Featured image credit: China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) / Global Times
Lift Off Time | September 20, 2021 – 07:10 UTC | 15:10 BJT |
|---|---|
Mission Name | Tianzhou 3 |
Launch Provider | China Aerospace Science Corporation (CASC) |
Customer | China National Space Administration (CNSA) |
Rocket | Long March 7 |
Launch Location | LC-201, Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, Hainan Island, China |
Payload mass | Up to 6,500 kg (14,300 lb) |
Where is the spacecraft going? | Low Earth orbit (LEO) – 370 km (230 mi), at a 41° inclination |
Will they be attempting to recover the first stage? | No, this is not a capability of the Long March 7 |
Where will the first stage land? | It will crash into the ocean |
Will they be attempting to recover the fairings? | No, this is not a capability of the Long March 7 |
Are these fairings new? | Yes |
How’s the weather looking? | TBD |
This will be the: | – 2nd resupply mission for the Tiangong 3 Space Station – 3rd launch of a Tianzhou spacecraft – 6th mission of a Long March 7 rocket – 91st orbital launch attempt in 2021 |
Where to watch | If available, an official livestream will be listed here |
What does all this mean?
The China Aerospace Science Corporation (CASC) will launch its second cargo resupply mission, the Tianzhou 3, to the new Tiangong 3 Space Station, currently under construction in low Earth orbit (LEO). The rocket is scheduled to launch from LC-201, Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, in China on September 20, 2021. This mission will mark the fourth of 11 launches needed for the construction phase of the China’s Space Station (CSS).
Tianzhou-3 Mission
The Tianzhou 3 mission is the second cargo resupply mission to the Tianhe Core Crew module (CCM) of China’s new and developing Tiangong 3 Space Station. The first cargo resupply mission was successfully launched on May 29, 2021.
The mission will deliver supplies for the upcoming Shenzhou-13 crewed mission, which is currently planned to launch in October. It will also provide the Tianhe CCM with enough propellant to maintain its orbital altitude. The spacecraft is expected to dock with the Tiangong 3 Space Station within 24 hours of launch.
The Tianzhou Spacecraft
The Tianzhou (which means “heavenly boat”) is an automated cargo spacecraft that will function as the main resupply vehicle for the Tiangong 3 Space Station. The spacecraft was developed from China’s first prototype space station, the Tiangong 1. The first Tianzhou spacecraft, Tianzhou 1, launched on a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang in April 2017.
This spacecraft is 10.6 meters long and has a diameter of 3.35 meters. It consists of two main parts: a cargo cabin and a propulsion section.
The Tiangong 3 Space Station
The Tiangong 3 Space Station (meaning “heavenly palace”) is a space station currently under construction in LEO. When complete, the station will be roughly one-fifth the mass of the International Space Station. The Tiangong 3 Space Station will operate in orbit for at least ten years.
Construction began on April 29, 2021, when the core module, the Tianhe (“harmony of the heavens”), which is able to accommodate three crew members with a built-in life support system, was launched on a Long March 5B rocket. The Tianhe is 16.6 m long and has a diameter of 4.2 m. This module can also provide propulsion to maintain the orbital altitude of the station. Later, it will be joined by the two other modules, Mengtian and Wentian that will host Chinese and international science experiments.
China’s aim is to construct the three-module space station with 11 launches across 2021-2022, which will include three module launches, four cargo spacecraft, and four crewed missions. The station will be comprised of three modules, though it has the ability to expand to six, and it is expected to be operational for at least ten years.
The first crewed flight to the station took place on June 17, 2021. The three astronauts from that mission have already left the Tiangong 3 on September 16, 2021. They undocked from the station at 00:56 UTC. It is expected that they would land at the new Dongfeng landing site in northern China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on September 17, 2021.
What is the Long March 7?
The Long March 7 is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle, capable of placing a 13,500 kg (~29,800 lb) payload into low earth orbit (LEO), or a 7,000 kg (~15,000 lb) payload into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
The basic version of the Long March 7 can be customized by varying the number of boosters, allowing it to be capable of reaching higher orbits or executing multiple orbital deployments.
Shao Yetao, chief designer of the Long March 7 carrier rocket, said that the rocket has some upgrades for the Tianzhou-3 mission. For example, its water- and moisture-proof function was improved to ensure a smooth launch in unfavourable weather conditions.
Boosters
The center core of the Long March 7 can be supported by either 0, 2, or 4 boosters, which use refined kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOx) propellant. The boosters are powered by an oxidizer-rich staged combustion YF-100 engine. At sea level, each booster provides 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) of thrust. This increases to 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) of thrust in a vacuum.
First Stage
The center core of the rocket is 3.35 meters in diameter and has two YF-100 engines. Like the boosters, this first stage uses refined kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOx). At sea level, this stage produces 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) of thrust, increasing to 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf) in a vacuum.
Second Stage
Like the first stage, the second stage is also 3.35 meters in diameter and uses RP-1 and LOx. This stage is powered by four oxidizer-rich staged combustion YF-115 engines, two of which are fixed and two of which are able to gimble. The second stage offers 706 kN (159,000 lbf) of thrust in a vacuum.
Third Stage
The Long March 7 does not have a third stage in the basic configuration used for this mission, but the Long March 7A variant has an additional third stage powered by liquid hydrogen (LH2) and LOx. The stage uses 2 YF-75 engines, which produce 167 kN (37,580 lbf) of thrust and have an ISP of 438 s.
Article adapted from Claire Percival
