8.01.2022
China completes in-orbit spacecraft transposition test with space station's robotic arm
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng
China successfully conducted a transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm Thursday morning.
It was the first time that the robotic arm operated a large in-orbit spacecraft for a transfer test, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The test started at 6:12 a.m. (Beijing Time) and took 47 minutes.
After being unlocked and separated from the space station core module Tianhe, Tianzhou-2 was moved into a predetermined position by the robotic arm. The arm then reversed the maneuvers to bring the spacecraft back to its original position. Tianzhou-2 re-docked with the core module and completed locking.
The test preliminarily verified the feasibility of using the mechanical arm to conduct a space station module transfer, confirmed the effectiveness of relevant technologies, and laid a foundation for the subsequent in-orbit assembly and construction of the country's space station, said the CMSA.
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 9.01.2022
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Shenzhou-13 astronauts complete manual rendezvous, docking of space station, cargo craft
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 8, 2022 shows the Shenzhou-13 astronauts in China's space station core module conducting the manual rendezvous and docking experiment with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
The Shenzhou-13 astronauts in China's space station core module have completed the manual rendezvous and docking experiment with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said Saturday.
At the beginning of the experiment, the astronauts in the core module teleoperated the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft to leave the front docking port of the core module's node cabin and move to the planed parking point, with the coordination of ground control engineers.
After a short stay in the parking point, the cargo craft moved towards the space station complex and completed the rendezvous and docking by the teleoperation of astronauts. The experiment took about two hours and was completed at 7:55 a.m. (Beijing Time), said the CMSA.
The manual teleoperation is a backup for automated rendezvous and docking of unmanned visiting spacecraft. The experiment was the first time that Chinese astronauts used manual teleoperation equipment to operate the cargo craft and the space station to conduct rendezvous and docking.
The experiment also tested the function and the performance of manual teleoperation equipment, as well as the coordination procedure between space and Earth, the CMSA added. ■
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 8, 2022 shows the process of the manual rendezvous and docking experiment of China's space station with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft. The Shenzhou-13 astronauts in China's space station core module have completed the manual rendezvous and docking experiment with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft, the China Manned Space Agency said Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 8, 2022 shows the process of the manual rendezvous and docking experiment of China's space station with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft. The Shenzhou-13 astronauts in China's space station core module have completed the manual rendezvous and docking experiment with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft, the China Manned Space Agency said Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 8, 2022 shows the process of the manual rendezvous and docking experiment of China's space station with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft. The Shenzhou-13 astronauts in China's space station core module have completed the manual rendezvous and docking experiment with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft, the China Manned Space Agency said Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 8, 2022 shows the process of the manual rendezvous and docking experiment of China's space station with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft. The Shenzhou-13 astronauts in China's space station core module have completed the manual rendezvous and docking experiment with the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft, the China Manned Space Agency said Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 28.01.2022
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China Focus: Taikonaut Wang Yaping sets China's record for longest stay in space
Wang Yaping has set a new record again for the most cumulative days living and working in space by a Chinese taikonaut.
She and two other male crew members Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu were sent into China's space station core module Tianhe aboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship on October 16, 2021 for a six-month stay -- the longest-ever duration in the country's manned space program.
The three-member crew is more than halfway through the trek. This is Wang's second trip into space, following her first 15-day Shenzhou-10 mission in June 2013, during which she earned the title of "space teacher" because of her televised science lecture to an audience consisting of over 60 million schoolchildren.
She has completed multiple tasks over the past three months, including performing a 6.5-hour long spacewalk, a live science lecture and a manual rendezvous and docking test with the Tianzhou-2 cargo vessel.
However, it has not been all about the experiments and construction of the country's space station for Wang and her teammates. They are also maintaining a decent work-life balance in orbit.
The China Manned Space Agency has released more video updates from space, showing that the three taikonauts have been devoting time to fitness to reduce the impact of long-term microgravity exposure on the body.
Wang was seen jogging on a treadmill while watching TV shows. Commander Zhai was practising a set of tai chi moves, and Ye was spotted playing a sliding block puzzle named Huarong Pass for relaxation.
Apart from workouts, recent videos also captured how the trio celebrated the New Year Day in orbit -- getting haircuts, decorating the core module with children's paintings and bringing their heads together to create a three-pointed star pose with their bodies.
