Tuesday, November 01, 2022

Final module docks at China’s ‘heavenly palace’ space station


al Jazeera:

Final module docks at China’s ‘heavenly palace’ space station

The Mengtian module, along with a core unit and lab module, make up the Tiangong space station.



A Long March 5B rocket carrying the Mengtian module for China's space station Tiangong, takes off from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan province, China, on October 31, 2022 [China Daily via Reuters]

Published On 1 Nov 20221 Nov 2022


The final module required for the completion of China’s Tiangong space station has successfully docked with the core structure, state media say, a key step in Beijing’s ambitious plans for space exploration.

China’s third and final module docked with its permanent space station early on Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing the China Manned Space Agency.


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The module – named Mengtian, which means “heavenly dream” – was launched on Monday on a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang launch centre on China’s tropical island of Hainan, CCTV reported.

It reached the Tiangong space station at 4:27am Beijing time on Tuesday (20:27GMT on Monday). The entire process of launch and docking with the space station took about 13 hours and advances more than a decade-long effort by China to maintain a constant crewed presence in orbit.

Beijing’s completion of the station would signal “China is now an equal player in space with the United States, Russia and Europe”, independent Chinese space analyst Chen Lan told Agence France-Presse.

“It is always good to see new players coming,” he said. “… Competition will always speed up innovation.”

According to China’s Xinhua news agency, the Mengtian module, together with the Tianhe core module and the Wentian lab module, will form the space station’s basic T-shape configuration. Together, they are known as Tiangong, or “heavenly palace”.


3 comments:

  1. About the stage of development of Skylab....back in 1973.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wakakakaka…

      Fart infused with sour grape grown out of know-nothing!

      Delete
  2. Skylab is old old tech. A better comparison is the later more 'advanced' ISS.

    In the initial phase of ISS formation, each individual module took at least two days from earth launch to space assembly docking.

    TianGong's each modula congregation takes less than 24hr from earth launch to attachment in orbital space.

    Right till now - the closing year of ISS - none of the ISS attempts have taken less than 24hr!

    Wakakakaka… know nothing indeed! Do keep parading yr 'smart alecky' monkey show. A few laugh do lessen a boring day.

    ReplyDelete