China Space Station (中国空间站) l Updates, News & Discussion

[Galactic Penguin SST]

With less than 2 weeks before the first in hundreds of space launches spanning over several decades, that will be dedicated to the Chinese Space Station (中国空间站) missions, including orbital modules, cargo vessels, manned spacecrafts, and even space telescope, it is time that Galactic Penguin creates a dedicated thread.

Chinese Space Station: Core module Tianhe-1
Facts Name: Tian He (天和) is Chinese for Harmony of Heavens; Official Chinese name is 天和号核心实验舱 Tianhe-1 core experiment module Length: 18.1 m Diameter: 4.1 m (living compartment) Weight: 22.5 t (empty) / 24 t (with goods & equipment) Docking ports: Five and one EVA hatch Energy supply: Two 11 meter long and 4.6 meter width solar arrays Expected life time: 10 years Launch vehicle: Long March 5B Flight profile: Inclination 41° / 350 km circular orbit Mission Timeline From Draft till Launch 21st September 1992: China revealed it’s manned space program – called Project 921 (Date: 9/21/1992) – to build in the third phase a long-term modular space station. 25th September 2010: Release of financial resources to built Project 921-3 – the manned modular space station. March 2011: China revealed the time schedule for building a modular space station and to launch the first core module in 2018. Two science modules will dock with the core module till 2022. October 31, 2013: The core module of China’s first modular space station got the name Tian He (Chinese: Harmony of Heavens). April 2017: Final preparation, assembly and testing started for Tian He. 2nd July 2017: The Long March 5 (LM5) rocket had a failure during its second launch. This rocket type is planned to bring Tian He into orbit. The next flight of LM5 was in 27th December 2019. Because of the issue on the Long March 5 rocket the launch of the Tian He module was delayed for two and a half years. June 2018: First underwater training for future taikonauts started. 6th November 2018: A full-scale model of Tian He was revealed at China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, China. 6th January 2021: The production of Long March 5B rocket for Tian He was completed. 4th February 2021: The space station core module was delivered to the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center at Hainan Island, China. 23th February 2021: The Long March 5B rocket for the Chinese Space Station core module arrived at the spaceport Wenchang. 10th March 2021: The first crews which will visit the Chinese Space Station were revealed. It will be as follows: Shenzhou 12 (planned for 2021): Nie Haisheng (3rd flight), Deng Qingming (1st flight) and Ye Guangfu (1st flight) Shenzhou 13 (planned for 2021): Liu Boming (2nd flight), Chen Dong (2nd) and Zhang Lu (1st flight) Shenzhou 14 (planned for 2022): Liu Wang (2nd flight), Liu Yang (2nd flight) and Tang Hongbo (1st flight) Shenzhou 15 (planned for 2022): Zhang Xiaoguang (2nd flight), Wang Yaping (2nd flight) and Cai Xuzhe (1st flight) 2021~2022执行4次载人飞行任务的航天乘组人员名单： 2021年神舟12号第1乘组人选：　　聂海胜（第3次执行飞天任务）　　邓清明（首次执行飞天任务）　　叶光富（首次执行飞天任务） 2021年神舟13号第1乘组人选：　　刘伯明（第2次执行飞天任务）　　陈冬（第2次执行飞天任务）　　张陆（首次执行飞天任务） 2022年神舟14号第1乘组人选：　　刘旺（第2次执行飞天任务）　　刘洋（第2次执行飞天任务）　　汤鸿波（首次执行飞天任务） 2022年神舟15号第1乘组人选：　　张晓光（第2次执行飞天任务）　　王亚平（第2次执行飞天任务）　　蔡旭哲（首次执行飞天任务） • 29th April 2021 at 03:18 UTC: First Tianhe core module launched by Long March 5B rocket from Wenchang SLC. • 12 May 2021: Tianzhou-2 cargo ship launched by CZ-7 • 12 June 2021: Shenzhou-12 first manned crew of 3 launched by CZ-2F • September 2021: Tianzhou-3 cargo ship launched by CZ-7 • October 2021: Shenzhou-13 second manned crew of 3 launched by CZ-2F • Late 2021: Wentian module launched by Long March 5B • Early 2022: Tianzhou-4 cargo ship launched by CZ-7 • Early 2022: Shenzhou-14 third manned crew of 3 launched by CZ-2F • Mid-2022: Mentian module launched by Long March 5B • Mid-2022: Tianzhou-5 cargo ship launched by CZ-7 • Mid-2022: Shenzhou-14 fourth manned crew of 3 launched by CZ-2F https://archive.ph/GO7SR/c055a94eaf3ca5237245edb83656422a40e3d1e6.jpg ; https://archive.ph/GO7SR/55304545d6e0615bc8e0eece7410d99f515e8c9c/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415203443/https://9ifly.spacety.com/data/attachment/image/000/18/65/42_640_480.jpg ; https://9ifly.spacety.com/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=89336&pid=811475 ▲ 1. First eleven launchers of the CSS program.
http://web.archive.org/web/20210316135321/https://www.shymkent.info/space/chinese-spaceflight/chinese-space-station-core-module-tianhe/ https://archive.ph/hBAqf

