CASC - Shenzhou-10 Mission patch.
June 11, 2013
Shenzhou 10 launch
The Chinese have launched their fifth crewed space mission on Tuesday via the Shenzhou-10 mission. The launch of the Long March 2F/G rocket was on schedule at 09:38 UTC, taking place from Pad 921 at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center’s LC43 Launch Complex.
Image above: Mission commander Nie Haisheng (left), Zhang Xiaoguang (Right) and Wang Yaping (center) are the three astronauts that will undertaken the Shenzhou 10 mission. (Credit: CNS).
This new space chapter for the Chinese represents the final occupation of the Tiangong-1 space module and the launch of the second female “yu hang yuan” – the Chinese term for astronaut, as opposed to the more commonly used “taikonaut”.
Shenzhou-10 Launch, June 11, 2013
Once in orbit the craft will dock with a trial space laboratory module called Tiangong where over the next two weeks the astronauts will carry out various experiments.
The Shenzhou 10 was moved earlier this month to the launch area in the remote Gobi desert in China’s far west ready for launch at 11.38 Central European Time.
Shenzhou is based on the Russian Soyuz-TM spacecraft and can carry up to three astronauts inside its Re-Entry Module. This module provides a fully pressurised and habitable living space for all phases of the mission, but the taikonauts can also use the Orbital Module that provides additional habitable space for conducting scientific experiments.
Shenzhou-10 Mission description
This module is equipped with navigation, communications, flight control, thermal control, batteries, oxygen tanks, and propulsions systems. Total mass of the spacecraft is 8,082 kg, with a length of 9.25 meters, diameter of 2.80 meters and a 17 meter span.
Should the mission go to plan, Shenzhou-10 should dock with Tiangong-1 on June 13. The two spacecraft will remain docked for a period of 12 days which will include a second re-docking test, after which Shenzhou-10 will return to Earth on June 26.
For more information about the mission, visit: http://zhuanti.spacechina.com/n429412/index.html
Images, Video, Text, Credits: CASC / Newscn / ChinaNews.CN / CCTV / Xinhua, various Chinese media.
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