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Tiangong-1
天宫一号
Plan diagram of Tiangong-1 with its solar panels extended
Station statistics
Crew3
Launch29 September 2011[1][2] at 21:16:03.507 CST
Launch padJiuquan LA-4/SLS-1
Mass8,506 kg (18,753 lb)[3]
Length10.4 m (34.1 ft)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Pressurised volume15 m3 (530 cu ft)[4]
Periapsis altitude353 kilometres (219 mi)[5]
Apoapsis altitude364 kilometres (226 mi)[5]
Orbital inclination42.78 degrees[5]
Orbital period91.72 minutes[5]
Orbits per day15.70[5]
Orbit epoch22 September 2013[5]
Days in orbit4809
(as of 28 November)
No. of orbits11,390[5]
Tiangong1
Traditional Chinese天宮一號
Simplified Chinese天宫一号
Literal meaningHeavenly Palace-1 or Sky Palace-1
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTiāngōng yīhào
Gwoyeu RomatzyhTiangong ihaw
Wade–GilesT'ien1kung1 i1hao4
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationTyangung yihau
JyutpingTingung jathou
Southern Min
Hokkien POJThian-kong it-hō

Tiangong-1 (Chinese: 天宫一号; pinyin: Tiāngōng yīhào; lit. 'Heavenly Palace 1') is China's first space station,[6] serving as both a manned laboratory and an experimental testbed to demonstrate orbital rendezvous and docking capabilities.[7] Launched unmanned aboard a Long March 2F/G rocket[1] on 29 September 2011,[8] it is the first operational component of the Tiangong program, which aims to place a larger, modular station into orbit by 2020.[7] As of September 2011, Tiangong-1 was projected to be deorbited in 2013,[9] and replaced over the following decade by the larger Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 modules.[10]

Tiangong-1 was 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 to Tiangong-1, the manned Shenzhou 10, docked in June 2013.[16][17][18] The manned missions to Tiangong-1 were notable for including China's first female astronauts, Liu Yang and Wang Yaping.[19][17]

Design and development

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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.[20]

On 29 September 2008, Zhang Jianqi (张建启), vice-director of the CMSEO, declared in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV)[21] 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.[22] 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,[8] following the launch failure of a Long March 2C rocket on 18 August.

Structure

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Tiangong-1 has a pressurised habitable volume of approximately 15 cubic metres (530 cu ft), and uses passive APAS-type docking connectors.[23] 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.[24]

Onboard facilities

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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.[25] 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.[25] Similarly, one member of the module's three-person crew sleeps in the Shenzhou spacecraft, preventing overcrowding.[25]

Mission profile

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Background

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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.[26] 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,[8][27] Tiangong-1's launch was rescheduled for late September 2011,[28] partly to coincide with the Chinese National Day on 1 October.[29]

Launch

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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.[30] The launch occurred at 13:16 UTC on 29 September, successfully placing Tiangong-1 into low Earth orbit.[26] 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.[31]

Orbital transfers and testing

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On 2 October 2011, Tiangong-1 completed the second of two orbital transfer maneuvers, reaching an apogee altitude of 362 kilometres (225 mi).[32] 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.[32] On 10 October, Tiangong-1 released its first orbital photo, showing a view of its outer hull and satellite relay antenna.[33]

Autonomous orbital docking

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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][34][35] Shenzhou 8 deorbited on 17 November 2011, and landed intact in Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia.[36] After the mission, the CNSA reported that Tiangong-1's systems were in optimal condition.[37]

Manned missions

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Preparations

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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.[38] In January 2012, reports emerged alleging that the American X-37B robotic spaceplane was shadowing Tiangong-1 for surveillance purposes.[39] However, former United States Air Force orbital analyst Brian Weeden later refuted this claim, emphasizing that the X-37B occupied a different orbit from Tiangong-1, and would not be able to closely observe the module.[40]

Shenzhou 9

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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.[41] The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft was delivered to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for launch preparations on 9 April 2012,[42] while its Long March 2F carrier rocket arrived a month later on 9 May.[43]

Shenzhou 9 launched successfully on 16 June 2012, carrying with it China's first female astronaut, Liu Yang.[13][15][19][44] 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.[45] 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.[46] Shenzhou 9 landed safely in Inner Mongolia on 29 June 2012.[47] In August 2012, Shenzhou 9's crew travelled to Hong Kong to discuss their mission with university students.[48]

Shenzhou 10

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Main article: Shenzhou 10

The manned Shenzhou 10 spacecraft, the final Shenzhou mission to rendezvous with Tiangong-1 before its deorbit, was launched on 11 June 2013.[17][16][49] The launch of Shenzhou 10 was originally planned for earlier in the year, but was delayed to allow the mission to incorporate more complex scientific experiments.[50] The mission's crew included China's second female astronaut, Wang Yaping.[17] Shenzhou 10 docked successfully with Tiangong-1 on 13 June.[18]

On 15 June 2013, the Shenzhou 10 crew completed China's first orbital maintenance operation, replacing Tiangong-1's interior cladding.[51] Additional maintenance work was conducted on the space station's seal rings.[51] On 20 June, Wang Yaping delivered a remote video lecture from orbit to students across China, demonstrating physics in microgravity with her colleagues.[52] On 24 June, Chinese President Xi Jinping contacted the astronauts via remote video link to congratulate them.[53] After a series of successful docking tests, Shenzhou 10 undocked and returned safely to Earth on 26 June 2013.[54] With a duration of 15 days, Shenzhou 10 was China's longest manned space mission to date.[55]

Tiangong-1 orbits in June 2013.

