Tiangong-2
Reentry 19 July 2019 | | |
Mass | 8,600 kg (19,000 lb) | |
---|---|---|
Length | 10.4 m (34 ft) | |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) | |
Pressurised volume | 14 m3 (490 cu ft) | |
Periapsis altitude | 369.65 km (229.69 mi) | |
Apoapsis altitude | 378.4 km (235.1 mi) | |
Orbital inclination | 42.79° | |
Orbital speed | 7.68 km/s (4.77 mi/s) | |
Orbital period | 92.0 minutes | |
Days occupied | 26 days 11.3 hours | |
Statistics as of 22 September 2016 References:[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
Tiangong-2 | |
---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin | Kōngjiān shíyàn shì |
Gwoyeu Romatzyh | kongjian shyryann shyh |
Wade–Giles | k'ung1chien1 shih2yen4 shih4 |
Tiangong-2 (
Tiangong-2 was neither designed nor planned to be a permanent orbital station; rather, it was intended as a testbed for key technologies used in the
History
The
Tiangong-2 was originally expected to be launched by the
In September 2014, its launch was postponed to September 2016.[15] Plans for visits in October 2016 by the crewed mission Shenzhou 11 and the uncrewed resupply craft Tianzhou were made public.[16] The station was successfully launched from Jiuquan aboard a Long March 2F rocket on 15 September 2016.[17] Shenzhou 11 (Only Expedition) successfully docked with Tiangong-2 on 19 October 2016.[18]
Aboard the Shenzhou 11, launched from
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.[20]
Shenzhou 11 separated from the orbiting Tiangong-2 space laboratory on 17 November 2016, reentry module landed successfully at the expected site in central
On 22 April 2017, the cargo vessel
In June 2018, Tiangong-2 performed orbital maneuvers lowering the orbit to 292 × 297 kilometers, likely in preparation for deorbiting. It then returned to its usual orbit.[23][24]
In July 2019, the
Dimensions
The dimensions of Tiangong-2 were:
- Crew size: 2, with 30 days of life support resources.[13] The crew (from Shenzhou 11, October 2016) consists of two astronauts.
- Length: 10.4 m (34 ft).[2]
- Maximum diameter: 4.2 m (14 ft).[2]
- Mass: 8,600 kg (19,000 lb).[4]
Further developments
See also
- Chinese space program
- Chinese space station– a successive multi-module orbital station
- Shenzhou program
- International Space Station
- List of space stations
- Salyut programme – a similar Soviet space station
References
- ^ "Tiangong 2". China Space Report. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d Branigan, Tania; Sample, Ian (26 April 2011). "China unveils rival to International Space Station". The Guardian. London. 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".
- ^ huaxia, ed. (16 September 2016). "Tiangong-2 takes China one step closer to space station". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Tiangong-2 space lab may exceed 5 years service life: expert". Xinhua News Agency. 16 September 2016. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ Hunt, Katie; Bloom, Deborah (15 September 2016). "China launches Tiangong-2 space lab". CNN News. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ^ "Space-Track.Org API Access". space-track.org. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ^ de Selding, Peter B. (20 June 2016). "China prepares assembly of its space station, invites collaboration through U.N." SpaceNews.
- ^ "China set to carry out controlled deorbiting of Tiangong-2 space lab". 12 July 2019.
- ^ "China launches first module of new space station". BBC News. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ China to begin construction of manned space station in 2019 Reuters 28 April 2017
- ^ a b c "China to launch Tiangong-2 and cargo spacecraft in 2015". GB Times. 13 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ "Tiangong-1 launch betrays China's earthly ambitions" BBC News 29 September 2011 Retrieved 21 November 2011
- ^ a b David, Leonard (11 March 2011). "China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". SPACE.com. 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.
- ^ "China manned spaceflight program" The Space Review 15 October 2009 Retrieved 21 November 2011
- ^ Morris Jones (11 September 2014). "China's Space Station is Still on Track". SpaceDaily.
- ^ "China to launch second space lab in 2016: official". SpaceDaily. AFP. 10 September 2014.
- ^ "China successfully launches Tiangong-2 space lab". CCTV News. 15 September 2016.
- ^ "China's Shenzhou-11 successfully docks with Tiangong-2 spacelab". CCTV America. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ^ a b "SCIO briefing on China's Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11 manned space mission". China.org.cn. 19 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
- ^ "Tiangong-2: China's first cargo spacecraft docks with orbiting space lab". The Guardian. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "China's Tianzhou-1 cargo craft and Tiangong-2 space laboratory perform final orbital docking". GB Times. 12 September 2017. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Andrew Jones (20 June 2018). "China appears to be preparing to deorbit its Tiangong 2 space lab". SpaceNews.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (12 July 2019). "China set to carry out controlled deorbiting of Tiangong-2 space lab". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ Liptak, Andrew (20 July 2019). "China has deorbited its experimental space station". The Verge. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
External links
- Media related to Tiangong-2 at Wikimedia Commons