Shenzhou-15 taikonauts complete their first spacewalk

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong returning to space station lab module Wentian with equipment. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-15 taikonauts on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their first spacewalk at 12:16 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu, together with Deng Qingming who worked inside the space station to support his crewmates, collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Fei and Zhang have since safely returned to the Wentian lab module.

During the extravehicular activities (EVAs) lasting about seven hours, they completed several tasks, including the installation of the extension pumps outside the Mengtian lab module.

These were the first EVAs conducted after the completion of the Chinese space station. The Shenzhou-15 crew, as planned, will carry out several spacewalks in the future, said the agency.

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong getting ready to exit the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong conducting extravehicular activities (EVAs) out of the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong conducting extravehicular activities (EVAs) out of the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong waving after exiting the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Zhang Lu exiting the space station lab module Wentian to conduct extravehicular activities (EVAs). (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonauts Fei Junlong (R) and Zhang Lu (L) conducting extravehicular activities (EVAs) out of the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong returning to space station lab module Wentian after finishing extravehicular activities(EVAs). (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Zhang Lu returning to space station lab module Wentian after finishing extravehicular activities(EVAs). (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonauts Fei Junlong (R) and Zhang Lu (L) preparing to exit the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong conducting extravehicular activities (EVAs) out of the space station lab module Wentian. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)