guangfu, the third member, is a pilot in the People’s Liberation Army, but he stayed inside the ship during the walk. In addition to the first activity, mission work involves installing some test equipment as well as technology for other operations in the future. However, one more spacewalk must still take place. The team will spend 6 months at the station, while the last one to return from Tiangong stayed there for 3 months, returning in September.
