Shenzhou XIV astronauts Chen Dong (center), Liu Yang (right) and Cai Xuzhe salute after entering the Wentian module, the first lab module of China's space station. (XU BU/FOR CHINA DAILY)

BEIJING - The  Shenzhou-14 crew on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk at 4:50 pm (Beijing Time) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe -- together with Liu Yang who worked inside the core module to support her crewmates -- collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Chen and Cai have since safely returned to the Wentian lab.

The spacewalk examined, for the first time, the collaborative capability of astronauts and mechanical arms, and also further verified the performance of Wentian's airlock cabin and supporting facilities in conducting EVAs

During the extravehicular activities (EVAs) lasting about five-and-half hours, they installed an out-of-cabin "bridge" that links the core module with the Wentian lab and the Mengtian lab, while Cai completed the first cross-module spacewalk through the bridge.

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They also unlocked Wentian's Panoramic Camera A and mounted assistance handles for the small mechanical arm.

These were the first EVAs conducted after the formation of the space station's basic T-shape configuration.

The spacewalk examined, for the first time, the collaborative capability of astronauts and mechanical arms, and also further verified the performance of Wentian's airlock cabin and supporting facilities in conducting EVAs.

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This is the seventh spacewalk by taikonauts in the space station.