China plans to launch a pair of crewed missions to its new space station this yr, with provides additionally heading to orbit on a Tianzhou cargo ship.
The China Manned House Company (CMSA) announced (opens in new tab) on Wednesday (Feb. 15) that it plans to launch the Shenzhou 16 crew mission to the newly operational Tiangong space station in Might, with Shenzhou 17 following practically six months later, in October.
Every Shenzhou crew spacecraft will carry three astronauts, whose identities normally stay secret till the day earlier than their launch on a Long March 2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite tv for pc Launch Heart within the Gobi Desert.
Associated: The latest news about China’s space program
The robotic Tianzhou 6 freighter may also launch in Might to ship provides and propellant to Tiangong forward of the astronaut missions. That mission will launch from China’s coastal spaceport on Hainan island on a Lengthy March 7 rocket.
China has beforehand launched a Tianzhou cargo craft simply earlier than every Shenzhou mission heads to Tiangong. Nonetheless, Tianzhou’s producer, the China Academy of House Know-how, has expanded (opens in new tab) the cargo capability of its pressurized section by about 1,100 kilos (500 kilograms), that means China now must launch simply three provide missions each two years as an alternative of 4.
CMSA can be soliciting (opens in new tab) designs for patches for the missions in a space outreach effort. China’s space authorities have beforehand held contests to call spacecraft, together with its Yutu lunar rover and Zhurong Mars rover.
Tiangong is at present internet hosting the Shenzhou 15 crew, who’re practically midway by their 180-day keep. The crew will greet the arrival of Tianzhou 6 and Shenzhou 16, handing over management to the brand new crew earlier than touchdown on the Dongfeng touchdown space close to Jiuquan days later.
The Shenzhou 15 astronauts not too long ago performed their first spacewalk to connect new gear to the skin of the space station.
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