12.11.2022
China's cargo craft Tianzhou-5 ready for launch
China's cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-5, is ready for launch, according to the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, under the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in China's southern island province of Hainan.
The launch of Tianzhou-5 will be the 200th launch mission for the Xichang Satellite Launch Center this year, as well as the last one for the Wenchang launch site this year.
The site has conducted the final preparation and rehearsal for the launch, which covered all systems involved, including fueling up the cargo craft and transferring the spacecraft-rocket combination to the launching area.
All systems are in good condition, and the launch site is preparing to fuel up the rocket as scheduled.
Zhong Wen'an, chief engineer at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, said they had completed the most extensive rehearsal before launch, which is also the final joint rehearsal.
"The equipment and facilities are in good condition, and the weather forecast on the launch day meets the requirements," Zhong said.
The combination of the Tianzhou-5 and a Long March-7 Y6 carrier rocket was transferred to the launching area on Wednesday.
China launched the space lab module Mengtian on Oct. 31, taking the construction of the country's space station Tiangong into the final stage.
The country will carry out three more missions -- the launch of the Tianzhou-5 cargo craft and the Shenzhou-15 crewed spaceship, as well as bringing the Shenzhou-14 crew back to Earth -- before it completes the in-orbit construction of the space station by the end of this year.
Quelle: Xinhua
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Start von Tianzhou5
Quelle: CGTN
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Update: 17.11.2022
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Shenzhou-14 taikonauts complete 5.5-hour spacewalk
This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Nov. 17, 2022 shows China's Shenzhou-14 taikonaut Cai Xuzhe having exited the space station lab module Wentian. The Shenzhou-14 crew on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk at 4:50 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe -- together with Liu Yang who worked inside the core module to support her crewmates -- collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Chen and Cai have since safely returned to the Wentian lab. (Photo by Sun Fengxiao/Xinhua)
BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-14 crew on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk at 4:50 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe -- together with Liu Yang who worked inside the core module to support her crewmates -- collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Chen and Cai have since safely returned to the Wentian lab.
During the extravehicular activities (EVAs) lasting about five-and-half hours, they installed an out-of-cabin "bridge" that links the core module with the Wentian lab and the Mengtian lab, while Cai completed the first cross-module spacewalk through the bridge.
They also unlocked Wentian's Panoramic Camera A and mounted assistance handles for the small mechanical arm.
These were the first EVAs conducted after the formation of the space station's basic T-shape configuration.
The spacewalk examined, for the first time, the collaborative capability of astronauts and mechanical arms, and also further verified the performance of Wentian's airlock cabin and supporting facilities in conducting EVAs. ■
This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Nov. 17, 2022 shows China's Shenzhou-14 taikonaut Chen Dong returning to space station lab module Wentian after finishing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-14 crew on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk at 4:50 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe -- together with Liu Yang who worked inside the core module to support her crewmates -- collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Chen and Cai have since safely returned to the Wentian lab. (Photo by Sun Fengxiao/Xinhua)
This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Nov. 17, 2022 shows China's Shenzhou-14 taikonaut Cai Xuzhe returning to space station lab module Wentian after finishing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-14 crew on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk at 4:50 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe -- together with Liu Yang who worked inside the core module to support her crewmates -- collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Chen and Cai have since safely returned to the Wentian lab. (Photo by Sun Fengxiao/Xinhua)
This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Nov. 17, 2022 shows China's Shenzhou-14 taikonaut Chen Dong (L) closing the hatch of space station lab module Wentian's airlock cabin after finishing extravehicular activities. The Shenzhou-14 crew on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk at 4:50 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe -- together with Liu Yang who worked inside the core module to support her crewmates -- collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Chen and Cai have since safely returned to the Wentian lab. (Photo by Sun Fengxiao/Xinhua)
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 24.11.2022
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China rolls out rocket to launch new crew to newly-completed space station
Shenzhou 15 will launch to Tiangong to see China's first space station crew handover.
Shenzhou 15 and its Long March 2F rocket on the pad at Jiuquan spaceport on Nov. 21, 2022. (Image credit: CMSA)
China is gearing up to send a new crew up to the newly-completed space station.
A Long March 2F rocket tipped with the Shenzhou 15 crew spacecraft was rolled out to the pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on Monday (Nov. 21), China's human spaceflight agency, CMSA, announced(opens in new tab).
The rocket was transferred vertically around 0.9 miles (1.5 kilometers) from the assembly building to the launch pad. The Long March 2F/Shenzhou combination has a tell-tale spike above the payload fairing which is an escape system to carry the crew capsule to safety in the event of a dangerous launch anomaly.
