On April 24, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that the Thien Cung space station had successfully undergone two spacewalks to repair damage caused by a collision with space debris. The solar battery of the station was damaged in the incident, but astronauts managed to repair it.
China has announced plans to strengthen measures to handle space debris after the collision led to a loss of power for the Tiangong space station. The agency also revealed that astronauts from the Shenzhou 17 mission performed two spacewalks outside the Tiangong station to fix the damage. The origin of the debris that damaged Thien Cung station remains unclear, with both micrometeorites and human activity posing a threat to space stations like Thien Cung and the International Space Station (ISS).
The increasing amount of space debris from human activities is a growing concern. As of April 2024, NORAD is tracking over 43,000 space objects, with more than 7,500 satellites in orbit as of May 2023. To avoid collisions with this debris, Thien Cung station has been adjusting its position while China is enhancing its ability to forecast orbits accurately and reduce false alarm rates.
To protect against future incidents, China has announced plans to install equipment to increase resilience against space debris and monitor high-resolution cameras on future missions. These proactive steps aim to ensure that astronauts are safe and can continue their operations without interruption.
In conclusion, China is taking measures to enhance safety for astronauts onboard space stations such as Thien Cung by addressing concerns related to space debris. These measures will help prevent future incidents like this one and ensure that humans can continue exploring outer space without fear of harm or damage.