China's Space Program News Thread

[iantsai]

Do you know if there was any discussion about the second Tianhe module (the backup module) and if it will be launched at some point in the future?

The conference today also mentioned that the Wentian Lab Module will have the same living facility as the Tianhe Core Module, including three beds, one sanitary capsule and one kitchen. Thus the Space Station could support up to 6 taikonauts's long term residency.

Wentian LM also has a backup control & management section of the Tianhe Core Module and has the ability to take over full control of the Space Station.

And the Mengtian LM has a cargo airlock chamber and is able to support more extravehicular activities and experiments.

So the two Lab Modules could take most of the backup functions of the Core Module.

I won't feel surprised if CNSA decide to expand or replace the Core Module with another core section. But this long term plan was not mentioned today.

今年即将发射的问天实验舱内配置了与天和核心舱一样的生活设施，包括三个睡眠区、一个卫生区和厨房设施，可以与核心舱一起支持2艘载人飞船的停靠和6名航天员的生活，配置小型机械臂，问天实验舱还具备核心舱对于组合体管理控制功能的备份舱段，当核心舱平台功能出现故障时，可以切换至问天实验舱行使组合体控制和管理功能；梦天实验舱配置货物气闸舱，可以实现舱外试验项目的不断更新。

 

[Helius]

Crews of Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 missions have been selected

Needless to say SZ-14 will be one of the most, if not the most, important crewed missions, since those 3 will be tasked with completing construction of the entire CSS with not just one, but all two of the lab modules.

 

[Lnk111229]

Crews of Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 missions have been selected

Needless to say SZ-14 will be one of the most, if not the most, important crewed missions, since those 3 will be tasked with completing construction of the entire CSS with not just one, but all two of the lab modules.

Any plans for future CSA and ESA coop? I mean European Astronaut send and working in CSS.

 

[Michaelsinodef]

Any plans for future CSA and ESA coop? I mean European Astronaut send and working in CSS.

Nothing announced I believe, and with how EU has been siding with the US in the Ukraine-Russia war, I think it might be unlikely for the ESA to be cooperating with CSA.

 

[lcloo]

Whats with the last photo??

Some one left a drinking water bottle on the floor...

School childrens welcome home the taikongnauts.

 

[Helius]

Any plans for future CSA and ESA coop? I mean European Astronaut send and working in CSS.

Other than Samantha Cristoforetti who'd trained with the CMS with aspirations being one such potential ESA candidate for Tiangong, nothing particularly noteworthy thus far.

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[NeutralWarrior]

I see this is not posted yet? Good documentary on Tianwen-1 and Zhurong (and how it tackles Martian dust on solar panels).

Part 1 (Intro and Tianwen-1) :

Part 2 (Zhurong) :

Please ignore if posted before and sorry. Otherwise, ENJOY!

 

[taxiya]

Instead of using XIII , would it be better to use 13 as some people don't understand the Roman numerals. Say IV, meaning 4; IX meaning 9. It is my opion that we should use modern digits.

why bother? Chinese audience will see 神州十三. Roman numerals are only meant for speakers of Latin based languages, if someone don't understand that, they should go back to elementary school.

 

[taxiya]

The conference today also mentioned that the Wentian Lab Module will have the same living facility as the Tianhe Core Module, including three beds, one sanitary capsule and one kitchen. Thus the Space Station could support up to 6 taikonauts's long term residency.

Wentian LM also has a backup control & management section of the Tianhe Core Module and has the ability to take over full control of the Space Station.

And the Mengtian LM has a cargo airlock chamber and is able to support more extravehicular activities and experiments.

So the two Lab Modules could take most of the backup functions of the Core Module.

This part seems to me that you misunderstood @SinoRoger' question. I believe the question was "if there is any news about using the backup Tianhe CM to extend the CSS?".

I won't feel surprised if CNSA decide to expand or replace the Core Module with another core section. But this long term plan was not mentioned today.

However your mentioning "expand" CSS seems to indicate that you did understand the question.

But then your "replacing" seems to indicate that you did not understand the question because there is almost no chance that the CM is ever to be replaced. The only possibility is to extend the CSS with another CM (the backup one on the ground).

@SinoRoger, another interview (I couldn't not find the source now) after the news conference quoted saying that extension is under consideration, but no set plan. So nothing has changed since the first time this extension was proposed.

 

[by78]

The return capsule has already made its way to what appears to be CASC headquarters.

Official images.