The astronauts of Shenzhou 18 have completed their second extravehicular mission.

Astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu of the Shenzhou-18 mission completed their second extravehicular activity on July 3, 2024. The task lasted 6.5 hours, during which they installed a space debris protection device and inspected external equipment. The mission was successful, and the astronauts returned safely.

This mission, Shenzhou-18, will achieve several new breakthroughs in space technology:

• The first in-orbit study of aquatic ecosystems, cultivating vertebrates in space.
• The first in-orbit research on the function of plant shoot stem cells, exploring the mechanisms of plant evolution's adaptation to gravity.
• Plans to conduct six cargo airlock extravehicular activities and two to three extravehicular activities.

Space debris protection device: A device designed to protect the external pipelines, cables, and critical equipment of the space station from impacts by space debris.