LongMarch-5B Y2 • Tianhe – Space Station Core Module
地点(Launch Site)：中国文昌航天发射场 LC-101 火箭(Vehicle)：长征五号乙遥二（CZ-5B Y2） 载荷(Payload)：天和-空间站核心舱 (Tianhe-1 core module) 客户(Customer)：国家航天局/载人航天办公室 重量(Mass)：22'500kg 轨道(Orbit)：LEO（200km×400km，42°） 设计寿命(Designed Life)：＞10年 (>10 years) Launch date: 2021年4月29日 (29 April 2021) https://archive.ph/ZFYWM/d4a609517e35f13c01341bb1d0d27a7d1f2a5d3b.jpg ; https://archive.ph/ZFYWM/7c0807f8c52c6f2642717f3be54e8b5bd0910afd/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415210716/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EyuTxe4UcAElNk2?format=jpg&name=large ▲ 2. Tianhe-1 core module. https://archive.ph/hgKkW/8969b5b60db90a3a01530585febb7e470f62d916.jpg ; https://archive.ph/hgKkW/05dc2825bb8eda65e3ec885febb505deee9649f0/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415210357/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ey9uxvlWQAYJc8J?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 ▲ 3. Solar panels of the Tianhe core module.
http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/long-march-5b-launch-china-space-station-core-module?instance_id=4610 https://archive.ph/FTbcH

Chinese rocket for space station Tianzhou-2 cargo mission arrives at launch site
Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-12 17:40:03|Editor: huaxia WENCHANG, Hainan, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Long March-7 Y3 rocket, which will launch the cargo craft of China's space station, has arrived at its launch site in southern China's Hainan Province. The rocket, alongside the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft that has already been transported to the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, will be assembled and tested at the launch site, the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) said on Monday. The CMSEO said the facilities and equipment at the launch site are in good condition and preparations are being carried out as scheduled. Enditem
http://web.archive.org/web/20210412141755/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-04/12/c_139875378.htm https://archive.ph/Ijljo

Manned spacecraft, carrier rocket for Shenzhou-12 mission arrive at launch center
Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-15 16:11:08|Editor: huaxia JIUQUAN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The manned spacecraft and carrier rocket for the Shenzhou-12 manned space mission have arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The manned craft and the Long March-2F carrier rocket are now undergoing final assembly and testing at the launch site, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Friday. The astronauts for the Shenzhou-12 manned space mission are participating in intensive training before embarking on their space journey, said the CMSA. All facilities at the launch site are in good condition, and all systems that will be involved in the mission are undergoing orderly preparations, it said. Enditem
http://web.archive.org/web/20210415194809/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-04/15/c_139882490.htm https://archive.is/OR2rU

https://archive.ph/pFdOP/063215c2e3dee87fab7df7068c864a56533b3bb9.png ; https://archive.ph/pFdOP/d40b3315fa8423815ee66ecf79811f1811e26d2b/scr.png ; https://archive.ph/LVIBN/6e86d9a85055015bab976505a9e0feb1fbbd0b8f.png ; https://archive.ph/LVIBN/d40b3315fa8423815ee66ecf79811f1811e26d2b/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415214351/https://i.imgur.com/NskJ7QN.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415202327/https://9ifly.spacety.com/data/attachment/image/000/18/70/30_640_480.jpg ; https://9ifly.spacety.com/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=89336&pid=813455
▲ 4. Launch patch for Tianhe-1.

https://archive.ph/wNBCX/9feb9e5b51927d3147db2ffd7395bb6a0e9116c3.jpg ; https://archive.ph/wNBCX/921f7c01a0b6bd8fd538ad303f1031f3040f3698/scr.png ; https://archive.ph/yHB0e/762947c5a6b1968b28181b22082f3584606adead.png ; https://archive.ph/yHB0e/8c5e510dc40f2a5d0cbc9688b22f86957dd386d1/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415214606/https://i.imgur.com/N3CQzKb.jpg ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415201332/https://9ifly.spacety.com/data/attachment/image/000/18/86/87_640_480.jpg ; https://9ifly.spacety.com/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=89336&pid=819742
▲ 5. CSS Tianhe core mission on a special postmark.

https://archive.ph/pACvf/0bd0658d2250607627cc92e4039f3e18aa1c2a5c.jpg ; https://archive.ph/pACvf/f74f0ebc731efe571bd997ba37acb4768f18ab41/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415201910/https://9ifly.spacety.com/data/attachment/image/000/18/79/00_640_480.jpg ; https://9ifly.spacety.com/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=89336&pid=817422
▲ 6. Joyoung Co., Ltd. (九阳) provided the core cabin kitchen equipment and water circulation equipment.

https://archive.ph/tYHc5/78b9bcd62871dd4feea1520d9e474eff39792146.jpg ; https://archive.ph/tYHc5/2bf8c664c84c784db9c0a488e5efae2d96ca9e8e/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415204620/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ey9okRDWEAIe0IP?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 ;
▲ 7. Mission 2: By May 2021 Tianzhou-2 cargo ship docking with Tianhe core module.

https://archive.ph/aSis9/c59e92ea72636bd7b52483cf5d5abbe089effb52.jpg ; https://archive.ph/aSis9/a7353b7846f5e693954fe1e932c2a5df8040d946/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415205756/http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/CSS-CG.jpg ;
▲ 8. Artistic impression: 2 crewed Shenzhou docked at the same Tianhe core module during 2021?

https://archive.ph/s0Y3P/78935c462172da28cbb42ba1c7a8e9d981a7d6ba.jpg ; https://archive.ph/s0Y3P/8afed3d53c3b4010e44d74b2b262ad0dae12b14c/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210415211522/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EysU2FXXIAAqQhV?format=jpg&name=medium
▲ 9. Completed CSS, by modules.

 

[Polestar 2]

So april 29 is the official launch date? This launch will be more significant than mars mission and any other Chinese space mission.