Foreign news
Space log: China’s Shenzhou-14 astronauts complete first spacewalk
China’s Shenzhou-14 astronauts, or taikonauts, successfully completed their first extravehicular activities (EVAs) at 00:33 (Beijing Time) on Friday, which lasted about six hours, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMS).
Taikonaut Chen Dong and Liu Yang, who went outside the cabin, returned safely to the Wentian lab module of the space station after completing all the scheduled tasks.
This was the first time that the taikonauts exited from the airlock cabin of the new Wentian lab module and carried out the EVAs with the help of the small robotic arm, said the CMS.
Under the coordination between space and Earth, and coordination with taikonaut Cai Xuzhe inside the lab module, Chen and Liu completed a series of tasks, including the installation of the extended pump set of the Wentian lab module, lifting the lab module’s panoramic camera, and the verification of capability for independent transfer and emergency return to the spacecraft.
The EVAs tested the cooperation ability between taikonauts and the small mechanical arm, and tested the function and performance of Wentian’s airlock cabin and support equipment related to EVAs, the CMS said.
China launched the Shenzhou-14 spaceship on June 5, sending the three taikonauts to its space station combination for a six-month mission.
This is the fifth spacewalk that has been conducted outside China’s space station. Experts say it has been one of “new people, new module, new status.”
Yin Rui, Deputy Chief Commander of the Astronaut System with the CMS, said the spacewalk was a complete success.
“It’s like what we’ve said before. From the very start, we had a plan, and we worked across systems to make it happen one concrete step at a time,” he told CGTN.
Zhang Yuedong, Deputy Chief of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, said Shenzhou-14 crew’s first spacewalk is “meaningful for the construction of China’s space station.”
“This is the first spacewalk from the current two-module space station assembly,” Zhang said. “From now on, EVAs will mostly be done from the Wentian lab module’s airlock cabin. Future preparations for spacewalks will be done more easily. Since supportive equipment and the small robotic arm have been tested out this time, we are now in a better place for future spacewalks.”
Foreign news
EU Cautiously optimistic on Syria engagement – Official
Irish foreign minister Simon Harris said on Monday that the European Union (EU) “is cautiously optimistic on Syria engagement” but called for more deeper engagement to strengthen relations with the country.
Harris said this at a news conference held at the EU Headquarters in Brussels, the Belgian capital.
“It’s early days, but I think there are signs of optimism. But it is important that we continue to engage.
“I don’t think it would be a good scenario if any other geopolitical actors and forces engage with Syria and for the European Union not to be in a position to intensively engage with them,“ he said.
In her remarks, Ms. Kaja Kallas, the Vice-President of the EU described Syria’s future as fragile but said that the bloc needed to take the right steps.
“But of course, we need to see the right steps as well. Right now, they’re saying all the right words, and they are doing also the right things.
“Therefore, we have this set step-for-step approach, and if they take the steps, then we are willing to take the steps as well,’’ she said.
On the war in Gaza, Harris said President Donald Trump and his team are very much a party to the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas after the intensive work that was put in.
He conceded that the Trump administration put in a lot of effort to arrive at a ceasefire agreement in the days before his assumption of office for a return to the White House.
“I think that was important and there is no doubt that the intensive work invested by the Trump administration played a very significant role in helping to bring about a ceasefire – a ceasefire that has now seen a cessation of hostilities, the killing, and the bombings.
“Also, that has seen the flow and has seen hostages being released. It’s really important that the ceasefire is in place.
“It is also important, though, to acknowledge in that ceasefire agreement itself, it does talk about people being able to return, and therefore, I think it’s important that we’re consistent in the approach that we take.
“The priority, I think, needs to be on implementing to the letter, the ceasefire agreement.”
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