China launches core module of space station
Posted: Sun, May 2, 2021, 10:53 AM ET (1453 GMT)
China launched the core module of its space station Wednesday night. A Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket lifted off from the coastal Wenchang spaceport at 11:23 pm EDT (0323 GMT Thursday), deploying the Tianhe module into low Earth orbit. Tianhe, or "harmony of the heavens," is now expected to raise its orbit to around 370 kilometers above the Earth. The uncrewed Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and dock with Tianhe in mid-late May, ahead of the visit of three astronauts aboard Shenzhou-12 in June. Those will be the first of 11 launches across 2021 and 2022 to build the planned 66-ton, three-module orbital outpost.
China launched the core module of its space station Wednesday night. A Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket lifted off from the coastal Wenchang spaceport at 11:23 pm EDT (0323 GMT Thursday), deploying the Tianhe module into low Earth orbit. Tianhe, or "harmony of the heavens," is now expected to raise its orbit to around 370 kilometers above the Earth. The uncrewed Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and dock with Tianhe in mid-late May, ahead of the visit of three astronauts aboard Shenzhou-12 in June. Those will be the first of 11 launches across 2021 and 2022 to build the planned 66-ton, three-module orbital outpost.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, September 16
The US says it has launched ‘space control weapons’. It plays into the hands of its enemies
The Conversation — 12:53 am ET (0453 GMT) The Pentagon must prepare for battles around the moon: Joint Chiefs chair
Defense One — 12:52 am ET (0452 GMT) US says for 1st time it now has weapons in space. What we know (so far)
USA Today — 12:52 am ET (0452 GMT) New US Space Weapon Adds to Arsenal to Counter Russia, China
Bloomberg News — 12:52 am ET (0452 GMT) NRO deputy director highlights joint integration at AFA
NRO — 12:52 am ET (0452 GMT) |
