LAUNCH TIME | July 24, 2022 - 08:20 |
LAUNCH PROVIDER | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation |
CUSTOMER | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology |
ROCKET | Long March 5B |
LAUNCH SITE | LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Center, China |
PAYLOAD MASS | ~22,500 kg |
DESTINATION | Tiangong Space Station, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) |
WEATHER | - |
China will launch the Wentian module towards the Chinese Space Station. Wentian is the second module of the new Tiangong space station.It will be launched on a Long March 5B rocket in a circular orbit at 370 km altitude and with an inclination of 41.0 °.
The Wentian module
Wentian is the first module that will extend the Tianhe base module launched on April 29, 2021. It will provide a pressurized environment needed to conduct scientific experiments under zero gravity conditions.
This module will be used as a backup for Tianhe in terms of propulsion, orientation and navigation functions.
The module is 16.6 m long and 4.2 m wide, with a mass of approximately 22,500 kg.
The airlock in Wentian's laboratory will serve as the main exit / entry point for extravehicular activities (EVA) once construction is complete.
Thanks to the two 30-meter solar panels, the Wentian module will significantly expand the energy capacities of the entire station.
Wentian will take the place of the Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft recently separated from the station and dock at the forward port of the Tianhe module.
Thanks to the robotic arm carried on board the module, Wentian will then be repositioned from the front docking door to the radial one.
Once the displacement is made, the crew of the Shenzhou-14 mission will activate the life support system and prepare it for experiments.
Like the Tianhe, this laboratory module is equipped with housing facilities for the taikonauts, including three sleeping areas, a bathroom and a kitchen.
Thanks to Wentian, the Tiangong station will be able to accommodate up to six people, allowing the change of crews directly in orbit. In this way the station will be continuously habitable.
The Tiangong space station
The Tiangong Space Station is a Chinese space station currently under construction in LEO. When completed, the station will be about a fifth of the mass of the International Space Station. Construction began on April 29, 2021, with the launch of the first Tianhe module on a Long March 5B rocket.
China's goal is to build the three-module space station with 11 launches in the period 2021-2022, (3 module launches, 4 cargo spacecraft and 4 manned missions). The station will consist of three modules, although it has the capacity to expand to 6, and has an expected lifespan of at least 10 years.
The second laboratory module, Mengtian, is expected to arrive in October 2022 and will be located on the radial port opposite Wentian.
The Long March 5B rocket
The Long March 5B is a Chinese rocket classified as a heavy launcher. The Wentian launch will be the third flight for this rocket, having launched a prototype of a spacecraft designed for deep space in May 2020 and the first module of the Chinese Tiangong space station in April 2021.
The Boosters Attached to the center stage, the Long March 5B has four boosters. 27.6 m high and 3.35 m wide the boosters, thanks to two YF-100 engines powered by RP-1 and LOx, each booster produces 2,400 kN of thrust at sea level, 9,600 kN of total thrust.
The Main Stadium The CZ-5-500 main stadium is 33.16m high and 5m in diameter. Thanks to its two YF-77 engines, powered by liquid hydrogen (LH 2) and liquid oxygen (LOx), the stage has a thrust at sea level of 1,020 kN which increases to 1,400 kN in the vacuum of space.
It is currently unclear whether, like the previous time, the central stage will enter orbit and, therefore, will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere uncontrolled.
A livestream will be posted as soon as it is available.
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