Shenzhou-18 Crew Shares Gripping Spacewalk Moments | China Space Station
From their time in space between April 25 to November 4, 2024, Shenzhou-18 crew members have shared gripping moments of confronting abyssal darkness during their spacewalks in an interview. While conducting an 8.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) on May 28, 2024, astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu successfully installed space debris protection devices, among other tasks.
Ye and Li Guangsu were assigned to the spacewalk and safely returned to the station's Wentian lab module after the venture. This EVA marked the 15th spacewalk by Chinese astronauts during the space station's application and development phase. It was the first spacewalk for Li Guangsu, who operated the station's robotic arms during the EVA.
"I still remember the fear I felt in the shadowed area. On the sunlit side, it was fine—I could see the space station and the Earth, which made me feel reassured. But once into the shadow zone, if I didn't turn on the light, all I could see below me was an abyss of blackness. Even though my safety tether was securely attached to the handrail on the space station, I didn't dare let go of my hand. I knew logically that even if I released my grip, I wouldn't drift away because my tether was still connected to the space station—but the overwhelming darkness made me reluctant to take my hand off the handrail," said Li Guangsu.
Although this was Ye's second spacewalk, following his first on the Shenzhou-13 mission, he admitted that the darkness still kept him on high alert every second.
"I felt as if I were about to be swallowed by the darkness. At one point, I accidentally moved my body, and for a moment, I lost my sense of connection with the robotic arm, I was startled. Why? Because beneath me was nothing but an endless black void. In that moment, a wave of nervousness hit me, and I felt my hair stand on end. What was happening? No matter how drowsy I had been, I was instantly wide awake, carefully adjusting my position to ensure I was still on the robotic arm. Only then did I feel at ease. 'Alright, everything is fine,' I told myself, and I continued with my task," said Ye.
Shenzhou-18 Crew:
Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)
Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)
Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)
Duration: 1 minute, 55 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 9, 2025
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