The first step: out of the cabin
July 4, 7:30 or so, Beijing Flight Control Center screen, Liu Boming, Tang Hongbo wearing extravehicular space suits appeared in the node module. Orbital module hatch, node module front hatch, node module and small column section of the two-way pressure hatch have been closed, the two are now node module "package" up. At this moment, Nie Haisheng is "sitting" in front of the computer in the large column section, always concerned about the state of the two, and from time to time issued operating instructions.
Preparations for the launch continue, with the node compartment being depressurized, the astronauts taking in oxygen and nitrogen, and communication tests being carried out. ...... The process is similar to, but different from, that used for the launch of the Shenzhou-7 manned spacecraft. "This time, the gas reuse technology was applied, and the air from the node module was pumped to the large module through the intermodule pump, with a high air reuse rate." Tang Yiyi, deputy chief designer of the space station system overall at the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group (ASTG), introduced.
At 8:11 p.m., with the cabin air pressure approaching a vacuum, Liu Boming opened the exit hatch above the node module and witnessed the environment outside the cabin for the first time, and couldn't help but blurt out, "It's dark outside."
After two people cooperated to put a protective cover on the hatch, Liu Boming took a leap into the vast universe. High-definition cameras in the node module, space suit cameras and panoramic cameras outside the module captured the entire process.
"Wow, it's so beautiful out here!" Liu Boming marveled. Liu Boming marveled.
Before that, the space robot arm had already come to the exit hatch and entered the whole arm standby braking state. Like the familiar gimbaled vehicle, it will be a mobile tool and temporary workstation for astronauts outside the module.
Step 2: Building blocks on the arm
After Liu Boming exited the hatch, Tang Hongbo didn't follow closely behind. In the next period of time, they have to take the posture of one on one down, fight the first match war - in the space robot arm to install the foot limiter and the operating table. Just like the ground construction team, Tang Hongbo is responsible for "carrying bricks", Liu Boming is responsible for "building".
A space "building block" was officially staged.
Liu Boming took the foot limiter that Tang Hongbo handed up from the cabin and installed it on one end of the space robot arm. This is the base, is also used to fix the astronauts feet, astronauts "stand" on it with the mechanical arm "crawl" and move. Inside the capsule, Tang Hongbo is carrying out the initial installation of the operating table components, and then passes them to Liu Boming with a rope with a hook, who installs them on the side of the foot limiter. This is the operating table for work outside the cabin. Around Liu Boming's waist was another miniature workbench, which he had worn inside the pod.
"Didn't see a sky full of stars?" Nie Haisheng couldn't help but ask as the console was installed around 9:30.
Around 10:20, Liu Boming on the mechanical arm, the mechanical arm moved to pick up the equipment point. The last pass up is this extravehicular work to be used in the handle, lifting bracket and some special tools handed up, Liu Boming hang them one by one on the operating table. With them, the astronauts will begin the second element of the extravehicular work.
The two men worked together in perfect harmony, and the first extravehicular work was completed successfully.
The third step: installing a "selfie stick" for the camera
Inside the "Tianhe", Nie Haisheng "sits" at the computer, carefully operating the computer, and then taking a look at the camera. Inside the "Tianhe", Nie Haisheng "sitting" next to the computer, careful operation, accurate command; mechanical arm slowly moving, Liu Boming "standing" on the foot limiter, he continued to move, ready to carry out the second work.
Tang Hongbo is not so easy. 11:00 or so, he jumped out of the cabin, began to use the cabin table handrail, with the hand "crawl". Every step, he had to hang the other end of the safety rope on the handrail to prevent it from floating away. He was fast enough to reach his destination first - a position to the right between the large and small column sections.
Their second job was to elevate one of the panoramic cameras mounted here. "In layman's terms, it is to install a 'selfie stick' to the panoramic camera, so that it can be elevated a section from its original position and have a better field of view." Xu Qi, the chief designer of the panoramic camera of the 8th Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group, described it figuratively.
