0
0
China Prepares to Launch Next Crew to Tiangong Space Station
China is making final preparations to send its next crew to the Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou 18 spacecraft is currently positioned on top of a Long March 2F rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The rocket was transported 0.93 miles (1.5 kilometers) by rail from the vertical integration building to the launch pad on April 17, as confirmed by China’s human spaceflight agency (CMSA).
CMSA has announced that the launch of Shenzhou 18 will take place at a suitable time in the near future. However, airspace closure notices suggest that the launch to the Tiangong Space Station is scheduled to occur around 9:00 a.m. EDT on April 25 (1300 GMT, or 9:00 p.m. Beijing time). Livestreams of the launch are expected to be available closer to the liftoff.
The specific crew members for the mission have not been revealed yet. The three astronauts selected for the mission are expected to be announced a day prior to the launch during a press event at the Jiuquan spaceport.
Preparation and Contingencies
Meanwhile, the teams at the spaceport are actively preparing for the upcoming launch, reviewing contingency plans, and conducting rehearsals. Yu Yi, a staff member of the Dongfeng command and control center at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, stated that they have developed over a dozen contingency plans and performed more than 50 rehearsals and emergency drills to enhance coordination among various positions.
According to CCTV, breaking space news and the latest updates on rocket launches and skywatching events, the Shenzhou 18 mission is anticipated to span approximately six months. Shortly after the launch, it is expected that the crew will arrive at the Tiangong space station within seven hours.
At Tiangong, they will join the three astronauts from the Shenzhou 17 mission, who have been aboard since October 2023. Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin from Shenzhou 17 will partake in a handover ceremony with the incoming crew before returning to Earth in their Shenzhou 17 spacecraft a few days later.
China commenced the assembly of the Tiangong space station in low Earth orbit in April 2021, completing the project approximately 18 months later. The station, consisting of three modules arranged in a T-shaped configuration, is about 20% as massive as the International Space Station. China intends to maintain the station’s continuous occupation and operation for at least a decade and is contemplating further expansion with additional modules.
Image/Photo credit: source url
