Chinese Space Capabilities

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SZ9 connected with Tiangong1

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Damn! It’s so roomy! Way beyond my expectation!


I thought they’d be crawling through… LOL!

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Shenzhou-9 Has Docked With Tiangong-1 Space Lab


China, being only the third country to launch its own manned mission into space, made history Monday with its first successful manned docking mission at 6:07 a.m. UTC (2:07 p.m. Beijing time), just two days after it sent 3 astronauts, including the first Chinese woman, into space aboard its Shenzhou-9 spacecraft.

Shenzhou-9 successfully docked with China’s inaugural orbiting space lab Tiangong-1, which has been in orbit since last year. China state television showed live shots of the craft linking up with the station’s “Heavenly Palace” module. The docking was fully automated, with computers in control of the entire event.

The three passengers — 33-year-old female Liu Yang, 46-year-old Commander Jing Haipeng, and 42-year-old flight engineer Liu Wang — had to wait for pressure to equalize inside both vessels before they could open the hatches, and then waited another two hours before entering the station. Liu Yang held back in the capsule in case of an emergency.

As the two men entered Tiangong-1 for the first time, images showed them waving into the camera and beginning to check onboard systems. After 20 minutes, Liu Yang followed suit and after all three were onboard together, they posed for a group wave for the camera.

This marked China’s fourth manned mission and follows last year’s successful unmanned Shenzhou-8 mission that rendezvoused and docked with Tiangong-1 on November 2, 2011, which has been accompanied by a whirlwind of national pride. While still early on in its space capabilities, this successful manned docking mission proves that China is on its way to becoming a space superpower, rivaling that of the US and Russia.

China’s progress has been extremely remarkable, especially since it has only been 9 years since it put its first person, Yang Liwei, into space in 2003.

During the current mission, a range of scientific experiments are planned, including a number of medical tests the taikonauts (China’s version of astronauts) will undertake to better understand the effects of weightlessness on the human body. The crew will also attempt a manned docking while aboard the station, where they will uncouple the vehicle from the lab, retreat to a safe distance and then attempt to manually dock with Tiangong-1.

During the 13-day visit to the lab, only two of the taikonauts will sleep aboard Tiangong-1, while the third sleeps on Shenzhou-9. Tiangong is equipped with exercise equipment to allow the team to maintain their health. The module also has a waste recycling facility, a medical station with health monitoring equipment, clothing for all crew, and fire extinguishers.

China is already thinking ahead as it discussed its Shenzhou-10 mission scheduled for some time next year. Tiangong-1 has been planned to remain in orbit for two years, and next year’s mission will likely be China’s last to the Tiangong-1 lab. The country plans to launch a permanently manned space lab later this decade.

The proposed 60+ ton station would be considerably smaller than the 400+ ton International Space Station operated jointly by the US, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan, but will be much larger than the prototype lab that is currently in orbit.

Visit Graphics: Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1 - Xinhua | English.news.cn for news, photos and video of the current mission.



Source: redOrbit (Shenzhou-9 Has Docked With Tiangong-1 Space Lab - Space News - redOrbit)
Shenzhou-9 Has Docked With Tiangong-1 Space Lab - Space News - redOrbit

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Video links for space docking:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/vi..._131660822.htm

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china-made components on the ISS

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Last week, Chinese astronauts docked two spacecraft together in orbit for the first, and now skywatchers on the ground have captured the scene.

Chinese spaceflyers Liu Yang, Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang launched June 16 on the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft. Two days later, on June 18, the astronauts (known as taikonauts), docked their vehicle at the robotic Tiangong 1 module, which had been in orbit since last autumn.

The two craft have been orbiting Earth together since, with the astronauts — including China's first female spaceflyer — living and working onboard. From the ground, the docked Chinese vehicles look much like many other satellites, appearing as a swift-moving pinpoint of light passing across the sky.



