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Raumfahrt - Chinas Space Station - Mission Update 2

6.07.2021

Astronauts install tools on spacewalk outside China's space station

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Shenzhou 12 crewmates Liu Boming (top) and Tang Hongbo exit the Tianhe core module to perform the first spacewalk outside of China's space station on Saturday, July 3, 2021. (CCTV)

For the first time, two astronauts have worked outside of China's space station, completing only the second spacewalk in the history of the country's space program.

Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo began the six-hour and 46-minute extravehicular activity (EVA) on Saturday (July 3) at 8:11 p.m. EDT (0011 GMT or 8:11 a.m. Beijing Time on July 4). Liu was first to exit the space station's Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens") core module, followed by Tang about three hours later.

Wearing upgraded Chinese Feitian spacesuits, the two Shenzhou 12 crewmates outfitted the space station with tools needed to support future activities.

Liu, initially working alone, attached a foot restraint and platform to the end of the station's 33-foot-long (10-meter) robotic arm and then mounted the arm himself. Shenzhou 12 commander Nie Haisheng then tested the arm's controls, moving Liu from inside the Tianhe module.

Tang, tethered to the handrails running along the exterior of the space station, later joined Liu in extending a panoramic camera. They then continued working together to install other EVA equipment with the help of the robotic arm.

"After about 7 hours of exterior activities, the Shenzhou 12 crewmates working closely together successfully completed all the scheduled tasks during the spacewalk," China's Manned Space Agency announced at the end of the EVA.

Liu and Tang completed the spacewalk at 2:57 a.m. EDT (0657 GMT or 2:57 p.m. Beijing time) on Sunday.

A second spacewalk is planned for later in the Shenzhou 12 mission, which launched with Nie, Liu and Tang on June 16 and is scheduled to last three months. In addition to testing procedures, the EVAs are preparing the station to be expanded with the addition of two laboratory modules to be launched in 2022.

China's first-ever spacewalk was performed by Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou 7 mission, in 2008. Liu was part of that mission's crew as well, and during the 22-minute outing, performed a stand-up EVA, popping his head out of the hatch while wearing a Russian Orlan spacesuit.

The Chinese Feitian ("flying to space") suits are similar in design to the Orlan, with the portable life support system also serving as a rear-entry hatch into the spacesuit. The Feitian's helmets are equipped with cameras, broadcasting a first-person view similar to NASA's extravehicular activity unit (EMU) spacesuit.

When not out on a spacewalk, the Shenzhou 12 crewmates have been configuring and testing the Tianhe core module's systems, conducting science experiments and participating in video downlinks, including talking live with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

When completed, the T-shaped Tiangong ("Heavenly Palace") space station will be China's first multi-module space station. In addition to hosting Chinese crews and research, China plans to invite international partners to visit and work aboard the orbiting outpost.

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Shenzhou 12 astronaut Tang Honbo, wearing a Feitian spacesuit, floats inside the docking hub of the Tianhe core module waiting to exit China's space station during a July 3, 2021 spacewalk. (CCTV)

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Shenzhou 12 spacewalker Liu Boming positions himself to mount the end of a robotic arm outside of China's space station on July 3, 2021. (CCTV)

Quelle: CS

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Update: 7.07.2021

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China Focus: Mechanical arm is Chinese astronauts' space helper

 

The mechanical arm installed on China's space station core module Tianhe has played an important role in assisting the astronauts with their extravehicular activities (EVAs) on Sunday.

The mechanical arm is designed to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the space station in orbit, to help the astronauts in EVAs, such as the assembly, construction, maintenance, and repair of the space station, and support space applications.

CRAWLING ARM

The 10.2-meter-long robotic arm installed on the Tianhe module can carry up to 25 tonnes of weight. It consists of seven joints, two limbs, two sets of extension gears, two sets of end cameras and end effectors (also known as end-of-arm tooling), one set of central controllers, and an elbow camera.

With limbs and joints, the mechanical arm can work as a human arm with a shoulder, an elbow, and a wrist. By rotating each joint, it can grasp the equipment and operate at any angle and position.

"The end effector of the arm can dock with a target adapter installed on the outer surface of the spacecraft. By docking and separation of the end effector and target adapter, the arm can crawl and move on the surface of the space station," said Wang Youyu, a mechanical arm designer at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

In a computer illustrated video issued by the CAST, the arm, like an inchworm crawling with its head and rear, uses the two end effectors to move between the surface target adapters and reach multiple positions in the outer surface of the space station, where it can conveniently do its jobs.