These videos were received with much enthusiasm after the space agency shared them on social media platforms. In the latest update, the taikonauts were seen undergoing acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical treatment, in zero gravity, which has drawn nearly 1.6 million hits since it was posted on the Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo on Tuesday.
In a few days, the Shenzhou-13 crew will celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, the country's most important festival, in space. Wang said in an interview before the mission that she would carry a large musical instrument to play in the core module, and more gifts brought from Earth will be unveiled at that time.
"We are counting down to the New Year and extend our best wishes to the motherland and to all of you," Wang said.
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 6.03.2022
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China's space station to host 6 astronauts by end of 2022
China's space station is expected to host six astronauts from two spaceships by the end of 2022, according to the chief designer of the country's manned space program.
The Shenzhou-13 crew has been in orbit for 140 days. They are in good health, and have so far completed all planned or added tasks as needed. They are expected to return to Earth in mid-April, Zhou Jianping said.
This year, China will launch two lab modules for the space station, two manned spacecraft and two cargo spacecraft. The Shenzhou-14 crew will witness the arrival of two lab modules during their stay in orbit, said Zhou, who is also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body.
The Shenzhou-15 crew will fly to the space station before the end of this year and join the Shenzhou-14 crew in space. At that time, the space station will consist of three modules, two manned spacecraft and one cargo spacecraft, with a total mass of nearly 100 tonnes, Zhou said.
The space station will carry a large number of high-level space experiment devices covering fields such as the life sciences, biological science, material science, combustion science, microgravity fluid science and basic physics, he said.
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 16.03.2022
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China tests rocket engine for upcoming space lab launches
A Chinese high-thrust oxyhydrogen rocket engine has completed a 520-second test in preparation for the upcoming launches of space station lab modules, its maker said on Wednesday.
Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the engine is designed for the core stage of the Long March-5 carrier rocket series, which will be used to launch two lab modules of China's orbiting Tiangong space station this year.
The long-range test, lasting 520 seconds, has verified the reliability of the engine, and there will be more than 20 experimental tasks that the rocket engine will undergo to further test its performance, the company disclosed.
China plans to have six more missions, including the launch of the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules, two cargo spacecraft and two crewed spaceships, in 2022 to complete the construction of the space station.
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 28.03.2022
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China's Tianzhou-2 cargo craft leaves space station core module
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 27, 2022 shows the Shenzhou-13 astronauts watching the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft leaving the core module of China's Tiangong space station. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
China's cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-2 separated from the core module of the country's space station Sunday afternoon, announced the China Manned Space Agency.
At 3:59 p.m. Beijing Time, Tianzhou-2 left the core module of the Tiangong space station after completing all of its scheduled tasks, said the agency.
During its operation in orbit, Tianzhou-2 carried out a series of extended application tests. It is now in good condition, and will enter the Earth's atmosphere at an appropriate time under ground control, the agency added.
Tianzhou-2 is the first cargo ship sent into space in the key-technology verification phase of China's space station.
Carrying 6.8 tonnes of supplies for the space station, it was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan on May 29, 2021.
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 27, 2022 shows the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft leaving the core module of China's Tiangong space station. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 27, 2022 shows the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft leaving the core module of China's Tiangong space station. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
Quelle: Xinhua
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Update: 1.04.2022
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China's record-setting Shenzhou 13 crew preparing for mid-April return to Earth
The Shenzhou 13 astronauts will end up spending about 6 months in orbit.
The Shenzhou 13 astronauts during a real-time Q&A with students. (Image credit: CCTV)
China's three Shenzhou 13 astronauts are preparing to return to Earth after a national record six-month-long mission in orbit aboard the Chinese space station.
Commander Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu launched on Shenzhou 13 from Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert on Oct. 15, 2021, docking with the still-under-construction Chinese space station hours later.
The trio have since completed two extravehicular activities — or spacewalks — delivered a pair of science outreach lectures and carried out more than 20 scientific experiments related to studies of life sciences and more during their nearly six months in orbit.
They will have spent 167 days in space aboard the station's core Tianhe module by the end of March and are expected to complete their mission at around the 180-day mark. Before leaving, however, they will prepare Tianhe for the arrival of its next crew, launching on Shenzhou 14 in the coming months.
"Before leaving, there are a lot of materials that need to be sorted out, including those packages and products on Tianzhou 3," Zhong Weiwei, an associate research fellow at the Astronaut Center of China, told China Central Television(CCTV), referring to a cargo spacecraft that launched to the Chinese space station in September.
