On 3 November 2022, Mengtian was relocated to the larboard port at 01:32 UTC[8] by indexing robot arm. On the same day at 07:12 UTC, the crew of Shenzhou 14 opened the hatch and entered the module for the first time.
Purpose
Diagram of the Mengtian module
The Mengtian module is equipped with expanded in-orbit experiment capacity, including eight research cabins.[9] It provides a pressurized environment for researchers to conduct science experiments in freefall or zero gravity which could not be conducted on Earth for more than a few minutes. Experiments can also be placed on the outside of the modules, for exposure to the space environment, cosmic rays, vacuum, and solar winds. It has its own airlock.
The axial port of Mengtian is fitted with rendezvous equipment and will first dock to the axial port of Tianhe. A mechanical arm known as the indexing robotic arm, similar to the Lyappa arm on the Mir space station, then moves Mengtian to a portside port of the TCM.[10][11][12] In addition to this arm used for docking relocation, the Chinarm on Tianhe module can also be used as a backup in place of the indexing robot arm.[13][14]
Indexing Robot Arm of Wentian
Mengtian also carries a toolbox equipped with a dexterous robotic arm, installed to assist in cargo transfer and payload release,[15] that can be used to launch microsatellites,[15][16] and an augmented-reality smart glass to assist astronauts with maintenance.
Similarly to the Wentian module, electrical power is provided by two steerable solar power arrays, which use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. With a wingspan of over 55 m (180 ft), each array has an energy collection area of 110 m2 (1184 square ft).[17] The energy is then stored to power the station when it passes into the Earth's shadow. Resupply ships will replenish fuel for LCM 2 for station-keeping, to counter the effects of atmospheric drag.
Aftermath
After launch, the Mengtian module was inserted into a low Earth orbit with an average altitude of 393 km (244 mi) at an orbital inclination of 42 degrees, centered in the Earth's thermosphere.[18][19] It successfully docked with the Tianhe core module nearly thirteen hours after launch.
Assembly
The Shenzhou 14 mission to the space station assisted with setting up the Mengtian module in orbit.[20]
^Graham, William; Gebhardt, Chris (April 28, 2021). "China readies launch of Tianhe module, start of ambitious two-year station construction effort". NASASpaceflight.com. This means the two future science modules, Wentian ("Quest for the heavens") and Mengtian ("Dreaming of the heavens"), cannot dock directly to their planned radial port locations. [...] To account for this, each module will carry a Russian Lyappa robotic arm — like the ones used on Mir for the same purpose — to move the module from the forward port to its respective permanent location on a radial port of Tianhe's docking hub.
^Hong Yang (2020). Manned Spacecraft Technologies. Singapore: Springer. ISBN978-9811548970.
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Cubesats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
