A big step for China

(Video) The Chinese spacewalk today - what is the significance of the achievement? * The Shenzhou 7 spacecraft lands today

Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang became the first in his country to go on a spacewalk. In the mission, which was broadcast live on national television, Jiang is seen, among other things, exiting the chamber orbiting the Earth and later also waving the Chinese flag.

The operation is considered a key factor in the continuation of the ambitious plans of the Chinese to build a space station in the coming years. Zhai began the maneuver shortly after 16:30 Beijing time (11:30 Israel time), and finished it about half an hour later, he stayed in space for about 15 minutes (See a report published in real time on the knowledge site). His colleague Liu Boming momentarily stuck his head out of the opening and handed Zhai the Chinese flag.

"I feel good. I thank the Chinese people and all the citizens of the world," he said when he climbed out of the Shenzhou 7 spaceship. For the Chinese, this is a matter of national pride. Zhai and Liu wore a spacesuit designed and manufactured in China and priced at an estimated $40 million each. The technaut was tethered to the cabin during the entire spacewalk.

The summary of the spacewalk from the Chinese state television broadcast

The third Technaut, Geng Haifeng remained in the compressed cell - the cell where the Technauts will return to Earth. The Shenzhou 7 spacecraft circled the Earth during the operation in an almost circular orbit at an altitude of 300 kilometers.

Earlier, Zhang Xinqi, one of the heads of China's space program, told the state-run Xinhua news agency that keeping the three people in the spacecraft and then sending one of them out would be a big experiment. "This is a huge technological leap. This is a high risk. Sending three people into space is a leap both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Before returning to Earth tomorrow, the spacecraft will release a 40-kilogram satellite that will circle it and transmit images to the control room. At the end of the mission, the return module will land in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China.

"Zhai's spacewalk is more miraculous than science fiction," said Yan Feng, editor of the film magazine World Screen. As a Chinese, watching the spacewalk is a fun thing.” At the media center for foreign journalists in Beijing, the chief engineer of the astronaut training center, Deng Yibing, said that the foreign journalists were also excited to see the live event.

The Universe Today website drew our attention to the fact that the Chinese, who lead a tough one-child policy, emphasize the fact that Zhai grew up in a poor environment, and is one of five brothers and sisters, in a remote village in the northeast of the country, and that he dreamed of flying into space when he was in his teens.

The landing is expected today. Exact details have not yet been provided.