“The crew of Shenzhou 14 will come up more than a month after the Shenzhou 13 crew's return, so these products and equipment should be put in place in advance,” Zhong said, adding that a number of important samples are to be brought back from space.
China has not yet announced a date for the crew's return to Earth, but Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's human spaceflight program, told Chinese press on March 4 that they would come home in mid-April.
Shenzhous 13 has set a number of Chinese records. The country's previous national record for human spaceflight mission duration was set by last year's Shenzhou 12 mission, which lasted 92 days.
Wang became the first woman astronaut aboard Tianhe and the first Chinese woman to embark on a spacewalk.
The mission has also highlighted how China's ruling Communist Party has been seeking to use the space station for domestic legitimacy.
Molly Silk, a doctoral researcher of Chinese space policy at the University of Manchester in England, told Space.com recently that the live science lectures aim to underline China's progress and inspire interest in science.
"A real-time, interactive event with China's taikonauts highlights the reality of the country's technological achievements and displays the competencies and utility of its space program," Silk said. "Such an event serves to enhance national pride and to encourage young citizens to pursue science-based careers."
The live lecture audiences specifically included students from provinces and regions from the country's periphery, including Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet and Xinjiang.
The space station and the astronauts also featured in solar New Year and Lunar New Year celebrations, highlighting that China now has its own, permanent crewed presence in orbit just like the International Space Station.
Meanwhile, the crewmembers are continuing their preparations for a return to Earth, including physical exercise regimens.
"Based on the data obtained from their physical in-orbit examination, we have made targeted adjustments to the entire protection plan before their return. In fact, the focus at this stage is on guaranteeing [the astronauts'] physical exercise to prepare for a safe landing and safe return," Zhong told CCTV.
When it does leave space, the Shenzhou 13 return capsule will be deorbited for a landing near Dongfeng in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, close to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center from which it lifted off.
China is planning two crewed missions, Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15, in 2022. China aims to add two further modules to Tianhe this year, meaning that the completed, three-module space station will be able to host both of these three-astronaut crews for a short time and complete a first crew handover of the station late in the year.
Quelle: SC
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Update: 2.04.2022
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Chinese spacecraft reenters atmosphere ahead of new space station missions
HELSINKI — China deorbited the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft Thursday after testing on-orbit docking, refueling and module transposition for the Chinese space station.
Tianzhou-2 reentered the atmosphere over the South Pacific at 6:40 a.m. Eastern March 31, China’s human spaceflight agency, CMSA, announced minutes after the event. The area of the ocean is frequently used as a “spacecraft cemetery.”
The spacecraft separated from the forward docking port of Tianhe, the core module of China’s space station, at 3:59 a.m. Eastern March 27.
Tianzhou-2 makes way for the arrival of the Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft which will provide fresh supplies and fuel ahead of the arrival of the Shenzhou-14 crew, with the latter expected to launch around mid-to-late May.
The 10-month-long mission verified a number of technologies and procedures needed to proceed with future construction of the Chinese space station.
Tianzhou-2 launched May 29, 2021, on a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang. It completedautomated rendezvous and docking maneuvers with Tianhe just over eight hours later.
The 13.5-ton spacecraft was the first to join the Tianhe module in orbit, verifying on-orbit docking and refueling required for further missions to begin. It delivered 4.69 tons of cargo in a pressurized segment, including three months’ worth of food for three Shenzhou-12 crew members and two EVA suits.
It also carried 1.95 tons of propellant to the 22.5-ton Tianhe module, which had launched in late April.
The spacecraft performed four rendezvous and docking maneuvers, including a manual remote operation rendezvous and docking, to test out procedures.
Tianzhou-2 was also involved in a transposition test ahead of the arrival of two future modules, Wentian and Mengtian, due to launch later in the year.
On Jan. 5 Tianhe’s 10-meter-long robotic arm grasped Tianzhou-2, moving it roughly 20 degrees before returning it to the forward port on the Tianhe docking hub.
Both new modules will dock with the forward port before being transposed to respective lateral docking ports, creating the finished “T-shaped” orbital outpost.
China plans six missions in 2022 to complete its space station, including two cargo and two crewed missions along with the two module launches.
The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) held a ceremony March 29 for launch teams that will be involved in the required Long March 2F, Long March 5B and Long March 7 rocket launches.
