Latest news with #Shenzhou20
South China Morning Post
12-07-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China's Tianzhou-9 cargo craft set for Tiangong space station resupply mission
China's Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft is ready for launch to resupply the Tiangong Space Station , according to state news agency Xinhua on Saturday. The cargo spacecraft and a Long March-7 Y10 carrier rocket have been transported to the launch pad at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the southern island province of Hainan, according to Xinhua, which cited the China Manned Space Agency. 'The cargo spacecraft will be launched in the near future at an appropriate time,' the space agency said. It said functionality checks and joint tests would proceed as planned, adding that facilities and equipment at the launch site were 'in good condition'. The cargo spacecraft will carry 6.5 tonnes of supplies, including consumables, propellants and equipment for medical and space technology experiments to be performed by astronauts on the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 missions, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The supplies also include two sets of domestically developed spacesuits that can be used for 20 spacewalks over four years – an upgrade in lifespan from the previous three years and 15 spacewalks. The astronauts will also receive a set of core muscle training devices designed to help counteract muscle atrophy in microgravity.
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
China's huge step in space that could have chilling impact if war breaks out
A tense space race is currently underway between NASA and China - with China now taking the lead in a move that could see it become able to disrupt the satellites' of other nations while in space China has taken one huge step in its space mission which could have a chilling impact here on Earth, and allow China to completely shut down communications and other vital infrastructure in a conflict scenario. Two of its satellites, the Shijian-21 and Shijian-25, appear to have docked together in the country's first attempt to refuel a satellite in orbit. The satellites performed the manoeuvre more than 20,000 miles above the Earth while in geosynchronous orbit - which matches the pace of the rotation of the planet. There haven't been any updates from Beijing on the move, but civilian satellite trackers show them closing in on each other until they merge in to one. According to Ars Technica, the two satellites docking in geosynchronous orbit could show China now has the technology to disable a satellite belonging to another country while in space. If another country's satellites were to be disabled in conflict, it could cause mass disruption - impacting everything from communication to navigation, weather forecasting and could even cause certain industries to shut down. The US Space Force is reportedly not far behind in its own research into orbital refueling. This is due to military satellites often having limited supplies. Next summer, the military wing of America's space exploration industry expects to perform its first refueling of a military asset. After the Chinese satellites docked, two of the Space Force's inspector satellites were seen moving towards them. Military and commercial satellites often choose geosynchronous orbit - which is at an altitude of around 22,236 miles - because it gives them a fixed view of a planet. It helps military forces detect early warnings of missile attacks. In April, China successfully launched three astronauts into space on a mission to re-staff its in-orbit space station. Staff who work at the launch site as well as some of their families and other members of the public gathered in organised lines to watch the rocket take-off. The launch of China's Shenzhou-20 was seen as a ramping up of a tense space race between NASA and China to create bases on the moon, and from there, lift off to Mars. The far side of the moon is an increasingly popular destination. Images show the three astronauts - or taikonauts as they are called in China - waving to adoring crowds and onlookers at the aunch event. The Shenzhou 20 mission's astronauts are Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, Lin Xiqiang, deputy director general of China Manned Space Agency, said. They were replacing three astronauts on the Chinese space station. The launch took place from Jiuquan, on the edge of the Gobi Desert, in northwestern China. Like those before them, they will stay there for roughly six months. The three-person crew were sent in October last year and have been in space for 175 days, said Lin.
Asahi Shimbun
01-05-2025
- Science
- Asahi Shimbun
3 astronauts return to Earth after 6 months on China's space station
Chinese astronauts Wang Haoze, from left, Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong wave as they attend the see-off ceremony for the Shenzhou-19 mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, in the early hours of Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo) BEIJING--Three Chinese astronauts landed back on Earth on Wednesday after six months on China's space station. The crew's landing module came down slowly after separating from the return vehicle, descending on a red-and-white parachute, in Dongfeng, in China's northern Inner Mongolia region on the edge of the Gobi Desert. Their return had been delayed by a day due to strong winds and low visibility. The area is prone to sandstorms this time of year. The astronauts, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, were launched to the Tiangong space station in October, and they turned over control of the station Tuesday to the new crew that recently arrived to replace them. The Shenzhou 20 that brought the new crew also carried equipment for space life sciences, microgravity physics and new technology for the space station. The Tiangong, or 'Heavenly Palace,' space station has made China a major player in a new era of space exploration and the use of permanent stations to conduct experiments in space, especially since it was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns. China's space program is controlled by the People's Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party. The three Chinese astronauts have carried out experiments and improvements to the space station during their time in space. Two of the astronauts, Cai and Song, conducted a nine-hour spacewalk, the world's longest, during their mission, China's space agency said. The country's space program has grown rapidly in recent years. The space agency has landed an explorer on Mars and a rover on the far side of the moon. It aims to put a person on the moon before 2030.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Three astronauts return to Earth after six months on China's space station
Three Chinese astronauts have landed back on Earth after six months on China's space station. The crew's landing module came down slowly after separating from the return vehicle, descending on a red-and-white parachute, in Dongfeng, in China's northern Inner Mongolia region on the edge of the Gobi Desert. Their return had been delayed by a day because of strong winds and low visibility. The area is prone to sandstorms at this time of year. The astronauts, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, were launched to the Tiangong space station in October, and they turned over control of the station on Tuesday to the new crew that recently arrived to replace them. The Shenzhou 20 that brought the new crew also carried equipment for space life sciences, microgravity physics and new technology for the space station. The Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, space station has made China a major player in a new era of space exploration and the use of permanent stations to conduct experiments in space, especially since it was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over US national security concerns. China's space programme is controlled by the People's Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party. The three Chinese astronauts have carried out experiments and improvements to the space station during their time in space. Two of the astronauts, Cai and Song, conducted a nine-hour spacewalk, the world's longest, during their mission, China's space agency said. The country's space programme has grown rapidly in recent years. The space agency has landed an explorer on Mars and a rover on the far side of the Moon. It aims to put a person on the Moon before 2030.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Three astronauts return to Earth after six months on space station
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Wednesday, concluding a six-month mission aboard China 's Tiangong space station. The crew's landing module separated from the return vehicle, descended beneath a red-and-white parachute and touched down in Dongfeng, in China 's northern Inner Mongolia region on the edge of the Gobi Desert. The return, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed by a day due to strong winds and low visibility in the landing zone, which is susceptible to sandstorms during this season. The delay was implemented to "guarantee the health and safety of the astronauts'. The returning astronauts, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, were launched to the Tiangong station in October. They officially handed over control of the station on Tuesday to the recently arrived crew, who will continue ongoing research and operations. The Shenzhou 20 that brought the new crew also carried equipment for space life sciences, microgravity physics and new technology for the space station. The Tiangong, or 'Heavenly Palace,' space station has made China a major player in a new era of space exploration and the use of permanent stations to conduct experiments in space, especially since it was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns. China's space program is controlled by the People's Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party. The three Chinese astronauts have carried out experiments and improvements to the space station during their time in space. Two of the astronauts, Cai and Song, conducted a nine-hour spacewalk, the world's longest, during their mission, China's space agency said. The country's space program has grown rapidly in recent years. The space agency has landed an explorer on Mars and a rover on the far side of the moon. It aims to put a person on the moon before 2030. Last year, two American astronauts wound up stuck in space for nine months after a test flight with Boeing ran into problems and Nasa determined it was too risky for the astronauts to come back to Earth in the same capsule.
