Chinese astronauts Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo had both slipped out of the space station core module Tianhe by 11:02 a.m. (Beijing Time) on July 4, starting extravehicular activities (EVAs), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Liu Boming opened the hatch of Tianhe's node cabin at 8:11 a.m., the CMSA said.

Donning new-generation homemade EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) spacesuits Feitian, meaning flying to space, the two astronauts have completed installing the foot restraints and extravehicular working platform on the mechanical arm, the CMSA said.

They have also finished lifting the panoramic camera by 12:09 p.m., the agency said.

They will continue to work together to install other relevant extravehicular equipment with the aid of the mechanical arm, it said.

Astronaut Nie Haisheng has been staying inside Tianhe in cooperation with Liu and Tang for their EVAs.

The three astronauts were sent into space aboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship on June 17.