The spacecraft for the ongoing Shenzhou-13 crewed mission is currently docked at the nadir port at Tianhe and is expected to depart in mid-April. Tianzhou-4 will launch for Tianhe following this, ahead of a new crew aboard Shenzhou-14.
The 20-ton-plus Wentian and Mengtian modules will launch during the six-month-long Shenzhou-14 mission. Tianzhou-5 will launch ahead of Shenzhou-15, both scheduled for late in the year, with the latter expected to see the first Chinese crew handover aboard the completed space station.
Tianzhou-5 will also carry five small satellite payloads among a range of experiments, CMSA announced March 30.
The module launches will be followed closely, partly due to the significance of the missions, but also because of the use of the Long March 5B, the two previous launches of which saw the large first stages make high-profile uncontrolled reentries.
The Tiangong space station is planned to operate in orbit for at least 10 years. It will host a range of international experiments through collaboration with the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, and potentially foreign astronauts and further modules in the coming years.
Quelle: SN
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Update: 16.04.2022
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China gears up for new space station missions, record-breaking crew set to return home
HELSINKI — A Long March rocket arrived at Wenchang spaceport Monday in preparation for a new round of space station missions starting May.
The Long March 7 rocket was delivered to Wenchang after a near week-long voyage from the northern port city of Tianjin, China’s human spaceflight agency announced April 11.
The rocket is planned to launch the roughly 13.5-metric-ton Tianzhou-4 cargo vessel next month to China’s Tianhe space station core module.
Tianzhou-4 will deliver supplies and propellant for the Shenzhou-14 crewed mission, expected to launch from Jiuquan spaceport in the Gobi Desert in June.
The three-person Shenzhou-14 crew will be aboard the Tianhe space module for the arrival of two new modules, named Wentian and Mengtian, which will complete the three-module, T-shaped Chinese space station, later in the year.
China deorbited the Tianzhou-2 spacecraft late last month after using the cargo vessel for space station module transposition tests, making way for the new mission.
The subsequent launch of the Tianzhou-5 and Shenzhou-15 late in 2022 will see a first crew handover, with six astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station, and completion of the project’s 11-mission construction phase.
China plans to operate the Tiangong station for at least 10 years and has already announced plans to open the station to commercial activities and potentially tourist missions.
Tianhe is currently hosting the three Shenzhou-13 astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu. The mission is China’s longest human spaceflight endeavor so far which, at 181 days in orbit, is nearly double the previous national record of 92 days set by the 2021 Shenzhou-12 mission.
Airspace closure notices indicate that Shenzhou-13 will return to Earth between 9:35 and 10:05 p.m. Eastern April 15 (9:35-10:05 local time, April 16) following departure from Tianhe.
The Shenzhou return capsule is planned to set down in a designated landing zone near Dongfeng in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia.
Previous landings occurred in the grasslands of Siziwang, Inner Mongolia. Factors for the change include increasing population density around Siziwang, and the need to optimize for astronaut recovery as the duration of China’s spaceflight missions increases.
The Shenzhou-13 mission has included a pair of extravehicular activities, conducted a range of experiments and hosted live science lectures for students back on Earth.
The mission was involved in a number of outreach and messaging events for domestic audiences, including an appearance in the flagship Lunar New Year live television show.
However the astronauts also interacted with participants at an Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America event on space exploration held April 9.
Notably Elon Musk contributed pre-recorded remarks to the event, saying he was looking forward to “humanity working together” in space. Ambassador Qin Gang commented that space exploration is a “huge project of mankind, and it requires extensive international cooperation.”
The messaging, apparently signaling Chinese interest in cooperation with the U.S. at one level, comes in the wake of China amplifying Russia space officials’ comments on the possibility of Moscow working more closely with China in space.
However, while Chinese media have interviewed senior Russian officials and reported Russian comments, there have been no public announcements from China’s space industry on potential further cooperation.
Russia has said it is looking at the possibility of sending Russian cosmonauts to China’s space station, using either ESA’s launch site in French Guiana or spaceports in Russia. The former is no longer a possibility following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while the respective latitudes of Russian spaceports and inclination of the Tiangong station pose problems for the latter avenue.
Quelle: SN
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Shenzhou-13 to separate from space station core module
BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-13 crewed spacecraft, which has completed all its scheduled tasks, will separate from the space station core module Tianhe at an appropriate time and land at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, said the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Thursday.
The Shenzhou-13 crew, namely Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu, have been ready for the separation, and the Dongfeng landing site is making preparations for the return of the three astronauts, said the CMSA.
