China to conduct two manned missions to its space station this year

It has been reported that China will conduct two manned missions this year to the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) space station it has established in Earth's orbit.

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China to conduct two manned missions to its space station this year

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) stated that it plans to transport new crews of taikonauts to the station via the "Shenzhou-18" and "Shenzhou-19" missions.

The statement noted that the new taikonauts to be assigned to the station have been selected and their training is ongoing.

Meanwhile, two cargo resupply missions are also expected to be carried out to meet the needs of the taikonauts.

Personnel are transported to the station, where three-person taikonaut crews serve on a rotating basis, via "Shenzhou (Divine Vessel)" spacecraft, while supplies are transported via "Tianzhou (Heavenly Vessel)" spacecraft.

SPACE STATION ESTABLISHED

China established its own space station in Earth's orbit after the United States banned cooperation in the field of space research and prevented its participation in the International Space Station (ISS) program.

The Tiangong Space Station, which consists of a core module and 2 laboratory modules and is planned to have a space telescope added to it, was built based on the model of Russia's now-defunct Mir Space Station.

The station's main component, the "Tianhe (Harmony of the Heavens)" core module, was launched on April 29, 2021; the first laboratory module, "Wentian (Quest for the Heavens)," on July 24, 2022; and the second laboratory module, "Mengtian (Dreaming of the Heavens)," on October 31, 2022.

With the addition of the laboratory modules to the core module, the station's T-shaped main structure was completed, and the station entered the "application and development phase."

A space telescope named "Xuntian (Surveying the Heavens)" is also planned to be added to the station as a separate module.

News Source: AA