Tianzhou 8 (Chinese: 天舟八号) is the eighth mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft, and the seventh 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.
 A Tianzhou 3D model | |
| Mission type | Tiangong space station resupply |
|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-211A |
| SATCAT no. | 61983 |
| Mission duration | 39 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes (in progress) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Tianzhou-8 |
| Spacecraft type | Tianzhou |
| Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation |
| Launch mass | 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) |
| Payload mass | 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) |
| Dimensions | 10.6 m × 3.35 m (34.8 ft × 11.0 ft) |
| Expedition | |
| Space station | Tiangong space station |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 15 November 2024, 15:13 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 |
| Inclination | 41.5° |
| Docking with Tiangong space station | |
| Docking port | Tianhe aft |
| Docking date | 15 November 2024, 18:32 UTC[2] |
| Time docked | 39 days, 5 hours, 13 minutes (in progress) |
Mission history
editTianzhou 8 was launched on November 15, 2024, successfully docking with Tiangong after a three-hour flight.[3]
Like all Tianzhou craft since Tianzhou 6, Tianzhou 8 is expected to stay docked to Tiangong for around 9 months before deorbiting to make room for the next supply mission.[4]
Payload
editTianzhou 8 delivered 6,000 kg of supplies and materials to Tiangong, 102 kg more mass than its predecessor Tianzhou 7.[5] The cargo includes various bricks made from lunar regolith simulant, which will be deployed on external racks outside Tiangong for up to three years before being returned to the earth for analysis.[5][6]
Spacecraft
editReferences
edit- ^ "CHINESE LAUNCH MANIFEST". Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan (18 November 2024). "Jonathan's Space Report No. 839". planet4589.org. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ^ https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202411/16/content_WS6737cf2cc6d0868f4e8ed089.html
- ^ https://www.cast.cn/news/7394
- ^ a b https://spacenews.com/tianzhou-8-spacecraft-delivers-supplies-key-experiments-to-tiangong-space-station/
- ^ "Chinese astronauts will test sample bricks for moon research base". 8 September 2024.