Astrophotographer Stephen Mudge photographed Shenzhou 9 and Tiangong 1 moving roughly 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Brisbane, Australia on June 20. His long-exposure photo shows the docked spacecraft as a bright streak across the otherwise static sky seen in the early morning hours. [How to See China's Shenzhou 6 in Night Sky]



Skywatcher Stephen Mudge captured this photo of the Chinese Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 9 spacecraft docked together over Brisbane, Australia June 20, 2012.
CREDIT: Stephen Mudge
View full size imageMudge had shot one of the Chinese spacecraft before. On March 31, before the Shenzhou 9 mission launched, the skywatcher caught a view of Tiangong 1 crossing overhead just five minutes apart from a pass of the International Space Station (ISS).

"The ISS went over first, followed five minutes later by China's Tiangong 1 station only a few degrees away from where the ISS had been," Mudge wrote in an email to SPACE.com.



The Chinese Tiangong 1 module flies over Brisbane, Austria five minutes after the flyover of the International Space Station in this photo taken March 31 by Stephen Mudge.
CREDIT: Stephen Mudge

View full size imageThe International Space Station is the $100 billion product of a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada. Tiangong 1 is much smaller, but it is the prototype module for China's goal of establishing a space station of its own by 2020.

The ISS is the brightest man-made object in the sky. In comparison, Tiangong 1 is clearly fainter in the photo. Nonetheless, both are plainly visible against a backdrop of trees and purple sky in Mudge's photo.

The Shenzhou 9 crew is scheduled to remain in orbit for a total of 13 days, meaning time is running out for skywatchers to catch a glimpse of the history-making mission.

To find out whether the Chinese spacecraft will be visible from your area, check out these three websites, which list suggested spotting times based on your zip code or city. The predictions should be accurate to within a few minutes, and would-be viewers would do well to check back often for updates:

•Chris Peat's Heavens Above
•NASA's SkyWatch
•Spaceweather.com
Another great resource is the website Real Time Satellite Tracking, which shows the variety of spacecraft that will be flying over any given region at any time.

Editor's note: If you snap amazing photos of China's Shenzhou 9 capsule or Tiangong 1 module in orbit that you'd like to be considered for use in a story or gallery, please send pictures and comments to SPACE.com managing editor Tariq Malik at [email protected].

Follow Clara Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+.


Skywatcher Photos Show Chinese Docked Spacecraft in Orbit | Space.com

[ChineseTiger1986]

The next-gen rocket for the Moon Landing is named as CZ-9.

[ChineseTiger1986]

The new launch pad in Hainan under construction.

[qwerrty]

The next-gen rocket for the Moon Landing is named as CZ-9.

looks like CZ-9 is the official name for super-heavy launcher

SASAC
*ttp://www.sasac.gov.cn/2011qyzr/2011htkj.pdf

google translate..
original
*ttp://www.chinaequip.gov.cn/2012-06/23/c_131670778.htm
*ttp://www.spacechina.com/n25/n144/n206/n216/c262359/content.html

Of one thousand tons thrust rocket is expected two years after the first flight to meet the exploration of Mars
???????? 2012-06-23 Source: China National Radio

According to Voice of China "news and newspapers Summary reports, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology party committee secretary Liang Xiaohong said, of one thousand tons thrust carrier rockets are stepping up the development is expected two years after the first flight, while the carrying capacity of one hundred tons, active carrying rocket five or six times of heavy rocket into the argument.

After take-off thrust of 600 tons of the Long March 2F carrier rocket successfully Divine on the 9th into space, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, party committee secretary Liang Xiaohong disclose rocket Long March 5, 1100 tons of thrust developed by China in the development of the production process and catching up with developed countries heavy rocket carrying capacity:

Liang Xiaohong: low orbit roughly ten tons of high-orbit is roughly five tons. Developed countries, its low orbit roughly 20 tons, and the high orbit roughly 10 tons, exactly twice as large than we. The low orbit of our 2014 first flight of the Long March 5 rocket can reach 25 tons, high-orbit can reach 13 tons. And proton number, energy, Ariane synchronized.

On this basis, the thrust of 3000 tons, heavy rocket more than 100 tons carrying capacity has also been demonstrated:

Liang Xiaohong: 8 m diameter core-level, 3 m 35 the diameter of the booster rocket From head to the first 15 meters diameter, big guy. 8 engine at the same time to promote the 3000 t take off, a very large rocket.

