DocM Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 About 1/8 the size of SkyLab, but big enough to test docking, on-orbit ops etc. China's spacecraft, Shenzhou, is an updated & larger version of Russia's Soyuz TMA with more/larger solar panels and a longer mission capability. They did their homework. Imagery below Link.... Cornerstone of Chinese space station approaches liftoffChina plans to launch the first module of an envisioned space laboratory by the end of September, and the rising space power will attempt its first in-orbit docking weeks later, according to space program officials and state-run media reports. Photo of the Tiangong 1 module undergoing testing earlier in 2011. Credit: China Manned Space Engineering Office ? The Tiangong 1 space module was shipped to the Jiuquan launching base June 29 to begin the last steps in preparing the craft for launch sometime before the end of September, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, an organization supporting planning and development of the country's human space efforts. The spacecraft will be given a "final check" before blasting off on a Long March 2F rocket from Jiuquan, a space center in the Gobi desert in northwestern China. The launch site is near the border between China's Gansu and Inner Mongolia provinces. "After two years of strenuous efforts by the scientists, [the] Tiangong 1 target spacecraft has been successfully assembled and passed through failure detection," the state-run People's Daily newspaper reported in its English edition. Xinhua, another state-run news agency, also reported last week the Tiangong 1 spacecraft was transported to the launch site. The 19,000-pound vehicle is designed to function as a testbed for Chinese rendezvous and docking techniques a few hundred miles above Earth. China says it will operate for at least two years. Tiangong, which means "heavenly palace" in Chinese, features a forward docking port, navigation and communications equipment, and a pressurized cabin for human visitors. An automated Chinese capsule named Shenzhou 8 will launch as soon as October to approach and dock with the Tiangong module. If the rendezvous attempt is successful, it will pave the way for up to two manned Shenzhou flights to the mini-space station in 2012. The piloted missions could stay at the complex for days or weeks working on scientific experiments, military missions and other research for China's military-run space program. China's next five-year strategic plan includes manned space missions spanning at least 20 days and the design and construction of an automated cargo craft to resupply outposts in orbit, state-owned media reported this spring. The advances come as the United States retires the space shuttle and struggles to formulate a consistent policy regarding cooperation with the Chinese space program. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited China in October 2010, but a clause inserted into the agency's budget this year sought to limit NASA's ability to collaborate with the Chinese government or companies. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., is a staunch critic of China's human rights record. Wolf was instrumental in ensuring the China restrictions made it into the budget. Although many lawmakers support Wolf's provision, some members of Congress show guarded support for modest cooperation between NASA and China, including the development of a joint docking system to facilitate rescues of international space crews. An Obama administration official told Congress in May the White House's view of the issue was that the legislation should not interfere with the president's constitutional ability to conduct international negotations. The Tiangong docking test this fall is a key milestone for China's objective of building a space station the size of NASA's 1970s-era Skylab outpost by 2020. Tiangong I under construction Shenzhou spacecraft (info below pic) 1. Forward orbital module - crew live and work in this section, which contains scientific equipment. In future missions, this module may remain in space as part of a Chinese space station 2. Re-entry capsule - contains seats for three crew 3. Propulsion module - contains spacecraft's power unit and liquid fuel rocket system 4. Solar panels - spacecraft carries two sets with a total area of 40 square metres, which generate an average 1.5kW of power Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebor Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 All those sci-fi stories are coming true now, it always seemed to be america and then china or russia Good luck to them, I hope the launch and subsequent tests go well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theclueless Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 as long as the parts are not made in china, should go fine :whistle: but on a more serious note, at least china is investing heavily in technology and being ambitious, US is still getting controlled by mindless greedy christian politicians who probably will sell their souls to satan if given the chance... their stance against technology innovation feels like the dark age again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 but on a more serious note, at least china is investing heavily in technology and being ambitious, US is still getting controlled by mindless greedy christian politicians who probably will sell their souls to satan if given the chance... their stance against technology innovation feels like the dark age again IMO: I don't believe our conservative leaders (right or left) are against technology in any way. They just prefer that advancements in technology be done in the private sector where a profit can be realized. There is some merit in this concept, but not to the extent that some of the far right might have you believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tech Star Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Why don't they just use the