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Tianzhou 7
Tianzhou 1 model
A Tianzhou 3D model
Mission type Tiangong space station resupply
Operator CNSA
COSPAR ID 2024-013A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.58811 Edit this on Wikidata
Website www.cnsa.gov.cn
Mission duration99 days, 21 hours and 42 minutes (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftTianzhou-7
Spacecraft type Tianzhou
Manufacturer China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch mass14,000 kg (31,000 lb)
Payload mass7,400 kg (16,300 lb)
Dimensions10.6 m × 3.35 m (34.8 ft × 11.0 ft)
Power2
Expedition
Space station Tiangong space station
Start of mission
Launch date17 January 2024, 14:27 UTC [1]
Rocket Long March 7
Launch site Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, LC-201
Contractor China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit
Regime Low Earth orbit
Inclination41.5°
Docking with Tiangong space station
Docking port Tianhe Aft port
Docking date17 January 2024, 17:46 UTC
Time docked99 days, 18 hours and 23 minutes

Tianzhou 7 mission patch  

Tianzhou 7 ( Chinese: ) is the seventh mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft, and the sixth 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.

Mission history

On 20 November 2023, CMSA announced that Tianzhou 7 had completed manufacturing, and was delivered to Wenchang. [2]

On 21 December 2023, Long March 7 Y8, the launch vehicle for this mission, arrived at Wenchang Space Launch Site. It started to conduct stacking and tests with the already arrived Tianzhou 7. [3]

On 17 January 2024 at 14:27 UTC, Long March 7 Y8 successfully lifted off from Wenchang SLS's LC-201, propelling Tianzhou 7 towards the Tiangong Station. [4] The spacecraft docked successfully with Tiangong some three hours later at 17:46 UTC. [5]

Spacecraft

References

  1. ^ "Tianzhou 7". Next Spaceflight. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ Honge, Mo (20 November 2023). "China's Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft transported to launch site, mission logo revealed". Ecns.cn. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Rocket arrives at launch site for Tianzhou-7 cargo mission". The State Council of the People's Republic of China. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 12 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Long March 7 | Tianzhou 7". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  5. ^ "China's cargo craft Tianzhou-7 docks with space station combination". The State Council of the People's Republic of China. 18 January 2024. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024.