Heavy rocket is successfully developed to meet all the needs of the future of China's space activities:

Liang Xiaohong: Regardless of your deep space exploration or the moon or Mars exploration, I have to meet. Not only meet the needs of the domestic aerospace industry, is also able to meet all of the launch of the foreign needs. (Editor: Liang Jing snow)

Editor: Zhang Shuang

Aerospace 7103 Factory effort to build a heavy-duty carrier rocket engine wooden appearance
Source: China Space News Day of.: 2012/06/18
Team card

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation six homes in 7103 Factory 34 workshop process group is mainly responsible for the routine carrying liquid coal, model castings delivery task team total crew of 11, has been advanced team of six good team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the plant level, as well as hospital level the honorary title of an exemplary team.

11 members of this team, in addition to the three 60, all 80, is one such team to the "high-quality, low cost, high yield and efficient" production goal to promote the aerospace fluid power industry casting process and technology are rapidly developments. The unique spirit of this team are concise, as they personally designed the production of engine castings, stand firm and trustworthy.

Playing time: to challenge the fundamental strength

June 20, 2011, 7103 Factory 34 workshop for the technology group, is a memorable day.

That day, the exciting news came from the courtyard: six homes passed Group Company, a heavy launch vehicle engine program review. At the moment, the casting process members of the group as a whole have a long sigh of relief, successful project which is also full of a pay and sweat a day in December 2010, the head of the high-Huai Sheng received a UG model diagram from the courtyard the hope that he and his team can not affect the existing work under the premise, drawing on the engine manufacturing into the wood look like machines, to make early preparations for the follow-up to carry engine development work.

Expand a look, I suddenly was scary monster of several meters high, it can be said to build factories so far, we have not done such a great project to have to make two complex we are not afraid of the most important is that it is beyond the our processing capacity, which was a huge challenge. "

The brain is rapid rotation, apart from emergency to a group of technology "big get" - call Wang Hai, the national super technician. Frantically rushed to Hai facing the drawings was silent for a moment, and two in the front line has 20 years of work experience, veteran, well aware of the exploration to undertake this work is to cross the river by feeling the stones, the process is inevitably difficult and tortuous. The results also full of uncertainty. Hai payable to the statement: "As long as the courtyard there is a need, factory support, technical details to do the overall coordination to run, hard to have to do!" Sure enough, his thoughts and Huai Sheng own thinking. They so no idea the problem back to a process group.

34 workshop as 7103 plants the only foundry in recent years to produce rapid rise in assignments, and then free up the manpower to do such a huge project, so this workshop have been restricting production capacity due to lack of staff even more stretched. " .

When they took the drawings, his face filled with private access "military order" will give a workshop to bring more heavy tasks whereabouts of apology expressions Workshop Director Yang Huanqing report, Yang Huanqing immediate support: "Our shop people, is the need for such good challenge, and the courage to bear the self-confidence and boldness - "He changed the subject, enthusiasm alone is not enough, we want to test it as a test of our basic work to do done pretty!"

Yang Huanqing of fear is not without reason, in addition to this UG diagram, they even a drawing, there is no similar experience in the past, technical reserves are very limited. This enormous project, we must first split the "anatomical" drawings of the parts, engines of various types of pipe are angled, not enough raw materials, design drawings can not be converted to production, then, do not have the wood material the strength of the metal material, to ensure the safe use of the connection is difficult to solve using ordinary adhesive. The spate of problems so that early deadlock.

Hai, with rich wood mold development experts with experience as a prototype developed by the project technical director, to lead this 80 young technology research team. Initiated by the impact.

Tao go Yunfei, winter to spring, time flies. Problems on the production capacity of the technical difficulties we are not afraid, really a headache, in March 2011 during the days of the processing engine nozzle, seeing the delivery date approaching day by day, we all ready, but the processing of parking spaces Teng out kept coordinate kept waiting, and even torture I kind of regret taking the task. "recall the original, high Wye wins still deep emotion.

Throughout the prototype development process, in addition to the nozzle, all other parts are casting workshop to design, manufacture, assembly, because the nozzle is too great, the overall curvature of manual operation is simply no way to control, you must first machine lathe on the first grinding out polished by hand in order to continue.

