China’s Tianzhou-8 spacecraft has arrived at the Tiangong space station, delivering essential supplies, research equipment and materials to support crewed missions. The launch took place on November 15 at 4:13 p.m. Polish time from the Wenchang spaceport, located in southern China. The Długi March 7 launch vehicle carried the ship into orbit, and separation occurred about 10 minutes later.
Three hours after launch, at 7:32 p.m. Polish time, Tianzhou-8 docked at the aft port of the Chinese Tiangong space station. According to information from the China Aerospace Engineering Bureau, there were about 6 tons of supplies on board the ship, including scientific and experimental materials and spare parts. The payload was primarily intended for the ongoing Shenzhou-19 manned mission and preparations for the future Shenzhou-20 mission.
The delivered materials included 458 kilograms of scientific equipment, including materials intended for space exploration experiments. One of the most interesting projects is the study of bricks consisting of a “lunar regolith simulator”. The material will be exposed to the harsh conditions of space for approximately three years. The research results may help in planning the construction of the future International Lunar Exploration Station, the construction of which China plans to start in the 2030s.
The Tianzhou-8 mission also supports biological research on long-term space stays. The experiments include analyzing changes in gene expression caused by microgravity and the absence of a magnetic field. Once the research is complete, the samples will be frozen and returned to Earth, where scientists will compare them with data collected on Earth. The research aims to determine the impact of space travel on the functioning of living organisms, including behavior, reproduction and brain function.
The Tianzhou-8 spacecraft has been improved compared to previous missions, offering an additional 102 kilograms of payload. It can now carry up to 7.4 tons of supplies, which is a significant improvement over previous units. This is another step in the Chinese space program, which assumes the operation of the Tiangong station for at least a decade. China also plans to expand the station to six modules and add the co-orbiting Xuntian space telescope.
The China Aerospace Engineering Bureau is also working on developing alternative concepts for delivering cargo to the Tiangong Station. One of the projects is the Qingzhou spacecraft, which is being developed by Microsat, and the Haolong reusable space shuttle, which is intended to land on regular runways – just like an airplane.
The Tianzhou-8 mission was China’s 56th orbital launch in 2024 and one of many elements of an extensive space program. This year, China has planned to conduct about 100 launches, including the Chang’e-6 mission, which brought samples from the far side of the Moon. Despite some delays, the Chinese space program is developing really well – some even believe that it may soon take a significant hit from the leaders of the space peloton.
Source: antyweb.pl