Quelle: Xinhua
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Chinese astronauts undock from space station, head for landing
Three Chinese astronauts packed up, boarded their landing capsule, and undocked from China’s space station Friday in preparation for a return to Earth after six months in orbit.
Commander Zhai Zhigang, astronaut Wang Yaping, and crewmate Ye Guangfu are closing out a 182-day mission, the longest-ever spaceflight by a Chinese crew. They launched Oct. 15 on the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft, and docked with the space station’s Tianhe core module six-and-a-half hours later.
After six months performing experiments, spacewalks, and preparing the station for future expansion, the Shenzhou 13 crew is closing out their mission Friday, targeting a parachute-assisted landing in the Gobi Desert of northwestern China.
The three astronauts floated into their Shenzhou 13 spacecraft and closed hatches with the Tianhe core module Friday, then undocked from the station’s nadir, or Earth-facing, port at 12:44 p.m. EDT (1644 GMT) while the lab soared nearly 240 miles (380 kilometers) above the planet, according the China Manned Space Agency.
The spacecraft was expected to fire thrusters to move a safe distance from the space station, then jettison its orbital habitation module, which will remain in orbit until aerodynamic drag pulls it back into the atmosphere. The ship’s engines will then fire for a deorbit burn to slow down for re-entry, then Shenzhou’s propulsion module will separate, leaving the landing capsule to bring the three astronauts back to Earth.
The re-entry capsule, protected by a heat shield, will encounter temperatures of several thousands degrees. After a brief build-up in G forces, the spacecraft will deploy a main parachute to slow its descent for touchdown at the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia region of northwestern China.
Chinese officials did not announce the exact landing time, but it is expected to occur shortly after 9:30 p.m. EDT Friday (0130 GMT Saturday), or 9:30 a.m. Beijing time.
The Dongfeng landing field is near the Jiuquan launch center, where Shenzhou 13 blasted off last October. The previous Shenzhou mission, which returned to Earth last September, became the first mission to land with astronauts at the Dongfeng site. Earlier Chinese missions parachuted into a different part of Inner Mongolia known as Siziwang Banner.
During their stay on the Chinese space station, the Shenzhou 13 astronauts completed a series of experiments and performed two spacewalks.
Zhai and Wang completed the mission’s first spacewalk Nov. 7. The astronauts prepared the space station’s 47-foot (14.5-meter) robotic arm for service, connecting its two main segments and installing a suspension device to help the arm move equipment around the exterior of the laboratory.
Wang, who was a Chinese military pilot before joining China’s astronaut corps, became the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk.
The mission’s second spacewalk on Dec. 26 was performed by Ye and Zhai, who deployed an external panoramic camera and tested methods for astronauts on future missions to move objects around the outside of the station.
Both spacewalks lasted more than six hours, and the astronauts wore Chinese-made Feitian space suits.
The Shenzhou 13 astronauts also evaluated the living and working conditions inside the Tianhe core module. They proved out the station’s life support system, which includes technology to recycle urine, sweat, and water vapor into drinking water. The astronauts also tested the station’s stationary bicycle and treadmill to maintain physical fitness during their mission.
The astronauts also spoke to the Chinese public in science education and outreach activities, and celebrated traditional events on the Chinese calendar, such as the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, and the Lantern Festival. Wang, who is on her second mission to space, said the astronauts enjoyed Chinese cuisine on the station, such as dumplings, zongzi, mooncakes, and tangyuan.
The Chinese astronauts answered questions from U.S. schoolchildren April 9 in an event hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Washington. Wang said then she was looking forward to returning to Earth, seeing her 6-year-old daughter and running outside on sunny afternoons.
“We have carried out experiments in the space station to study how cell growth and development change under weightless conditions and investigated their variation patterns and mechanisms,” Ye told the U.S. students.
Zhai Zhigang is a 55-year-old major general in the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force. Zhai is on his second spaceflight. He became the first Chinese astronaut to perform a spacewalk in 2008.
Ye, 41, is wrapping up his first mission to space. Like his crewmates, he was a pilot in the Chinese military before joining the country’s astronaut corps.
The Shenzhou 13 mission was the second crew to live and work on the Chinese space station, following the 92-day Shenzhou 12 mission last year. The Shenzhou 13 astronauts will nearly double the Chinese spaceflight endurance record set by Shenzhou 12.