ISS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryoken Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Why don't they just use the ISS? Last I heard the US was holding up inviting them to join in on the ISS. Though I seriously doubt anyone other than Russia would really welcome them there.. That being said I think it would be for the best if they did join in.. Space travel/exploration/research should be a global thing. When you leave the earth the borders should stop. I just doubt it will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tech Star Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Last I heard the US was holding up inviting them to join in on the ISS. Though I seriously doubt anyone other than Russia would really welcome them there.. That being said I think it would be for the best if they did join in.. Space travel/exploration/research should be a global thing. When you leave the earth the borders should stop. I just doubt it will happen. Then it shouldn't be called "International Space Station". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 It's international because most technological nations are involved: Europe (ESA), Russia, the US, Canada, Japan etc. The problem with China is that while Shenzhou is based on an upscaldd Soyuz it doesn't share its systems and really isn't designed for ISS ops - hell, they haven't even proven an ability to dock yet. That's what this mission is all about. Bottom like is that their ops state of development is late Mercury/early Gemini. The same sort of delays have applied to SpaceX's Dragon, though they are moving very fast. Ditto for when India moves to the flight stage of their manned program - presuming they don't just decide to buy spacecraft - Boeing's CST-100 and Dream Chaser both are looking towards international sales. Not sure about Dragon, and the Orbital Sciences/Northrop Grumman Prometheus spaceplane is also still in play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 the more the better, i wish China all the best and may they put a lot of pressure on other space programs to move forward and work together. this is good news for humanity. as for joining the ISS, i really have no idea why China's not part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 Shenzhou 8 is on the pad, ready to launch and attempt China's first docking mission. http://www.universetoday.com/90338/chinas-shenzhou-8-mission-poised-for-launch/#more-90338 What?s new in space flight? With only days to go, China is ready to launch an unmanned spacecraft that will attempt to dock with an experimental space station module ? Tiangong 1. The Shenzhou 8 mission is the latest step in what will be a decade-long effort to place a manned permanent space station in orbit. The official Xinhua News Agency announced the craft is ready to embark on a series of maneuvers to connect with the Tiangong 1 module. The orbiting craft was launched in the latter half of September and continuing to perform as expected. The unmanned craft and its modified Long March-2F launch rocket were transferred via a 20-meter-wide railway early Wednesday. Here they are poised to go at the launch pad located at Jiuquan space base on the edge of the Gobi desert in northern China. The launch pad is located a scant 1,500 meters away from the assembling and testing center and it took nearly two hours to complete the transfer. ?Technicians completed testing on the assembling of Shenzhou-8 and the rocket after they were delivered to the launch center at the end of August.? said Lu Jinrong, the launch center?s chief engineer. ?In the next few days, the launch center will continue testing the spacecraft and the rocket, and inject propellent before the final launch in early November.? According to spokeswoman Wu Ping: ?The first space docking for China will be conducted when the Tiangong-1 drops from a 350-kilometer-high orbit to a 343-kilometer-high orbit to rendezvous with the Shenzhou-8. The Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 will fly for about 12 days after the first docking, and will conduct another docking test at an appropriate time in flight, Wu said.0 After the two docking tests, the Shenzhou-8 will return to Earth?s surface and the Tiangong-1 will rise to its original orbit to wait for the next docking test.? Rock on, China! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 awesome news, i am rooting for China since its seems the US has decided to play the laggard when it comes to space. we need China to put the squeeze on America. we will get more results that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Neo Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 At some point we'll have to realize that space exploration will only work as an united endeavor. We haven't made too many big advancements recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster69 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 as long as the parts are not made in china, should go fine :whistle: but on a more serious note, at least china is investing heavily in technology and being ambitious, US is still getting controlled by mindless greedy christian politicians who probably will sell their souls to satan if given the chance... their stance against technology innovation feels like the dark age again You do realize that the US did this, ohhhh 40 years ago? Way to go China, finally catching up to the rest of the world. Next they will "invent" the telephone. China is the king of copy, if anyone actually thinks they are inventing new technologies are mistaken, they are reverse engineering everything the US and Russia has already researched and developed, this is a power move to show the world they are "players" in the world. awesome news, i am rooting for China since its seems the US has decided to play the laggard when it comes to space. we need China to put the squeeze on America. we will get more results that way. If China was actually researching and developing new technology than yes, but China is well known for stealing everyone else's