China launches Tianzhou 4 cargo craft to its new space station
China has launched a new cargo mission to its space station module in preparation for the arrival of a new crew in June.
One Long Missile March 7 carrying the Tianzhou 4 robotic spacecraft lifted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan province, southern China today (May 9) at 1:56 p.m. EDT (1756 GMT; 1:56 a.m. ET local on May 10).
It is expected that the cargo ship will dock at Tianhe (“Harmony of the Heaven”), the core module of China’s new ship. Tiangong space station, about 6.5 hours after launch.
Related: Latest news about China’s space program
The 35-foot (10.6-meter) long cargo ship Tianzhou 4 is carrying thousands of pounds of supplies for the Shenzhou 14 crew’s upcoming mission, along with science experiments and propellant.
The three Shenzhou 14 astronauts are scheduled to arrive at the 54-foot (16.6 m) Galaxy in June, launching a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. China often does not disclose the exact launch schedule before space missions.
Tianhe is the core module of China’s Tiangong (“Heavenly Palace”) space station. Launched in April 2021, it was visited by freighters Tianzhou 2 and Tianzhou 3 and crews Shenzhou 12 and Shenzhou 13. Three Astronauts Shenzhou 13 have returned home in April after six months of national records in space.
Tianzhou 4 is the sixth of 11 planned missions to complete the Chinese space station. The station’s second and third modules, named Wentian and Mengtian, will launch to join Tianhe later in the year on the Shenzhou 14 mission to complete the three T-shaped orbital outpost .
This makes Shenzhou 14 one of the most important missions in China’s spacecraft history. The Shenzhou 14 crew will spend six months on the station and will participate in the Chinese space station’s first crewed handover plan later this year.
The Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 crews will be able to stay aboard the Tianhe together shortly, thanks to the expected arrival of the new modules. (The arrival of Shenzhou 15 will take place before the cargo train Tianzhou 5.)
Shenzhou 14 spacecraft and its rocket have been ready since last October during an emergency that occurred aboard the Tianhe during the recently completed Shenzhou 13 mission.
Next year, China also plans to launch a Hubble-class space telescope that can dock with an orbiting outpost for repair and maintenance.
Tiangong, as originally envisioned, will be about 20% larger than International Space Station. However, China is considering new big plan for the space station, according to officials speaking at a news conference after the Shenzhou 13 mission last month.
These include China’s new private space commercial cargo missions, new modules, visits by foreign astronauts and even tourist flight before the end of the decade.
Follow them on Twitter @Spacedotcom or above Facebook.
https://www.space.com/china-launches-tianzhou4-spacecraft-tiangong-space-station China launches Tianzhou 4 cargo craft to its new space station
