Tiangong (space station)

Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) is a space station in China. The construction of the station is expected to be completed by 2022, the official launch is scheduled for 2023.

2023

The first high-quality photos of the station

In late November 2023, the China Manned Space Flight Agency (CMSA) first presented high-quality photographs of the Tiangong space station. The images were taken by the crew of the Shenzhou-16 ship (Shenzhou-16) during a flyby of the orbital complex before returning to Earth.

Images were obtained using a high-resolution camera. It is noted that the Chinese station "Tiangong" was first captured in photographs in full configuration. In the pictures in the upper part of the complex is the experimental module "Mengtian," in the lower - the laboratory block "Wentian," in which you can also store the useful goods of the station. In the central part of the orbital platform is the Tianhe base module, which contains living quarters and docking points. Tianhe serves as a station control center.

After completing its initial deployment in 2022, Tiangong Station entered a phase of operation that will last at least 10 years. During this period, two manned spacecraft and one to two cargo vehicles will be launched annually. In particular, the launch of the Tianzhou-7 cargo ship is scheduled for early 2024.

CMSA management approved the conduct of more than 1000 all kinds of experiments on board the orbital complex. In the future, the station configuration can be changed from a T-shaped with three modules to a cross-shaped with four blocks. We are talking about the introduction of an expansion module into the complex, which will be launched "at the appropriate time." Moreover, the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) reported that in the future the fifth and sixth units, equipped with additional laboratory facilities, could be deployed. This will allow adding, among other things, new docking units.^[1]

Published video assembly of the Chinese space station in orbit

At the end of August 2023, the Australian company HEO Robotics released a video showing the assembly of the Chinese Tiangong space station directly in orbit.

Tiangong is a modular complex in low Earth orbit. The Tianhe base unit, which serves as the station control center, was launched on April 29, 2021. On July 24, 2022, the Wentian experimental module was launched, and on October 31, 2022, the Mengtian module was launched. At the end of 2023, it is planned to launch the Xuntian block, an autonomous orbital module with an optical telescope, into orbit.

Tiangong Station

HEO Robotics specializes in imaging outside. Lands For this, cameras and various spacecraft sensors are used. The firm says its services help defence structures, government organisations and commercial operators monitor facilities in orbit.

The presented video shows how the main module of the Tianhe space station is first visited by the Tianzhou cargo ships and the Shenzhou spacecraft with a crew, and then two experimental modules are added to the complex - Wentian and Mengtian. Together, these three blocks form a T-shaped structure.

Using our off-earth imaging capabilities, we witnessed the formation of the station. Each stage you see is confirmed by a photo taken from a different satellite in space, says HEO Robotics.

As of the beginning of September 2023, the Shenzhou-17 crew of three people lives at the Tiangong station. China intends to support this orbital platform for at least ten years. The possibility of using the station for commercial purposes is being considered.^[2]

China sets a new record for the number of people in Earth orbit

On May 30, 2023, at 09:31 Beijing time (04:31 Moscow time), the Chinese Changzheng-2F launch vehicle with the Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft was successfully launched from the launch pad of the Jiuquan cosmodrome. The device delivered three taikonauts aboard the Tiangong National Orbiter Station of China, as a result of which a new record was set for the number of people simultaneously orbiting the Earth.

The crew of the Shenzhou-16 ship included commander Jing Haipeng and flight engineer Zhu Yangzhu. It is noted that for the first time in the history of Chinese cosmonautics, a civilian specialist who is not in the army was included in the team of the manned apparatus: he became payload expert Gui Haichao. The crew will spend approximately five months in space.

China sets record for the number of people in Earth orbit

Thus, notes RIA Novosti"," at the Tiangong station, taking into account the previously located crew of three people, six Chinese astronauts were simultaneously. Another 11 people are on. International Comic Station (ISS) These are astronauts "" Roskosmos Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin and Andrei Fedyaev, astronauts NASA Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, astronaut from UAE Sultan Saif Muftah Hamad Al Neyadi, as well as participants in the commercial program Whitaxiom (Ax-2 John Shoffson) Peggson

As a result, according to RIA Novosti, 17 astronauts from different countries were simultaneously in Earth orbit - this is a historical maximum. The previous record was recorded on September 16, 2021, when 14 people gathered in outer space at the same time. Prior to that, the record was set in 1995 - then 13 astronauts worked simultaneously in the orbit of the Earth.^[3]

2022

China sends first cargo ship to its space station

On November 12, 2022, China launched the Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft to deliver cargo to its own space station, the construction of which is fully planned to be completed by the end of 2022.

China has launched a cargo ship to its newly built space station in preparation for an upcoming crewed flight. The Tianzhou-5 cargo ship launched from the Wenchang Cosmodrome in the southern Chinese province of Hainan on the Long March 7 rocket at 21:03 on November 11, 2022.

China sends cargo ship to space station

The 10.6m-long cargo ship docked at the Tiangong space station just over two hours later, at 11: 10pm ET, Chinese space industry officials said. The Chinese cargo ship Tianzhou weighs about 13 thousand kg, and its carrying capacity is approximately 6.9 thousand kg. The Tianzhou-5 ship delivered the cargo necessary for the upcoming flight of the Shenzhou-15 ship, which may start at the end of November 2022.