But they encountered a small part of the many problems later to rough statistics, throughout the prototype development process, design decomposition of 58 bends, the use of 20 cubic meters of wood, design and manufacture of various parts one thousand, the day officially assembled prototype, these parts are covered with a full three large trucks.

During the president Tan Yonghua came to the assembly site, our work is certainly the next day, many experts its Kuiran great momentum shocked, were full of praise. "GAO Huai Sheng smiled," in 2012 the focus of our work or return to nature, back to the basics, but this time from the process point of view of the task is completed, we have a clear conscience, even if the role played by only a little, Zaikuzailei value! "

Playing information: based on technology Heights

Not for the constraints of the traditional model, not for the limitations of conventional vision, not the fetters of existing experience, this is the best platform for innovation in the technology group for every member. New group of young people, our ideas are not hard-irrigation technology, allow them to work immediately, but to encourage breakthrough thinking caps, concerned about the cutting-edge theory and the experience gained from practice, to seek consensus from the exchange and to foster a new, forward-looking way of thinking, so as to achieve inner mutual recognition, and behavior influence each other a good atmosphere. "high Huai Sheng confident that the workshop this new way of management education.

In addition to the conventional carriage, liquid coal, models casting delivery task 34 workshop also bears the load characteristics of the engine simulation of the production tasks. The general requirements in accordance with a particular model of carrier rockets, the old product engine load characteristics of the test and control loop simulation. Components of the small number of old products, unable to meet the delivery task group from the process to achieve the degree of difficulty, the processing cost point of view considered to determine the main casting process, manufacturing load characteristics of the engine simulation program.

After repeated communication workshop leadership and technology group, the final decision to take a leading role by just attended one year of the young man Ji Yanqing, composed of a casting technology backbone constituted entirely by the 80 after tackling team. "We did not worry about whether to complete the task, backward technology and equipment, scarcity of resources is not hindered, because the critical moment, there is always help and support of leading chefs, we are steadfast in our work, all difficulties will be solved." This is the Ji Yanqing this emerging technology backbone on behalf of process group points to the aspirations of young people. This to be delivered 80% of the total task of casting the load characteristics of the engine simulation, casting it is necessary to guarantee the appearance but also to ensure the center of mass unchanged, on the basis of ensuring the existing workload, but also reduce costs and improve efficiency, work One can imagine the great difficulty. Solid technical foundation for the rich discipline theory of practical experience coupled with continuous temper, this youthful team gradually emit bright light: the successful completion of the delivery of eight sets of engine goals. (Sunding Ling FAN Li Su Zhangyan)

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Shen Zhou9 is back now, you can see the live
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We have a HOME in space!

[BlueDot_in_Space]

We have a HOME in space!

Yes and its called EARTH. Save it.

[WS-10 Engine]

Yes and its called EARTH. Save it.

Nope.

We have sent a man into space.
We have done a spacewalk(EVA).
We have a space lab in orbit.
We have done rendezvous & docking (both automatic and manual).

Now suck it up and deal with it.
I know it hurts that bruised Indian ego.
Live with the shock kid.

We have a HOME in space!

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China's 1st Manned Space Docking Mission a Big Step, Experts Say
By Leonard David
updated 6/14/2012

China's next high point in human space travel centers on a launch this weekend, with the planned Saturday liftoff (June 16) marking a major milestone for the country's space ambitions, according to state media reports and outside analysts.

The three-person crew that will launch on China's upcoming Shenzhou 9 docking mission is making final preparations to ride a Long March 2F rocket into orbit from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country's northwest region.

The astronauts will be China's first space crew ever to make a piloted rendezvous and docking with the country's Tiangong 1 space laboratory currently in orbit. It will also mark the first flight of a female Chinese astronaut, according to media reports.

Mission launch officials successfully completed a dress rehearsal for the liftoff Tuesday (June 12), and has entered the final phase of prelaunch preparations, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

Tiangong launched into space in last September. In November, an unpiloted Shenzhou 8 spacecraft successfully conducted rendezvous and docking operations with the space lab in an unmanned demonstration.

