China has launched a brand new cargo spacecraft to its newly accomplished space station in preparation for a coming crewed mission.
The Tianzhou 5 freighter lifted off from Wenchang Satellite tv for pc Launch Heart in southern China’s Hainan Province atop a Long March 7 rocket at 9:03 p.m. EST on Nov. 11 (0203 GMT and 10:03 a.m. Beijing time, Nov. 12).
The 35-foot-long (10.6 meters) freighter is anticipated to dock with Tiangong space station round 6.5 hours after launch.
Associated: The latest news about China’s space program
China’s Tianzhou cargo spacecraft weigh about 29,760 kilos (13,500 kilograms), with a cargo capability of roughly 15,200 kilos (6,900 kg). The Tianzhou 5 mission will ship provides wanted for the upcoming Shenzhou 15 crewed mission, which may launch as quickly as the top of November.
An in depth breakdown of the cargo was not revealed forward of launch, however Tianzhou 5 is anticipated to hold propellant for the space station together with meals and provides for astronauts. It is going to additionally carry 5 cubesats and 5 different experiments to Tiangong as a part of its mission, China’s major space contractor revealed (opens in new tab).
China launched two modules in current months to hitch the already-orbiting Tianhe core module. These main missions marked the completion of the three-module, T-shaped Tiangong space station, which is at present internet hosting the three Shenzhou 14 astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe.
With all of the modules in place, the Shenzhou 14 trio will have the ability to welcome aboard the at present unnamed Shenzhou 15 crew earlier than the top of the 12 months and conduct China’s first Tiangong crew handover.
Tiangong is about 20% as large because the International Space Station (ISS). China intends to maintain Tiangong occupied and operational for a minimum of decade, which means it ought to outlast the ISS and presumably turn out to be the one space station in orbit above Earth.
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