In addition to working independently, the core module arm can also combine with the mechanical arms installed on the lab modules, which will likely be launched next year. The combined arm can reach a working diameter of 15 meters.

SPACE CONSTRUCTION

With a design life of 15 years, load capacity of 25 tonnes, and tip positioning accuracy of 45 millimeters, the mechanical arm installed on the Tianhe module can realize long-range, large-load operations and small-range, detailed operations.

The arm is designed for module transposition, astronauts' EVAs, extravehicular cargo handling, space station status inspection, and maintenance of large equipment, the CAST said.

For example, two lab modules will dock with the core module and form a T-shape complex. Restricted by the attitude control of the lab modules, they can't directly dock with the side docking ports of the core module.

Instead, each lab module has to dock with the front docking port of the core module, and then a smaller mechanical arm moves it to dock with the side port. The arm installed on the core module can also do the job as a backup.

Yang Hong, the chief designer of the space station at the CAST, said when a spacecraft is approaching to dock or in need of repair, maintenance, and supplies, the large-scale arm in the core module can help to secure the spacecraft and facilitate the procedure. The space station can be viewed as a homeport in space.

ASTRONAUT HELPER

The mechanical arm would reduce the burden of astronauts in extravehicular missions as much as possible, said Yang.

The end effector can dock with a foot restraint platform, where astronauts can stand. They can use the arm to send themselves to required locations.

"It can transfer the astronauts in a wide range so that they can easily reach the operation position during EVAs," he added.

The arm integrates mechanical engineering, mechanics, material, control, electronics, information, vision, and computer sciences technologies. With the ability of precise operation and visual recognition, it is capable of autonomous analysis and remotely controlled by astronauts.

Besides EVAs, the arm can also help astronauts transfer the solar wings of the core module and install the payloads on the outer surface of the station.

Equipped with cameras on the two ends and the elbow, it can also carry out extravehicular examinations for the astronauts.

"There are several areas on the station that need to be regularly checked by the robotic arm," said Hu Chengwei, another mechanical arm designer at the CAST.

"For instance, before the launch of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft, we used it to monitor and evaluate the condition of the rear docking port of the core module in preparation for docking with Tianzhou-2," he added. Enditem

Quelle: Xinhua

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Update: 9.07.2021

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China Focus: Homemade spacesuits ensure safety of Chinese astronauts in space

China's self-developed spacesuits have ensured the safety of astronauts during their stay in the space station core module Tianhe and while performing extravehicular activities (EVAs) outside the module.

The space gears include intravehicular spacesuits and extravehicular spacesuits, according to different scenarios, said Zhang Wanxin, director of the astronaut suit project under the Astronaut Center of China (ACC).

Intravehicular spacesuits, which are for astronauts to wear inside the spacecraft, ensure ventilation and heat dissipation of the astronauts under normal circumstances and provide oxygen to ensure their safety once the spacecraft leaks, Zhang added.

The extravehicular suit, like a small aircraft, provides safe and effective environmental protection, environmental control and life support for astronauts when they work outside the spacecraft, he said, adding that extravehicular suits should not only meet the life support needs of astronauts but also allow them to complete extravehicular activities.

The new-generation homemade extravehicular spacesuit used in the extravehicular mission is about 2 meters in height and weighs more than 100 kilograms, with longer service life, higher reliability and better flexibility compared to the previous versions, according to Zhang.

Though heavy, the extravehicular suits used bionic structures to facilitate the activities of astronauts. All the joints of the upper and lower limbs are equipped with airtight bearings so that the astronauts' hands and feet can move freely, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO).

The spacesuit helmet is equipped with a camera, a light and a high-tech window, the CMSEO said, adding that the suit can contain water and food for long-duration extravehicular activities.

Every set of extravehicular spacesuit, which consists of 100 components, has gone through strict procedures in the process of development, production and final assembly, said Deng Xiaowei with the ACC.

A series of environmental tests, pressure performance tests, ergonomic verification and evaluation have also been carried out on the extravehicular spacesuits to ensure the astronauts' absolute safety, Deng said. Enditem

Quelle: Xinhua

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Update: 19.07.2021

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A month in China Space Station: What's been done so far?

It's been a month since the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft carried the three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, to China's space station. As one of the most important missions for the manned space program, the Shenzhou-12 is a display of China's latest space technology.