A detailed list of cargo was not released before launch, but Tianzhou-5 was expected to deliver fuel for the space station, as well as food and supplies for astronauts. As part of his mission, he also delivered five cubsats and five other experiments to Tiangong, China's chief space contractor said.

After all the modules are installed, the trio of Shenzhou-14 astronauts will be able to take on board the as yet unnamed Shenzhou-15 crew until the end of 2022 and carry out the first Tiangong crew transfer in China.

Tiangong is about 20% more massive than the International Space Station (ISS). China intends to keep Tiangong operational for at least a decade, meaning it must survive the ISS and possibly become the only space station in orbit above Earth.^[4]

China completes assembly of its national orbital station in space

On October 31, 2022, the Changzheng-5B rocket was launched from the Chinese Wenchang cosmodrome. On board was the laboratory module "Mengtian." 13 hours after launch, it successfully docked with the Tiangong orbital station. Thus, China completed the assembly of its national orbital station in space.

The launch of the Changzheng-5V heavy-class rocket from the Wenchang cosmodrome took place at 3:37 local time on October 31, 2022. After 25 minutes, the module separated and entered low Earth orbit. Turning on its own shunting engines, it went to approach the Tiangong space station, which is now located about 380-387 km from the Earth's surface. The docking took place at 16:27, as announced by the PRC Space Agency.

PRC completed the assembly of the orbital station in orbit

The new experimental module connected with two others: the main Tianhe module and the experimental Wentian module. "Mengtian" would soon be moved to the docking ring for the station to adopt its planned T-shape. The Wentian module took its place in September 2022.

According to Yang Hong, chief designer of the space station, the Mengtian module is one of the most important components of the new station, as it is equipped with the largest amount of various research equipment that allows experiments under microgravity conditions. A module 18 m long and weighing 23 tons had to be sent into space on a rocket with an increased load capacity.

The completion of the space station, according to Bloomberg, is the latest step in Beijing's broad efforts to equal and ultimately surpass the United States in space exploration and create a broad knowledge base for China's large and ever-growing scientific community.^[5]

China sends three astronauts into space to complete construction of its own orbital station

On June 5, 2022, China sent three astronauts on a six-month mission to monitor the crucial construction period of China's Tiangong space station, whose latest modules are due to be launched in the summer of 2022.

The construction of the space station, which will be completed by the end of 2022, will be a significant milestone in China's three-decade manned space program, first approved in 1992 and originally codenamed Project 921. It will also mark the beginning of a permanent Chinese stay in space. Tiangong Space Station, located in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 340 to 450 km above the surface of the Earth. It is a structure assembled in orbit from individual modules.

China sends three astronauts into space to complete construction of its own orbital station

The completion of the space station facility, which makes up about a fifth of the International Space Station (ISS) by mass, is a point of pride for ordinary Chinese and marks President Xi Jinping's 10th birthday as leader of the ruling Communist Party in China.

The Long March-2F rocket, which was used to launch China's first crewed space flight on the Shenzhou-5 ship in 2003, lifted from the Jiuquan Cosmodrome in the Gobi Desert in northwest China at 10:44 a.m. with the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft, and three astronauts. This event was broadcast live on Chinese state television.

The crew consists of Commander Chen Dong and astronauts Liu Yang and Cai Xiuzhe, who will assemble the three-module design by connecting the existing "Tianhe" base module with the two modules due to arrive in July and October 2022. Before takeoff, Chen Chen said that the emergence of modules will provide greater stability and more powerful functions on the space station.

Due to US sanctions, astronauts from China cannot visit the ISS, and the law prohibits NASA from cooperating with Chinese scientists on space exploration. Therefore, the Taikonauts did not work together with colleagues from the USA, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan. Before the launch, Chinese officials said they expected Chinese astronauts to work together with foreign counterparts on Tiangong.^[6]

2021: China puts national space station's main module into orbit

On April 29, 2021, China launched the main module of the national space station Tiangong into orbit. The launch of the Changzheng-5B launch vehicle was carried out at the Wenchang cosmodrome in southern Hainan province at 11:23 local time (6:23 Moscow time).

According to Xinhua, we are talking about a module called Tianhe. There will be a control and control center, as well as the main living space for the crew (approximately 50 cubic meters), in addition, some scientific and technological experiments will be carried out here. The module will be located in the center of the T-shaped station, and laboratory modules and other compartments will be docked to it. It is noted that three spacecraft with short docks and two with long docks will be able to dock to Tianhe at the same time.

The length of Tianhe is 16.6 m, the maximum diameter is 4.2 m, the mass during takeoff is 22.5 tons. This is the largest spacecraft created in China.

China launched the main module of the national space station into orbit

The main module is part of the station, where astronauts will live for up to six months in a row. Later, it is planned to send two more modules into space, where crews will conduct experiments, four shipments of cargo and four missions with crews are also planned. The station is designed for 15 years of operation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated the participants on the successful launch of the base module and noted that this event means that the construction of the space station "has entered the implementation stage," and also lays a solid foundation for the next tasks.

China is not involved in the International Space Station (ISS) project, so the launch of the Tiangong main module shows the evolution of the country's space program, Axios notes. Earlier, the Celestial Empire launched two of its stations - Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2, but they were test stations and allowed astronauts to stay on them for a little time. Tiangong-2 was de-orbited and flooded in March 2019. China plans to build a completely new space orbital station Tiangong in 2022.^[7]

See also

• International Space Station (ISS)

Notes