The Tianhe base module of the Chinese Tiangong space station has been successfully launched into orbit, Xinhua reports with reference to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The total length of the Tianhe is 16.6 m, the maximum diameter is 4.2 m, and the take-off weight is 22.5 tons. This module is by far the largest spacecraft developed by China. Tianhe can dock with three spacecraft at the same time for short stays or two for a long time.
China plans to build a completely new space orbital station “Tiangong” within a year. It will be T-shaped with a main module in the center and a laboratory capsule on each side. Each module will weigh more than 20 tons.When the station is docked with manned or cargo spacecraft, its weight can reach almost 100 tons.
The station will operate in low-earth orbit at an altitude of 340 to 450 km. The design service life will be 10 years with a possible extension up to 15 years.
This space station is the third in the history of Chinese astronautics, but the first to be multi-modular. The first two – “Tiangong-1” and “Tiangong-2” – consisted of only one module. They worked in orbit in 2011-2018. and in 2016-2019. respectively.
Russia now does not have its own orbiting space station. It uses its national segment as part of the International Space Station. The service life of the ISS, which has been in orbit since 1998, may end in 2028 due to the depletion of the resource by more than 80%. Earlier, Roskosmos announced that they plan to complete the development of the national orbital station by 2025 and deploy it completely by 2035. The Science and Power Module (NEM), which will be launched and docked to the ISS this year, should become the basis for it. and at the time of its termination, it is separated from the station
.