Tiangong-1

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Tiangong-1
天宫一号
Plan diagram of Tiangong-1 with its solar panels extended
Station statistics
COSPAR ID 2011-053A
Crew 3
Launch 29 September 2011[1][2] at 21:16:03.507 CST
Launch pad Jiuquan LA-4/SLS-1
Mass 8,506 kg (18,750 lb)[3]
Length 10.4 m (34.1 ft)
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Pressurised volume 15 m3 (530 cu ft)[4]
Perigee 355 kilometres (221 mi)[5]
Apogee 362 kilometres (225 mi)[5]
Orbital inclination 42 degrees[6]
Days in orbit 605
(as of 26 May)
Tiangong1
Traditional Chinese 天宮一號
Simplified Chinese 天宫一号
Literal meaning Heavenly Palace-1 or Sky Palace-1

Tiangong-1 (Chinese: 天宫一号; pinyin: Tiāngōng yīhào; literally "Heavenly Palace 1") is China's first space station,[7] an experimental testbed to demonstrate orbital rendezvous and docking capabilities.[8] Launched unmanned aboard a Long March 2F/G rocket[1] on 29 September 2011,[9] it is the first operational component of the Tiangong program, which aims to place a larger, modular station into orbit by 2020.[8] Tiangong-1 will be deorbited in 2013,[10] and replaced over the following decade by the larger Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 modules.

Tiangong-1 will be visited by a series of Shenzhou spacecraft during its two-year operational lifetime. The first of these, the unmanned Shenzhou 8, successfully docked with the module in November 2011,[11][12] while the manned Shenzhou 9 mission docked in June 2012.[13][14][15] A third and final mission, Shenzhou 10, is scheduled to launch in 2013.[16]

Design and development

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Tiangong-1 is an 8.5-metric-ton (19,000 lb) "space-laboratory module", capable of supporting the docking of manned and autonomous spacecraft. In 2008, the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) released a brief description of Tiangong-1, along with its larger successor modules, Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3. A model of the space station was revealed in the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration program on CCTV on 25 January 2009.[17]

On 29 September 2008, Zhang Jianqi (张建启), vice-director of the CMSEO, declared in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV)[18] that Tiangong-1 would be launched in 2010 or 2011. Xinhua later stated that Tiangong-1 would be launched in late 2010, and declared that the renovation of ground equipment was in progress.[19] However, the launch did not ultimately take place until 2011.

By mid-2011, the construction of Tiangong-1 was complete, and its systems and thermal properties were undergoing testing. Testing was also conducted on the Long March 2F carrier rocket on which Tiangong-1 would be launched; technicians undertook particularly extensive safety tests on the rocket in August and September 2011,[9] following the launch failure of a Long March 2C rocket on 18 August.

Structure

Tiangong-1 has a pressurised habitable volume of approximately 15 cubic metres (530 cu ft), and uses passive APAS-type docking connectors.[20] Structurally, Tiangong-1 is divided into two primary sections: a resource module, which mounts its solar panels and propulsion systems, and a larger, habitable experimental module.[21]

Onboard facilities

Tiangong-1's experimental module is equipped with exercise gear and two sleep stations.[4] The interior walls of the spacecraft have a two-color paint scheme – one color representative of the ground, and the other representative of the sky. This is intended to help the astronauts maintain their orientation in zero gravity.[4] High-resolution interior cameras allow manned missions to be closely monitored from the ground, and the two sleep stations have individual lighting controls.[22]Toilet facilities and cooking equipment for the manned missions are provided by the docked Shenzhou spacecraft, rather than being integrated into the Tiangong module itself.[22] Similarly, one member of the module's three-person crew sleeps in the Shenzhou spacecraft, preventing overcrowding.[22]

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Mission profile

Background

Tiangong-1 was originally intended to be launched in August 2011, and was delivered to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 23 July, successfully passing a launch rehearsal test on 17 August.[23] However, following the failed launch of a Long March 2C rocket in August 2011, the launch was postponed. Following an investigation into the August launch failure,[9][24] Tiangong-1's launch was rescheduled for late September 2011,[25] partly to coincide with the Chinese National Day on 1 October.[26]

Launch

On 20 September 2011, the spacecraft was again rolled out to Pad 1 of the South Launch Site at Jiuquan in preparation for the rescheduled launch attempt.[27] The launch occurred at 13:16 UTC on 29 September, successfully placing Tiangong-1 into low Earth orbit.[23] Chinese television broadcast the launch animation accompanied by an instrumental version of the American patriotic song America the Beautiful, a choice of music for which it later offered no explanation.[28]

