Beijing : On Saturday, China successfully launched Tianzhou-5, a cargo spaceship, to bring supplies to its space station, whose construction is anticipated to be finished this year.
Tianzhou-5, which was launched this morning on a Long March-7 Y6 rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, has successfully achieved its intended orbit, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
It deemed the launch a full success, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
It’s anticipated that the supply ship will perform a quick, automated rendezvous and docking with the space station.
China earlier completed the Tiangong space station’s construction by launching the second lab, known as the Mengtian module, on October 31. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC) had previously stated that the low-orbit space station’s construction will be finished this year.
Three astronauts were transported to the space station’s Tianhe main module in two groups during the course of a six-month mission to finish construction. While one group of three astronauts returned, a second group of three astronauts is presently stationed at Tianhe to finish the building.
China will eventually be the only nation with a space station of its own, competing with the NASA-led International Space Station (ISS), a joint venture of many nations, including Russia.
Observers believe that when the ISS retires in the upcoming years, the CSS may be the only space station that stays in orbit.
The two robotic arms on China’s currently under construction space station are a key component, particularly the long one, about which the US has previously voiced worry due to its potential to snag satellites from orbit.
Mengtian can launch little satellites into orbit since it has a bigger entrance. The tiny satellites may be placed on a payload transfer mechanism, the airlock chamber can be depressurized, and then astronauts can transport them.
Mengtian has a bigger entrance and can launch little satellites into orbit. Meng Yao, a creator of Mengtian, suggested that astronauts might attach the tiny satellites to a payload transfer mechanism, depressurize the airlock chamber, and then transport them outside of the cabin.
“The robotic arm outside the space station will grab the satellites and then catapult them in specified directions,” Meng was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
