Tianzhou 6
Tianzhou 1 model
A Tianzhou 3D model
Mission typeTiangong space station resupply
OperatorCNSA
COSPAR ID2023-063A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.56446Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.cnsa.gov.cn
Mission duration253 days, 23 hours and 15 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftTianzhou-6
Spacecraft typeTianzhou
ManufacturerChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch mass13,500 kg (29,800 lb)
Payload mass7,400 kg (16,300 lb)
Dimensions10.6 m × 3.35 m (34.8 ft × 11.0 ft)
Power2
Expedition
Space stationTiangong space station
Start of mission
Launch date10 May 2023, 13:22 UTC[1]
RocketLong March 7
Launch siteWenchang Satellite Launch Center, LC-2
ContractorChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date19 January 2024, 12:37 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination41.5°
Docking with Tiangong space station
Docking portTianhe Aft port
Docking date10 May 2023, 21:16 UTC
Undocking date12 January 2024, 08:02 UTC
Time docked246 days, 10 hours and 46 minutes
 

Tianzhou 6 (Chinese: 天舟六号) was the sixth mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft, and the fifth resupply mission to the Tiangong Space Station. Like previous Tianzhou missions, the spacecraft was launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan, China on a Long March 7 rocket.[2] This was the first mission of the operation phase of Tiangong.[3] It was launched on 10 May 2023 at 13:22 UTC,[4] and docked to the Tiangong Space Station a few hours later.[5][6]

Mission history

On 12 March 2023, CMSA announced that Tianzhou 6 has completed manufacturing, and was delivered to Wenchang.[7][8]

On 13 April 2023, Long March 7 Y7, the launch vehicle for this mission, arrived at Wenchang Space Launch Site. It started to conduct stacking and tests with the already arrived Tianzhou 6.[9]

On 7 May 2023, Long March 7 Y7 and Tianzhou 6 arrived vertically at the launch pad.[10]

On 10 May 2023 at 13:22:51.405 UTC, it was successfully launched from Wenchang.[11] It docked to the aft port of the Tiangong Space Station less than 8 hours later.[6]

Tianzhou 6 was undocked on 12 January 2024 to make way for Tianzhou 7 cargo ship, and deorbited by burning up in the Earth's atmosphere about a week later.

Spacecraft

Main article: Tianzhou (spacecraft)

The cargo capacity of Tianzhou 6 has been increased by 20%, allowing to it carry payloads of up to 7.4 tonnes.[12][13][11] Tianzhou 6 has the largest capacity in the Tianzhou series and is the largest active cargo supply spacecraft in terms of capacity.[14][15][16]

Starting from this mission, the launch frequency of Tianzhou cargo spacecraft will be adjusted from two ships per year to three ships every two years.[17]

Cargo

Tianzhou-6 carried 1750 kg of fuel, of which 700 kg is for resupplying the space station. It delivered more than 7 tons of pressurized cargo, including scientific payloads for researching about lidar and supercritical flow.[18] It also brought 70 kg of fresh fruit for the Shenzhou 15 and 16's crew.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "天舟六號貨運飛船進行發射 70公斤水果供太空站乘組食用" [Tianzhou 6 is launched, there is 70kg of fruit for the space station's crew to eat]. 星島頭條 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 10 May 2023.
  2. ^ "天舟六号货运飞船2023年发射 将从海南文昌"出发"" [Tianzhou 6 will be launched from Wenchang]. hainan.sina.com.cn. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  3. ^ "China successfully launches Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft". alwihdainfo.com. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  4. ^ "China launches new cargo mission to space station". Xinhua Net. Huaxia. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  5. ^ "天舟六号货运飞船与空间站组合体完成交会对接" [Tianzhou 6 docks with space station combination]. 中国载人航天工程网. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  6. ^ a b "China's cargo craft Tianzhou-6 docks with space station combination". Xinhua Net. Huaxia. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  7. ^ "天舟六号货运飞船计划5月发射-中国科技网" [Tianzhou 7 will be launched in May]. m.stdaily.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  8. ^ "天舟六号货运飞船计划5月发射--经济·科技--人民网" [Tianzhou 6 is planned to be launched in May]. finance.people.com.cn. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  9. ^ "长征七号遥七运载火箭运抵文昌" [Long March 7 Y7 arrives at Wenchang]. hq.news.cn. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  10. ^ "天舟六号任务完成发射前全区合练 各系统做好发射前准备工作" [Tianzhou 6 mission completes whole-zone dress rehearsal; every system has completed all the pre-launch work well]. 新华网. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  11. ^ a b Jones, Andrew (10 May 2023). "Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft reaches China's Tiangong space station". spacenews.com. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  12. ^ "天舟六号有效装载容积扩大20% 载货能力提升到7.4吨_中国网" [Tianzhou available cargo volume increased by 20%, cargo capacity increase by 7.4 tons]. news.china.com.cn. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  13. ^ "新一批货运飞船！ 天舟六号开始总装：运载能力大幅提升" [Construction of Tianzhou 6 starts, its cargo capacity is greatly increased]. 快科技. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  14. ^ "China launches new cargo mission to space station". scio.gov.cn. Xinhua. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  15. ^ "中国卫通集团股份有限公司-天舟六号货运飞船开始总装货物运输能力将大幅提升" [The cargo capacity for Tianzhou 6 will be greatly increased]. www.chinasatcom.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  16. ^ "继天舟五号之后，天舟六号运力将有变，改进型货船明年执行任务_空间站_飞船_货运" [After Tianzhou 5, the cargo capacity for Tianzhou 6 will be different, modified version will carry out a mission nest year]. www.sohu.com. Retrieved 6 March 2023.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ "《面对面》专访白明生总师：陪伴"天舟家族"走过的日子-中国空间技术研究院" [Bai Mingsheng: The days of accompanying "Tianzhou family"]. www.cast.cn. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  18. ^ 海南特区报 (10 May 2023). "天舟六号将为中国空间站送去哪些货物" [What types of cargo will be delivered to Tiangong by Tianzhou 6]. k.sina.cn. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
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