Rocket readied to launch into orbit
By Yang Jian |
October 27, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A rocket was being prepared yesterday to send the unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft into orbit to dock with the Tiangong-1 space lab module now circling the Earth, a key step for China to build its own permanent manned space station around 2020.
The Long-March 2-F18 rocket was moved to the launch pad from its testing plant in the morning at the Jiuquan satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province.
It is scheduled to be launched early next month to perform the country's first space docking with the Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace-1 that was launched in September from the same center, said Wu Ping, a spokeswoman for China's manned space program.
The Tiangong-1 space lab module is functioning smoothly in orbit, with all equipment and experiments going well, said Lu Jinrong, the launch center's chief engineer. "It's ready for the docking task," Lu said.
Technicians completed testing on the assembly of Shenzhou-8 and the rocket, an upgraded Long March-2F, after they were delivered to the launch center at the end of August, said Lu. In the next few days, the launch center will continue testing the spacecraft and the rocket before the final launch, he added.
During the joining-up process, set to take place within two days of launch, the Tiangong-1 will descend to a lower orbit and carry out two docking procedures with the Shenzhou-8. Each procedure will take about 10 minutes, said Tao Jianzhong, an official with the Shanghai aerospace bureau.
The interface between the spacecraft and module are made to international standards, so the Shenzhou-8 can also join the international space station after some simple retrofit, Tao said.
Afterward, the Shenzhou-8 will return to Earth and the Tiangong-1 will rise to its original orbit to wait for the next stage of docking tests, according to the spokeswoman.
The Tiangong module will dock with two more Chinese spacecraft, including the Shenzhou-10 where an astronaut will board to make the module a space laboratory and a simple model of China's future space station.
The module will orbit Earth for two years before dropping into the ocean. During the orbit, three astronauts, at most, can stay in a 15-cubic-meter module to carry out medical and scientific experiments including surveys on Chinese farmland using special cameras and experiments involving growing crystals in zero gravity.
The Long-March 2-F18 rocket was moved to the launch pad from its testing plant in the morning at the Jiuquan satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province.
It is scheduled to be launched early next month to perform the country's first space docking with the Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace-1 that was launched in September from the same center, said Wu Ping, a spokeswoman for China's manned space program.
The Tiangong-1 space lab module is functioning smoothly in orbit, with all equipment and experiments going well, said Lu Jinrong, the launch center's chief engineer. "It's ready for the docking task," Lu said.
Technicians completed testing on the assembly of Shenzhou-8 and the rocket, an upgraded Long March-2F, after they were delivered to the launch center at the end of August, said Lu. In the next few days, the launch center will continue testing the spacecraft and the rocket before the final launch, he added.
During the joining-up process, set to take place within two days of launch, the Tiangong-1 will descend to a lower orbit and carry out two docking procedures with the Shenzhou-8. Each procedure will take about 10 minutes, said Tao Jianzhong, an official with the Shanghai aerospace bureau.
The interface between the spacecraft and module are made to international standards, so the Shenzhou-8 can also join the international space station after some simple retrofit, Tao said.
Afterward, the Shenzhou-8 will return to Earth and the Tiangong-1 will rise to its original orbit to wait for the next stage of docking tests, according to the spokeswoman.
The Tiangong module will dock with two more Chinese spacecraft, including the Shenzhou-10 where an astronaut will board to make the module a space laboratory and a simple model of China's future space station.
The module will orbit Earth for two years before dropping into the ocean. During the orbit, three astronauts, at most, can stay in a 15-cubic-meter module to carry out medical and scientific experiments including surveys on Chinese farmland using special cameras and experiments involving growing crystals in zero gravity.
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