Andrew Jones
Thu, September 14, 2023
A Shenzhou 16 astronaut vacuums on board China's Tiangong space station.
Escaping to orbit doesn't mean you get to escape from your chores.
China's Shenzhou 16 astronauts have been working hard to keep the Tiangong space station neat and clean.
Mission commander Jing Haipeng and crewmates Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao are seen in footage released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) tidying up the station's Tianhe core module, stowing away a series of containers that cluttered the area.
Related: See latest configuration of China's Tiangong space station in stunning new video
The video then shows the crew sorting through the Mengtian experiment module, then giving a deep clean to the Wentian module, including a going-over with a vacuum.
Space stations rely on recycled air, requiring excellent ventilation and mechanisms for scrubbing away carbon dioxide. Keeping this equipment clean is vital to the ongoing safe operation of Tiangong, as well as the International Space Station (ISS).
Regular cleaning also helps keep potentially dangerous colonies of bacteria under control.
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The Shenzhou 16 crew spacecraft launched on May 29. They have been busy conducting a range of experiments and carried out their first spacewalk in July. Gui Haichao, a payload specialist, is notably China's first civilian astronaut. (The others have all been military personnel.)
The Shenzhou 16 astronauts are nearing the end of their five-month-long mission. They are expected to greet the crew of the yet-to-launch Shenzhou 17 aboard Tiangong and hand over control of the orbital outpost sometime in November.
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