Future development

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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).[56][10]

See also

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References

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  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 e f g Peat, Chris (22 September 2013). "Tiangong 1 - Orbit". Heavens-Above. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  6. ^ "China launches Tiangong-1 to mark next human space flight milestone". NASASpaceflight.com. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b c "Spacecraft Tiangong-1 launch delayed". China Daily. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  9. ^ "China to launch module for future space station" (PDF). PhysOrg.com. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  10. ^ a b "China to launch Tiangong-2 and cargo spacecraft in 2015". GB Times. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Chinese spacecraft dock in orbit". BBC. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  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. 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. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  16. ^ a b "China to launch next manned spaceship in 2013". BBC. 10 November 2012.
  17. ^ a b c d "Shenzhou-10: China launches next manned space mission". BBC. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  18. ^ a b "Shenzhou-10: Chinese capsule docks with space laboratory". BBC. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  19. ^ a b "China sends its first female astronaut into space". The Daily Telegraph. 16 June 2012.
  20. ^ "天宫一号"空间站已进入初样研制阶段(图)". 25 January 2009.
  21. ^ "我国将于2010年-2011年发射小型空间站". 29 September 2008.
  22. ^ "Unmanned space module to be launched in 2010, await space docking". Xinhuanet. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  23. ^ "China Accelerates Manned Space Program with Tiangong Docking Module and Advanced Shenzhou". AmericaSpace. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  24. ^ "China Launches Tiangong-1 Space Lab". InterSpace News. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  25. ^ a b c "Living on Tiangong". SpaceDaily.com. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  26. ^ a b Barbosa, Rui (28 September 2011). "China launches TianGong-1 to mark next human space flight milestone". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  27. ^ Moskowitz, Clara (14 September 2011). "China's space dreams ride on robotic docking success". MSNBC. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  28. ^ "China Readies for Own Space Station in Test Launch". International Business Times. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  29. ^ "SPACE: ‘Heavenly Palace’ heads into space". Businessday.co.za. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  30. ^ "China set to ‘Leap Forward in Space’ as Tiangong 1 Rolls to Launch Pad". Universe Today. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  31. ^ Murray, Warren (30 September 2011). "Rocket's red glaring error: China sets space launch to America the Beautiful". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  32. ^ a b "天宫一号成功完成二次变轨" (in Chinese). People's Daily. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  33. ^ "Tiangong 1 releases first photo in space". People's Daily. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  34. ^ "2nd docking of Tiangong-1 & Shenzhou-8 on schedule". Xinhua. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  35. ^ "Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou-8 disengages from space lab module Tiangong-1". Xinhua. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  36. ^ "Shenzhou 8 Docking Mission Major Step To Space Station, China Says". Huffington Post. 18 November 2011.
  37. ^ "China plans major effort in pursuing manned space technology". SpaceDaily.com. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  38. ^ "Tiangong-1 orbiter starts planned cabin checks against toxic gas". SpaceDaily.com. 19 December 2011.
  39. ^ "US 'space warplane' may be spying on Chinese spacelab". The Register. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  40. ^ "Expert: U. S. Secret Space Plane Not Likely 'Spying' on China Module". International Business Times. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  41. ^ "Shenzhou-9 may take female astronaut to space". SpaceDaily.com. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  42. ^ "Shenzhou-9 spacecraft delivered to launch center". China Daily. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  43. ^ "Launch preps begin for next Chinese human spaceflight". Spaceflight Now. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  44. ^ "China to send first woman astronaut Liu Yang into space". BBC. 15 June 2012.
  45. ^ "China successfully completes space docking". China Daily. 19 June 2012.
  46. ^ "Video: China's first manual space docking". People's Daily Online. 24 June 2012.
  47. ^ "China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returns to earth". The Guardian. 29 June 2012.
  48. ^ "Astronauts share feelings with HK students". China Daily. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  49. ^ "Tiangong 1 Parked And Waiting As Shenzhou 10 Mission Prep Continues". SpaceDaily.com. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  50. ^ "Reshuffle for Tiangong". SpaceDaily.com. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  51. ^ a b "Astronauts complete first maintenance on Tiangong-1". China Daily. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  52. ^ "China gives first lecture from space". BBC. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  53. ^ "China poised for bigger strides in space exploration: Xi Jinping". Zee News. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  54. ^ "China's Shenzhou-10 mission successful". Xinhua. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  55. ^ "China launches Shenzhou-10 manned space mission". The Telegraph. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  56. ^ "中国研制新火箭 发射货运飞船". 9 July 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tiangong 1.


Category:2011 in China Category:2011 in spaceflight Category:2011 introductions Category:Chinese space station Category:Space stations Category:Tiangong program

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