China's spacesuits exceed durability expectations for spacewalks

China's spacesuits for spacewalks are performing well beyond their expected lifespan. These suits have been used for 19 spacewalks and are still reliable, even though they were originally designed for 15 uses over three years. The milestone was reached after the Shenzhou-19 crew conducted their third round of spacewalks on March 21, 2025. One of the suits has been used 17 times, showcasing their durability and advanced engineering, according to Liu Dongyue from the China Astronaut Research and Training Center. These second-generation suits were first used by the Shenzhou-12 crew in July 2021, becoming the standard for extravehicular activities (EVAs). They offer improvements over earlier models, including better safety, mobility, and maintenance capabilities. Liu also noted that the team has developed a system for monitoring the suits' health and lifespan. This system uses both ground and space data to accurately predict how much longer the suits can be used.