Engineering:Tiangong-2

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Tiangong-2 Space Laboratory
天宫二号太空实验室
Model of the Chinese Tiangong Shenzhou.jpg
A display model of Tiangong-1 docked to the Shenzhou spacecraft.
Station statistics
SATCAT no.41765
Crew2 (from Shenzhou 11, 19 October 2016 – 17 November 2016)
Launch15 September 2016, 22:04:09 (UTC+8)
Launch padJiuquan LA-4/SLS-1
Mass8.6 t (9.5 tons)
Length10.4 m (34 ft)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Pressurised volume14 m3 (490 cu ft)[1]
Periapsis altitude369.65 km (229.69 mi)
|helion||o}}apsis altitude378.4 km (235.1 mi)
Orbital inclination42.79°
Orbital speed7.68 km/s (4.77 mi/s)
Orbital period92 minutes
Statistics as of 2016-09-22 00:00:00 UTC
References: [2][3][4][5][6]
Tiangong-2
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Tiangong-2 (Chinese: 天宫二号; pinyin: Tiāngōng èrhào; literally: 'Celestial Palace 2') is a China space laboratory and part of the Project 921-2 space station program. Tiangong-2 was launched on 15 September 2016.[7]

Tiangong-2 is neither designed nor planned to be a permanent orbital station; rather, it is intended as a testbed for key technologies that will be used in the Chinese large modular space station, which is planned for launch between 2019 and 2022.[8]

History

The China Manned Space Engineering Office published a brief description of Tiangong-2 and its successor Tiangong-3 in 2008, indicating that at least two crewed spaceships would be launched to dock with Tiangong-2.[2]

Tiangong-2 was originally expected to be launched by the China National Space Agency by 2015[9] to replace the prototype module Tiangong-1, which was launched in September 2011.[10] In March 2011, Chinese officials stated that Tiangong-2 was scheduled to be launched by 2015.[9][11] An uncrewed cargo spacecraft will dock with the station,[9] allowing for resupply.[12]

In September 2014, its launch was postponed to September 2016.[13] Plans for visits in October 2016 by the crewed mission Shenzhou 11 and the uncrewed resupply craft Tianzhou were made public.[14] The station was successfully launched from Jiuquan aboard a Long March 2F rocket on 15 September 2016.[15] Shenzhou 11 successfully docked with Tiangong-2 on 19 October 2016.[16]

Aboard the Shenzhou 11, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, were Commander Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong who formed the inaugural crew for the space laboratory.[17] It was China's first manned mission for more than three years.

During the 30 days the two astronauts were aboard Tiangong-2, they conducted a number of scientific and technical experiments on the physiological effects of weightlessness, tests on human-machine collaboration on in-orbit maintenance technology and released an accompanying satellite successfully. Accompanying photography and near-distance fly-by observation were also carried out. They collected abundant data and made some achievements in programs of gamma-ray burst polarimeter, space cold atomic clock and preparation of new materials.[18]

Shenzhou 11 separated from the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab on November 17, reentry module landed successfully at the expected site in central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about 13:59 Beijing Time.[18]

On April 22, 2017, the cargo vessel Tianzhou-1 successfully docked with Tiangong-2 marking the first successful docking and refuelling with the orbiting space laboratory.[19] It subsequently performed a second docking and refueling on June 15, 2017. On September 12, 2017, Tianzhou-1 performed the third and final docking and refuelling with Tiangong 2, with what is termed a fast docking which took 6.5 hours, rather than 2 days, to complete.[20]

In June 2018, Tiangong 2 performed orbital maneuvers lowering the orbit to 292 × 297 kilometers, likely in preparation for deorbiting. It has since returned to its usual orbit.[21][22]

Dimensions

The dimensions of Tiangong-2 are:

  • Crew size: 2, with 30 days of life support resources.[11] The crew (from Shenzhou 11, October 2016) consists of two astronauts.
  • Length: 10.4 metres (34 ft).[2]
  • Maximum diameter: 4.2 metres (14 ft).[2]
  • Mass: 8,600 kilograms (19,000 lb).[4]

Further developments

Tiānhé-1 is the core module of a planned modular space station. The core module and its other parts are to be launched between 2019 and 2022.