CMSA has yet to announce who the three mission crew members will be, nor has it released a planned time and date for launch. However the rollout indicates that China aims to launch Shenzhou 15 before the end of November, and primary and backup crews will be on standby at the launch center.
The Tianzhou 5 cargo spacecraft was launched to the space station on Nov. 11 to deliver supplies for the upcoming crew missions.
After launch Shenzhou 15 will head for the Tiangong space station. The crew will be greeted aboard the newly-completed, three-module space space station by the Shenzhou 14 mission astronauts.
The mission will mark the first crew handover and the first time Tiangong has been fully operational. The Shenzhou 14astronauts — who were aboard to oversee two modules launched to Tiangong — will then be expected to return home in early December, days after the arrival of Shenzhou 15.
China aims to keep the station permanently occupied for at least a decade, with crews of three spending six months at a time aboard Tiangong, carrying out a range of science experiments and outreach activities.
China could also open Tiangong to foreign astronauts and even to tourists at some point in the future, according to statements made by Chinese officials.
Quelle: SC
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Update: 24.11.2022
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China to use space station to test space-based solar power
HELSINKI — China intends to use its newly-completed Tiangong space station to test key technologies required for space-based polar power, according to a senior space official.
Robotic arms already operating on the outside of Tiangong will be used to test on-orbit assembly of modules for a space-based solar power test system, Yang Hong, chief designer of the Tiangong space station said in a presentation at the ongoing China Space Conference.
The test system will then orbit independently and deploy its solar arrays and other systems. It is likely to test and verify capabilities such as power generation, conversion and transmission.
The test will be designed to “promote breakthroughs in individual technologies, accumulate on-orbit experimental data, and make contributions to the realization of carbon peak and carbon neutrality,” Yang told CCTV.
In 2020 China announced targets of peak carbon emissions by 2030, and carbon neutrality in 2060.
Yang noted that SBSP is one pathway to new, green energy, but that such a project still faces many technical challenges. Work is underway however.
The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), the country’s main, state-owned spacecraft maker which made the modules for Tiangong, earlier stated that it plans to conduct a “Space high voltage transfer and wireless power transmission experiment” in low Earth orbit in 2028.
This first phase test is to be followed by a second phase experiment conducted in geostationary orbit, requiring accurate energy transmission over a distance of 35,800 kilometers to Earth, according to earlier presentations.
Phases 3 and 4, in 2035 and 2050 respectively will aim for energy generation of 10 MW and 2 gigawatts, requiring leaps in capabilities in power transmission, orbital assembly capabilities, beam steering accuracy and transmission architecture.
Long Lehao, chief designer of China’s Long March rocket series and a SBSP advocate, said in June 2021 that the potential project would use the in-development Long March 9 super heavy-lift rocket to send the requisite infrastructure into geostationary orbit.
China recently apparently scrapped plans for an early, expendable Long March 9 concept, instead looking to transition to a reusable version.
China’s Xidian University in June completed a 75-meter-high steel structure facility which it calls the world’s first full-link and full-system ground test system for SBSP.
In another possibly related development, research into construction of kilometer-scale objects in orbit received funding last year. Such work could help to address the major challenge of assembling the giant arrays needed for solar power collection and transmission arrays.
Space-based solar power faces major challenges including economic feasibility and manufacturing costs, cheap and reliable launch services, and efficient and safe energy transmission.
Quelle: SN
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Update: 28.11.2022
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China tests new Tianzhou fuel cell on route to Tiangong Station
China has carried out an in-orbit test of its domestically developed space-based fuel cell, according to the China Academy of Space Technology. The academy, part of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, said the cell worked well in environments characterized by vacuums, extreme low temperature and microgravity during the test that took place recently outside the Tianzhou 5 cargo spaceship.
The test generated important data that will be used to support the research and development of the next-generation spacecraft fuel cell system, it said.
The fuel cell is essential to the country's future manned explorations on the moon as it can provide stable power supply to landers and rovers, designers explained.
Tianzhou 5 was placed into low-Earth orbit by a Long March 7 carrier rocket that blasted off on Nov 12 at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province. It docked with the Tiangong space station the same day.
Designers of Tianzhou 5 at the China Academy of Space Technology said the cargo ship carried about 5.3 metric tons of materials, including life and mission necessities, scientific equipment and a mini experimental satellite. The craft contained nearly 1.4 tons of propellant for the Tiangong station, the designers said.
Tianzhou 5 has become the fourth cargo ship to have docked with Tiangong, following Tianzhou 2, 3 and 4.
Quelle: SD