Orbital transfers and testing

On 2 October 2011, Tiangong-1 completed the second of two orbital transfer maneuvers, reaching an apogee altitude of 362 kilometres (225 mi).[5] This was the precursor to a week-long program of orbital testing, conducted from the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, to prepare the module for future orbital docking operations.[5] On 10 October, Tiangong-1 released its first orbital photo, showing a view of its outer hull and satellite relay antenna.[29]

Autonomous orbital docking

Diagram of Tiangong-1 (left) docked to a Shenzhou spacecraft (right).
Main article: Shenzhou 8

The unmanned Shenzhou 8 mission successfully docked with Tiangong-1 on 2 November 2011 GMT, marking China's first orbital docking.[11] Shenzhou 8 undocked from Tiangong-1 on 14 November, before successfully completing a second rendezvous and docking, thus testing the reusability of the docking system.[12][30][31] Shenzhou 8 deorbited on 17 November 2011, and landed intact in Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia.[32] After the mission, the CNSA reported that Tiangong-1's systems were in optimal condition.[33]

Manned missions

Preparations

In December 2011, the Tiangong-1 module began automated internal checks for toxic gas, to ensure that its interior would be safe for astronauts to enter.[34] In January 2012, reports emerged alleging that the American X-37B robotic spaceplane was shadowing Tiangong-1 for surveillance purposes.[35] However, former United States Air Force orbital analyst Brian Weeden later refuted this claim, emphasizing that the X-37B occupied a different orbit to Tiangong-1, and would not be able to closely observe the module.[36]

Shenzhou 9

Main article: Shenzhou 9

In March 2012, it was reported that China had finished the initial crew selection for the Shenzhou 9 mission. Niu Hongguang, the deputy chief commander of the China Manned Space Engineering Project, stated that Shenzhou 9 would dock with Tiangong-1 before August 2012.[37] The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft was delivered to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for launch preparations on 9 April 2012,[38] while its Long March 2F carrier rocket arrived a month later on 9 May.[39]

Shenzhou 9 launched successfully on 16 June 2012, carrying with it China's first female astronaut, Liu Yang.[13][15][40][41] The spacecraft docked with Tiangong-1 on 18 June 2012 at 14:07 Beijing time (06:07 GMT; 07:07 BST).[14] After about three hours, when the air pressures inside the two vessels were equalized, mission commander Jing Haipeng entered Tiangong-1.[42] The first docking was entirely computer-controlled, without input from the three astronauts;[14] a second, crew-guided docking was successfully conducted on 24 June 2012 at 12:42 Beijing time.[43] Shenzhou 9 landed safely in Inner Mongolia on 29 June 2012.[44] In August 2012, Shenzhou 9's crew travelled to Hong Kong to discuss their mission with university students.[45]

Shenzhou 10

Main article: Shenzhou 10

A second manned mission, and the final Shenzhou mission to rendezvous with Tiangong-1 before it is deorbited, is planned for June 2013.[16][46] The launch was originally planned for earlier in the year, but was delayed to allow the mission to incorporate more complex scientific experiments.[47]

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Future development

Tiangong-1 is intended as a testbed for key technologies that will be used in China's large modular space station, which is planned for launch in 2020. Furthermore, modified versions of Tiangong-1 will be used as robotic cargo spacecraft to resupply this station. The launch mass of the Tiangong-1-derived cargo spacecraft is expected to be around 13 metric tons (29,000 lb), with a payload of around 6 metric tons (13,000 lb).[48]

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Visibility from Earth

See also: List of satellite pass predictors

Tiangong-1 may be visible to the naked eye only at lower latitudes, since it has an orbit inclination of 42 degrees.[6][49]

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See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tiangong-1
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References