The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) on Saturday published a timeline of Shenzhou-12's progress so far. And here's a translation of it.

All timestamps below are in Beijing Time.

6:32 a.m., June 17, 2021: Taikonauts set off

 

L-R: Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming before the launch of the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, June 17, 2021. /CFP

After fierce training sessions – including underwater work wearing 200-kilogram spacesuits – the three taikonauts, namely Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo, have finally walked out of training center and boarded the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft.

"The most challenging task is not those training sessions. Instead, it's maintaining the passion of an explorer at heart," the CMSEO said.

Nearly three hours later: Rocket launched

 

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spaceship with Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo on board, blasts off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in NW China, June 17, 2021. /CFP

A Long March-2F rocket carried the Shenzhou-12 to orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It took about 573 seconds for the rocket to put the spacecraft into space.

"It's been five years since the last taikonaut broke out of the atmosphere," the CMSEO said. "We are moving firmly to the goal we set."

3:54 p.m.: Shenzhou-12 docked with the China Space Station core module

The core module of the space station – Tianhe – was already waiting on the orbit. Serving as a connector of other space station modules, it was launched back in April.

Already connected to the station is the Tianzhou-2, a cargo ship filled with supplies needed by the taikonauts to survive, work and have fun.

The docking between Shenzhou-12 and the China Space Station was done automatically by machines without human intervention.

6:48 p.m.: Taikonauts entered China's space station

Described by the CMSEO as a "milestone of a new age" for China's space exploration, the entrance means a lot for the Chinese people.

The three-person crew is expected to stay in the space station for three months, during which time they'll help set up the station and carry out some scientific research.

9:30 a.m., June 23: A video call from the president

Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first video call to the space station and extended his greetings to the taikonauts.

June 30: 'Happy birthday' from space

The three taikonauts sent birthday wishes to the Communist Party of China (CPC) from space, ahead of the CPC's centenary.

"Each success of the space program relates to the CPC's decisions, care and leadership," the CMSEO said.

8:11 a.m., July 4: Spacewalk with a robot arm

Two of the three taikonauts performed a seven-hour-long session outside the space station.

A robot arm helped Liu Boming to and from one place to another on the outside of the space station.

CMSEO said China's space program will carry on with their endeavor in space.

Quelle: CGTN
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Update: 23.07.2021
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How Chinese astronauts maintain personal hygiene in space

 

Three Chinese astronauts have been living and working in China's space station core module Tianhe for more than a month.

The astronauts have the same personal hygiene needs as people on Earth, but see to them in different ways due to their microgravity environment.

A video released on June 23 shows how the astronauts start their day. Tang Hongbo uses face wipes to clean himself, squeezes toothpaste directly into his mouth, and swallows it after brushing his teeth.

Huang Weifen, the chief designer of China's manned space program astronaut system, said that it is impossible for astronauts to shower as they do on Earth. According to Huang, the astronauts heat wet towels to wipe their bodies.

As for washing their hair, they put on shower caps, massage their hair with rinse-free shampoo, and towel dry.

The astronauts underwent comprehensive training to live in space, said Huang, adding that they can shave and cut their hair.

"My barber is right beside me," said Nie Haisheng in an interview before the three astronauts traveled to space, pointing to Tang Hongbo.

Nie said they would cut each other's hair in space and had practiced many times. The hair clippers are attached to something like a vacuum cleaner, which produces negative pressure and can suck in the hair that is cut.

Liu Weibo, the deputy chief designer of the astronaut system, said that the three astronauts don't do laundry in space and use disposable clothing instead.

Chinese scientists have devised a system to recycle water from the urine, breath and sweat produced by astronauts in space, which could save up to 100 million yuan (about 15.5 million U.S. dollars) in a period of six months with three astronauts in orbit.

"The most valuable thing in orbit is water," Liu told reporters.

He noted that water, which is contaminated with detergent as well as skin debris and dirt washed from the body, will be challenging to recycle.

Liu said they have calculated and verified that disposable clothing that is regularly changed and discarded costs much less than doing laundry with water.

Liu said the astronauts change their clothes according to their needs. He said that underwear is the most frequently changed item of clothing, that sweatshirts and socks are changed less frequently, and that working uniforms are changed every month. Enditem

Quelle: Xinhua

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Update: 25.07.2021

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China’s space station is preparing to host 1,000 scientific experiments

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