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://chinaspacereport.com/spacecraft/tiangong2/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Branigan, Tania; Sample, Ian (26 April 2011). "China unveils rival to International Space Station". The Guardian (London). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/26/china-space-station-tiangong. Retrieved 27 April 2011. "China often chooses poetic names for its space projects, such as Chang'e – after the moon goddess – for its lunar probes; its rocket series, however, is named Long March, in tribute to communist history. The space station project is currently referred to as Tiangong, or "heavenly palace"." 
  3. ↑ huaxia, ed (2016-09-16). "Tiangong-2 takes China one step closer to space station". Xinhua. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/16/c_135689907.htm. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 huaxia, ed (2016-09-16). "Tiangong-2 space lab may exceed 5 years service life: expert". Xinhua. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/16/c_135690978.htm. 
  5. ↑ Hunt, Katie; Bloom, Deborah (15 September 2016). "China launches Tiangong-2 space lab". CNN News. http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/15/asia/china-launches-tiangong-2-space-lab/. Retrieved 2016-09-15. 
  6. ↑ "Space-Track.Org API Access". 2016-09-22. https://www.space-track.org/basicspacedata/query/class/tle_latest/ORDINAL/1/NORAD_CAT_ID/41765/orderby/TLE_LINE1%20ASC/format/3le. Retrieved 2016-09-15. 
  7. ↑ de Selding, Peter B. (20 June 2016). "China prepares assembly of its space station, invites collaboration through U.N.". Space News. http://spacenews.com/china-prepares-assembly-of-its-space-station-invites-collaboration-through-u-n/. 
  8. ↑ China to begin construction of manned space station in 2019 Reuters April 28, 2017
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "China to launch Tiangong-2 and cargo spacecraft in 2015". GB Times. 13 June 2013. http://gbtimes.com/china/china-launch-tiangong-2-and-cargo-spacecraft-2015. Retrieved 16 June 2013. 
  10. ↑ "Tiangong-1 launch betrays China's earthly ambitions". BBC. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 David, Leonard (11 March 2011). "China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". Space.com. http://www.space.com/11048-china-space-station-plans-details.html. Retrieved 9 March 2011. "China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to the large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies." 
  12. ↑ "China manned spaceflight program" (PDF). The Space Review. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  13. ↑ Morris Jones (11 September 2014). "China's Space Station is Still On Track". SpaceDaily. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinas_Space_Station_is_Still_On_Track_999.html. 
  14. ↑ AFP (10 September 2014). "China to launch second space lab in 2016: official". SpaceDaily. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_to_launch_second_space_lab_in_2016_official_999.html. 
  15. ↑ "China successfully launches Tiangong-2 space lab". CCTV News. 15 September 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goRzJM4PIEI. 
  16. ↑ "China’s Shenzhou-11 successfully docks with Tiangong-2 spacelab". http://www.cctv-america.com/2016/10/18/chinas-shenzhou-11-preparing-to-dock-with-tiangong-2-spacelab. 
  17. ↑ Clark, Stuart (2016-10-20). "Two crewed space stations now orbiting Earth" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/20/two-crewed-space-stations-now-orbiting-earth-spacewatch. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "SCIO briefing on China's Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11 manned space mission". China.org.cn. 19 November 2016. http://china.org.cn/china/2016-11/19/content_39742416.htm. Retrieved 24 November 2016. 
  19. ↑ "Tiangong-2: China's first cargo spacecraft docks with orbiting space lab". The Guardian. 22 April 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/apr/22/tiangong-1-chinas-first-cargo-spacecraft-docks-with-orbiting-space-lab. Retrieved 22 April 2017. 
  20. ↑ "China's Tianzhou-1 cargo craft and Tiangong-2 space lab perform final orbital docking". GBTimes. 12 September 2017. https://gbtimes.com/chinas-tianzhou-1-cargo-craft-and-tiangong-2-space-lab-perform-final-orbital-docking. Retrieved 15 September 2017. 
  21. ↑ Andrew Jones (20 June 2018). "China appears to be preparing to deorbit its Tiangong 2 space lab". Spacenews. http://spacenews.com/china-appears-to-be-preparing-to-deorbit-its-tiangong-2-space-lab/. 
  22. ↑ Michelle Starr (25 June 2018). "China's Space Station Got Weirdly Close to Earth For a Few Days And The Government Isn't Talking". Science Alert. https://www.sciencealert.com/tiangong-2-chinese-space-station-lowers-in-altitude-no-explanation. 





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