According to Chinese media reports and several watchdog websites monitoring the China's space program, the Shenzhou 9 liftoff is to occur on June 16 and may likely carry 32 year-old female astronaut (taikonaut) Air Force Captain Wang Yaping, with two other crewmates. Another Chinese Air Force member, Liu Yang, is also in the running to become China's first female spaceflyer.

Slow but steady

China's Tiangong 1 space lab module is a relatively humble orbital abode. It is about the size of a bus and weighs 8.5 metric tons, compared with the International Space Station (ISS), which weighs about 400 metric tons, notes space policy analyst Marcia Smith, founder and editor of SpacePolicyOnline.com.

"Even though Tiangong 1 is very modest compared to ISS, and even to the first Soviet and U.S. space stations, it is nonetheless a starting point for long-term Chinese expeditions in Earth orbit," Smith told SPACE.com. "If all goes well, it is a feather in their cap."

Smith said that China is taking the slow-and-steady approach to its space program.

"They do things when they are ready to do them, not on the 'fits and starts' model of the U.S. program. I think … hope … believe the tortoise will not catch up with the hare, but perhaps we could learn a lesson from their strategy. Pick a long- term program and stick with it," Smith said.
SPACE.com contacted other China space program analysts, each offering their own perspective regarding the upcoming space venture by China.

Half of heaven

"To me, the launch signifies Chinese commitment to incrementally achieving the three-step program they laid out in the 1990s — a patience that will serve them well in the long run," said Joan Johnson-Freese, professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval War College in Newport, R. I.

"This particular mission isn't a big deal in technical terms," Johnson-Freese told SPACE.com. "They have already demonstrated the docking technology."

And what about that female space traveler onboard Shenzhou 9?

"Sending a woman likely serves the purpose of garnering international media attention more than anything else," Johnson-Freese said, "and domestically pleasing half the population of a country of 1.3 billion … and where Mao said women 'hold up half of heaven.'"

Another step in the long march

"It's a big deal," said Dean Cheng, The Heritage Foundation's research fellow on Chinese political and security affairs. China's 2011 space white paper laid out a list of main program objectives such as a space station by 2020 and initial manned moon shot studies.

"All of these rely on the ability to conduct docking, and require experience in microgravity," Cheng said in an interview.

Cheng said that after Shenzhou 8, the Chinese have demonstrated a basic, unmanned docking capability. But they must do it with people if they're going to use Tiangong 1, deploy a Tiangong 2, much less a space station, or go to the moon. [ Giant Leaps in Human Spaceflight ]

"Of course, this is only China's fourth crewed mission, so it's also another step in the long march, so to speak, to the stars for the Chinese," Cheng said.

"This is occurring in the context of a troubled Chinese leadership transition," Cheng also noted. "Therefore, any trouble with the mission is likely to have bad consequences for the Chinese leadership, as it might be seen as emblematic of poor leadership, poor stewardship of the nation's vital resources, and raise questions about the legitimacy of the incoming leaders."

Difficult and dangerous work

According to a new background brief on China's space efforts, Gregory Kulacki, senior analyst and China project manager of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Global Security Program, the upcoming mission is an intermediate step in a 30-year Chinese blueprint to construct a national space station.

China is following the long-term plan it began two decades ago to build a Chinese space station that will be approximately the same size as the first U.S. space station, Skylab, which circled the Earth back in the 1970s, Kulacki said.

"This plan emerged from a contentious internal debate that began in March 1986 and engaged hundreds of Chinese experts in many fields, as well as the leadership of numerous Chinese institutions," Kulacki said.

Furthermore, it will be another decade before China completes its space station, Kulacki said. "A lot of difficult and dangerous work remains to be done. The leadership of China's space program does not appear to be in a hurry and is not rushing to beat the United States to the moon or anywhere else."

China's 1st Manned Space Docking Mission a Big Step, Experts Say - Technology & science - Space - Space.com - msnbc.com

Leonard David has been reporting on the space industry for more than five decades. He is a winner of last year's National Space Club Press Award and a past editor-in-chief of the National Space Society's Ad Astra and Space World magazines. He has written for SPACE.com since 1999.