Tang Hongbo unplugged the panoramic camera's cable with his bare hands after arriving at his destination. Soon, Liu Boming also arrived, in cooperation with Tang Hongbo, he took out the universal electric loose screw removal tool, to the panoramic camera to install the handle, remove the mounting feet, carefully take it down. It is reported that the developers have designed an extra-vehicular handle for the panoramic camera, which can protect the four lenses when disassembling the panoramic camera and facilitate the astronauts to carry the panoramic camera.
Afterward, Liu Boming installed a cylindrical extension bracket in the original position of the camera, installed the camera, inserted the cable plug, and disassembled the handle. At every step of the operation, Liu Boming was careful. He has rehearsed this kind of action many times underwater and has memorized the essentials, but it is still quite difficult to operate in space.
"Good installation, hard work, you guys!" Nie Haisheng said. As the panoramic camera began to work, it was beautiful to see through its lens that the blue Earth looked like an ocean against a backdrop of white clouds.
Tense and orderly, the second extravehicular work was also successfully completed.
Step 4: Emergency return drill + assembly of extravehicular toolkit
The space environment is very complex, and the researchers have put the lives of the astronauts in the first place, designing a variety of safety measures, such as real-time monitoring by various types of cameras or video cameras. Nonetheless, escape skills are also a mandatory lesson. For this reason, the third extravehicular work is the emergency return drill, the protagonist is Tang Hongbo.
In this work, Tang Hongbo has to climb to the farthest part of the core module of "Tianhe" with his bare hands. After receiving the evacuation order, he was the first to turn back, return to the hatch at the fastest speed, and directly into the node module.
"Extravehicular activity is very test of the astronauts' arm strength, people in the weightless environment is very difficult to control themselves, gently move out, but to stop will have to spend a lot of force." Tang Yi said, this emergency return scene, astronauts on the ground in the water on many occasions to practice, in order to necessary moment for their own chance of survival.
"03Thank you to all the science and technology workers, I wish China's space industry is getting better and better." Tang Hongbo did not wait for his teammates any longer as he quickly climbed to the exit hatch, and quickly entered the node chamber after saying this.
Liu Boming also quickly arrived at the hatch as the robotic arm moved. He took down the tools one by one and handed them to Tang Hongbo, and finally unloaded the operator's console and foot limiter, and completed the installation of the toolbox and foot limiter outside the hatch with Tang Hongbo's cooperation.
"Thank you to all the researchers who participated in the research and test, and thank you for the strong support of the people of the country, the follow-up we will go out of the module, will fly higher, the space station will be built more and more." Liu Boming waved at the camera lens.
Around 15:00, Liu Boming entered the node module, closed the hatch, re-pressurization, take off the extravehicular space suit, open the node module to the size of the column section, the Shenzhou XII spacecraft of the three hatches.
After a series of finishing work, the wind from the core cabin air conditioning came in, Shenzhou XII spacecraft can "breathe" again. Gao Xu, the deputy chief designer of the Shenzhou 12 spacecraft on the ground, finally breathed a sigh of relief. "These hours, we have been nervously concerned about the temperature changes in the Shenzhou spacecraft, after the hatch is closed, without the air conditioning environment brought by the core module, the spacecraft there is a risk of freezing, it is likely to damage the scientific payload." Gao Xu said.
The first outing was a success.
Shenzhou 12 astronauts first out of the capsule is significant:
This is following the 2008 Shenzhou VII manned mission, China's astronauts once again to implement the space out of the capsule activities, but also the space station stage of the first space out of the capsule activities of Chinese astronauts.
This out-of-cabin activity, with strong coordination between heaven and earth, and close cooperation inside and outside the cabin, successfully completed the assembly of equipment related to out-of-cabin activities, panoramic camera lifting and other tasks, and for the first time tested the functional performance of China's new generation of out-of-cabin spacesuits, and for the first time tested the ability of astronauts to work with the robotic arm, and the reliability and safety of the out-of-cabin activities related to the reliability and safety of the support equipment, laying an important foundation for the smooth implementation of the subsequent out-of-cabin activities for the space station.
The new generation of extravehicular space suits has laid an important foundation for the smooth implementation of the space station's subsequent activities.
The above content refers to the Beijing Daily client - Ban Shi Hui Gong! They did three things on their first trip out of the Chinese space station