China’s space station recently acquired a new module with two pairs of massive solar “wings” that can rotate as the outpost orbits Earth.
New video from China’s Human Spaceflight Agency, CMSA, shows the large solar arrays orbiting the Tiangong space station as our blue and white planet passes below.
Arrays are part of the Wentian Experiment module, which was launched in July. The angle of the panels can also be seen to change to face the sun as Tianjun, the g space station continues along its orbit.
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The two Wentian solar arrays are approximately 98 feet (30 meters) long. Together, their wingspan is more than 180 feet (55 meters). Each solar panel measures approximately 1,184 square feet (110 square metres).
China plans to launch a third and final unit to Tiangong in October. This experiment module, called the Mengtian, will carry a pair of large solar arrays similar to the one on Wentian.
Three Shenzhou 14 mission astronauts – who are currently aboard the Tiangong and preparing for the first extravehicular activity, or spacewalk, of the Wentian – unit will receive.
Solar panels are designed to power the Tiangong space station, which China plans to keep permanently inhabited by rotating crews of three astronauts for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, the larger and larger International Space Station has solar arrays with a wingspan of 240 feet (73 m) to power its in-orbit activities.
When completed, Tiangong will be about 20% of the mass of the International Space Station, which has a mass of about 460 tons.
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