work and passing it off. Look at their military, pretty much everything was developed elsewhere and they copied it, poorly I might add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_K Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 You do realize that the US did this, ohhhh 40 years ago? Way to go China, finally catching up to the rest of the world. Next they will "invent" the telephone. China is the king of copy, if anyone actually thinks they are inventing new technologies are mistaken, they are reverse engineering everything the US and Russia has already researched and developed, this is a power move to show the world they are "players" in the world. If China was actually researching and developing new technology than yes, but China is well known for stealing everyone else's work and passing it off. Look at their military, pretty much everything was developed elsewhere and they copied it, poorly I might add. That's only if it wasn't filmed in a studio set, and with the flag waving.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 That's only if it wasn't filmed in a studio set, and with the flag waving.... Yes, now go learn some real science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster69 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 That's only if it wasn't filmed in a studio set, and with the flag waving.... I believe Mythbusters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astra.Xtreme Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 That's only if it wasn't filmed in a studio set, and with the flag waving.... Do tin-foil hats chafe the scalp? Just curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guru Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 At some point we'll have to realize that space exploration will only work as an united endeavor. We haven't made too many big advancements recently. thats because its become a "united " endevour. exhibit A: International Space station Competition after 1960s + brought out a lot more advancements. If there were Soviet Union now, either they or US would have been on Mars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted November 4, 2011 Member Share Posted November 4, 2011 thats because its become a "united " endevour. exhibit A: International Space station Competition after 1960s + brought out a lot more advancements. If there were Soviet Union now, either they or US would have been on Mars Could either country afford to do it alone now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guru Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Could either country afford to do it alone now? the problem never was money. for the record a manned mars mission is supposed to cost $20 billion. I'm sure Russia or US can find the money if there was political will. hell Bill Gates could sponsor the entire mission if he wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 If it could be afforded of not also depends heavily on how the systems are develped and what they are. In terms of rockets and spacecraft then clearly the SpaceX model is better than NASA's - the fact that Falcon 9/Dragon was built for about 25% of what NASA would have spent (numbers are NASA & USAF) is telling. That Falcon Heavy will cost $126M to launch 2X the payload of a $300M Delta IV Heavy is likewise. Now Congress wants to spend $40B on the Space Launch System (SLS) super-heavy launcher without competing the whole design - again - and it won't be ready until 2030. SpaceX says they could build a super-heavy (Falcon X & X Heavy) with more lift for $5B and be done by 2020, or sooner. WTF? In terms of other systems, NASA's own internal calculus shows that fuel depots and rockets like Falcon Heavy, Atlas and Delta are cheaper, faster to deploy depots and get the mission to Mars those depots than using SLS and no depots. Making better choices is both faster and cheaper, but Congress, specifically the Senate who mandated SLS, won't allow the right ones to be made. That's right - the Senate space committee laid down and mandated SLS's specs, and that it had to retask $$$$ shuttle parts, not NASA's engineers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 2 women are up for China's first crewed Shenzhou mission to Tiangong-1 http://www.spaceflightnow.com/china/shenzhou8/111106female/ Shenzhou undergoing tests - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 congratulations to the engineers and scientists of China's space program on the docking, was watching the videos and good job. i'm happy someone's getting things done, but i'm sure the US will also get its act together soon. cooperation between all countries is obviously the best scenario. anyway, i'm really happy that China is making progress, and tomorrow they're supposed to launch Yinghuo 1 on Russia's Phobos-Grunt! BTW guru, there are Mars mission plans that can be executed tomorrow if need be for under a billion...20 billion is woefully inflated, you could build three Nautilus X ships and pay for the whole mission with that kind of money. there's no way you need 20 bill to send a few people to Mars for a few months, we can do it for ten percent of that and still have lots of change left over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 Shenzhou 8 has disconnected from Tiangong I, backed off, then performed a second automated docking. Our Chinese friends are learning fast. Shenzhou 8 and Tiangong 1 will remain attached for 2 more days, then Shenzhou 8 will undock and its re-entry module will return to Earth on Nov. 17 http://www.spaceflightnow.com/china/shenzhou8/111114docking/ Shenzhou 8 backing away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 thanks for the update Doc, China is fast becoming humanity's great hope in space...of course i fully expect things to (no pun intended) fall into place over the next 3-5 years. i still believe we will have people working on Mars within a decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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