CHINA’s SPACE STATION PLAN GATHERS PACE

CHINA’s SPACE STATION PLAN GATHERS PACE

Subject: Science & tech

Context: China took another step towards completing the construction of its first space station by the end of next year following the launch and docking of a cargo spacecraft.

Concept:

• The Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft, described by as “the delivery guy for China’s space station”, was launched on a Long March-7 rocket from the island of Hainan, and docked eight hours later with the space station’s first core module called Tianhe, or “heavenly harmony”.
• The Tianzhou-2 spacecraft carried a range of supplies, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said, and will be followed by the launch of another cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-3, and two manned missions, Shenzhou-12 and Shenzhou-13, this year, each carrying three astronauts who will spend several months in orbit.
• The Shenzhou-12 launch is slated for mid-June.

China’s Space Station:

• The new, 66-tonne, multi-module Tiangong station is set to be operational for at least 10 years.
• Tianhe is one of three main components of what would be China’s first self-developed space station, rivalling the only other station in service – the ISS.
• It forms the main living quarters for three crew members in the Chinese space station.
• The Tianhe launch is the first of 11 missions needed to complete the space station, which will orbit Earth at an altitude of 340 to 450 km.
• In the later missions, China will launch the two other core modules, four manned spacecraft and four cargo spacecraft.