  1. ^ a b "China to launch unmanned space module by Sept 30". Spacedaily.com. Retrieved 29 September 2011. 
  2. ^ "Insider: Tiangong 1 to launch in early Sept.". Beijing Times. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  3. ^ 天宫一号任务飞行方案. (PDF, in Chinese). Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  4. ^ a b c Xin, Dingding (27 September 2011). "Spacecraft ready to go on mission". China Daily. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
  5. ^ a b c d "天宫一号成功完成二次变轨" (in Chinese). People's Daily. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  6. ^ a b Peat, Chris. "Tiangong 1 – Visible Passes". Heavens-Above GmbH. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  7. ^ "China launches Tiangong-1 to mark next human space flight milestone". NASASpaceflight.com. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  8. ^ 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 a 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." 
  9. ^ a b c "Spacecraft Tiangong-1 launch delayed". China Daily. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2011. 
  10. ^ "China to launch module for future space station" (PDF). PhysOrg.com. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Chinese spacecraft dock in orbit". BBC News. 2 November 2011.
  12. ^ a b "China completes second space docking". AFP via Google. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  13. ^ a b "China launches space mission with first woman astronaut". BBC News. 16 June 2012. 
  14. ^ a b c "Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1". BBC. 18 June 2012.
  15. ^ a b "China to carry out manned space flight". BBC News. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012. 
  16. ^ a b "China to launch next manned spaceship in 2013". BBC. 10 November 2012. 
  17. ^ "天宫一号"空间站已进入初样研制阶段(图)". 25 January 2009. 
  18. ^ "我国将于2010年-2011年发射小型空间站". 29 September 2008. 
  19. ^ "Unmanned space module to be launched in 2010, await space docking". Xinhuanet. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011. 
  20. ^ "China Accelerates Manned Space Program with Tiangong Docking Module and Advanced Shenzhou". AmericaSpace. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  21. ^ InterSpace News. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  22. ^ a b c "Living on Tiangong". SpaceDaily.com. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  23. ^ a b Barbosa, Rui (28 September 2011). "China launches TianGong-1 to mark next human space flight milestone". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013. 
  24. ^ Moskowitz, Clara (14 September 2011). MSNBC. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  25. ^ China Readies for Own Space Station in Test Launch. International Business Times. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  26. ^ SPACE: ‘Heavenly Palace’ heads into space. Businessday.co.za. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  27. ^ China set to ‘Leap Forward in Space’ as Tiangong 1 Rolls to Launch Pad. Universe Today. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  28. ^ Murray, Warren (30 September 2011). "Rocket's red glaring error: China sets space launch to America the Beautiful". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2011. 
  29. ^ "Tiangong 1 releases first photo in space". People's Daily. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  30. ^ "2nd docking of Tiangong-1 & Shenzhou-8 on schedule". Xinhua. 7 November 2011.
  31. ^ "Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou-8 disengages from space lab module Tiangong-1". Xinhua. 14 November 2011.
  32. ^ "Shenzhou 8 Docking Mission Major Step To Space Station, China Says". Huffington Post. 18 November 2011.
  33. ^ "China plans major effort in pursuing manned space technology". Space Daily. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  34. ^ "Tiangong-1 orbiter starts planned cabin checks against toxic gas". SpaceDaily. 19 December 2011.
  35. ^ "US 'space warplane' may be spying on Chinese spacelab". The Register. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  36. ^ "Expert: U. S. Secret Space Plane Not Likely 'Spying' on China Module". International Business Times. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  37. ^ "Shenzhou-9 may take female astronaut to space". Space Daily. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  38. ^ "Shenzhou-9 spacecraft delivered to launch center". China Daily. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  39. ^ "Launch preps begin for next Chinese human spaceflight". Spaceflight Now. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012. 
  40. ^ "China sends its first female astronaut into space". The Daily Telegraph. 16 June 2012.
  41. ^ "China to send first woman astronaut Liu Yang into space". BBC. 15 June 2012. 
  42. ^ "China successfully completes space docking". China Daily. 19 June 2012. 
  43. ^ "Video: China's first manual space docking". People's Daily Online. 24 June 2012.
  44. ^ "China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returns to earth". The Guardian. 29 June 2012. 
  45. ^ "Astronauts share feelings with HK students". China Daily. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012. 
  46. ^ "Tiangong 1 Parked And Waiting As Shenzhou 10 Mission Prep Continues". Space Daily. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  47. ^ "Reshuffle for Tiangong". Space Daily. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013. 
  48. ^ "中国研制新火箭 发射货运飞船". 9 July 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
  49. ^ Covault, Craig. "Tiangong Roars Aloft Under Watchful Eyes of Party Leadership". AmericaSpace. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
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Notes: † Never inhabited due to launch or on-orbit failure, ‡ Part of the Almaz military program, ° Never inhabited, lacks docking mechanism.
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Last modified on 24 May 2013, at 00:39