The departure of the Shenzhou 13 crew will leave the Chinese space station unoccupied until the launch of the next long-duration team of astronauts in June. Shenzhou 14 will deliver three more astronauts to the station for another six-month mission.
The first section of the Chinese space station, Tianhe, launched last April on a heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket. The Tianzhou 2 cargo ship launched in May, followed by the Shenzhou 12 launch in June, and the Tianzhou 3 supply mission in September.
The Tianzhou 2 supply ship undocked from the station last month and burned up during re-entry, as designed. China plans to launch the Tianzhou 4 cargo mission in May, then Shenzhou 14 is scheduled to lift off in June.
Later this year, China plans to launch the large Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules to complete the initial assembly of the space station.
Quelle: SN
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Update:
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Chinese astronauts land on Earth after China's longest crewed space mission
Rescue workers carry Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang out of a return capsule after three astronauts returned to earth following the Shenzhou-13 manned space mission to complete construction of the space station, at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
Three Chinese astronauts returned to earth on Saturday after 183 days in space, state television reported, completing the country's longest crewed space mission to date.
The astronauts landed nine hours after they left a key module of China's first space station.
While in orbit, the Shenzhou-13 mission astronauts took manual control in the Tianhe living quarters module for what state media called a "docking experiment" with the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft.
Following their launch in October, the astronauts - Zhai Zhigang, Ye Guangfu and a female crew member Wang Yaping - spent 183 days in space, completing the fifth of 11 missions needed to finish the space station by the end of the year.
Shenzhou-13 was the second of four planned crewed missions to complete construction of the space station, which began last April. Shenzhou-12 returned to Earth in September.
China's next two missions will be Tianzhou-4, a cargo spacecraft, and the three-person Shenzhou-14 mission, Shao Limin, deputy technology manager of Manned Spaceship System was quoted by state media as saying.
Barred by the United States from participating in the International Space Station (ISS) in orbit, China has spent the past decade developing technologies to build its own space station, the only one in the world other than the ISS.
China, which aims to become a space power by 2030, has successfully launched probes to explore Mars and became the first country to land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon.
Quelle: Reuters
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Chinese astronauts land in Gobi desert after six months in space
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after six months aboard their country's newest orbital station in the longest crewed mission to date for China's ambitious space program.
The Shenzhou 13 space capsule landed in the Gobi desert in the northern region of Inner Mongolia, shown live on state TV.
During the mission, astronaut Wang Yaping carried out the first spacewalk by a Chinese woman. Wang and crewmates Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu beamed back physics lessons for high school students.
China launched its first astronaut into space in 2003 and landed robot rovers on the moon in 2013 and on Mars last year. Officials have discussed a possible crewed mission to the moon
On Saturday, state TV showed images from inside the capsule as it traveled at 200 meters per second over Africa before entering the atmosphere.
The trio were the second crew aboard Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace. Its core module, Tianhe, was launched in April 2021. Plans call for completing construction this year by adding two more modules.
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned space mission is seen after landing at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after six months aboard China's newest space station in the longest crewed mission to date for its ambitious space program.
Authorities have yet to announce a date for launching the next Tiangong crew.
China is excluded from the International Space Station due to U.S. unease that its space program is run by the ruling Communist Party's military wing, the People's Liberation Army.
China was the third nation to launch an astronaut into space on its own after the former Soviet Union and the United States. Tiangong is China's third space station following predecessors launched in 2011 and 2016.
The government announced in 2020 that China's first reusable spacecraft had landed following a test flight but no photos or details of the vehicle have been released.
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese astronaut Ye Guangfu sits outside return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned space mission after landing at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Saturday, April 16, 2022. Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after six months aboard China's newest space station in the longest crewed mission to date for its ambitious space program
Quelle: CBS News
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The return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship lands successfully at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)
In this combo photo, astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu (from L to R) are out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 16, 2022. Three Chinese astronauts, the second team sent to orbit for space station construction, have completed their six-month mission and returned to Earth safely on Saturday. (Xinhua)
Astronaut Wang Yaping waves to the crowd on her arrival in Beijing, capital of China, April 16, 2022. Three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship have completed their six-month space station mission and returned to Earth safely on Saturday.
Shenzhou-13's return capsule, carrying astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 9:56 a.m. (Beijing Time).
The three astronauts arrived in Beijing by plane on Saturday afternoon.
Quelle: Xinhua