spacetoday.net: Chinese astronaut performs first spacewalk

Posted: Sat, Sep 27, 2008, 8:14 AM ET (1214 GMT)
Shenzhou-7 EVA (Xinhua)

A Chinese astronaut carried out that country's first EVA on Saturday, making a brief trip outside the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft. Zhai Zhigang, one of the three members of the Shenzhou-7 crew, exited the orbital module of the spacecraft at 4:43 am EDT (0843 GMT) and spent about 15 minutes outside the spacecraft, collecting a small experiment mounted on the spacecraft's exterior and waiving a Chinese flag. Zhai wore a Chinese-developed spacesuit, Feitian, while a second astronaut, Liu Boming, wore a Russian Orlan suit and remained inside the depressurized orbital module. The spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth early Sunday.