Heading for new horizons
▶ China launches Shenzhou-13 manned mission in steady space station buildup
China’s Tianhe space station core module will soon receive its second batch of taikonauts, the Shenzhou-13 crew led by mission commander Zhai Zhigang, and host their six-month stay in orbit – a new record for the longest duration of any single manned flight mission in the country’s history, after the manned spacecraft mounted on the Long March 2F rocket blasted off early Saturday morning from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China’s Gansu Province.
The Shenzhou-13 spacecraft blazed steadily to preset orbit and unfolded its solar panels after taking off from the launch pad, representing a full success of the launch mission, the Global Times learned from the China Manned Space Agency on Saturday.
Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu rode the Shenzhou-13 craft to space and are expected to live and work in China’s space station for a record-long six months.
The average age of the Shenzhou-13 crew is 45.6 years old, a significant seven years younger than the Shenzhou-12 crew. All three taikonauts are members of the Communist Party of China.
Wang Yaping will fly the mission as the first female astronaut to enter China’s space station. Trending on the search list of China’s microblogging platform Sina Weibo, Wang has become an inspiration to millions of women as they gaze upon the stars with an indescribable pride for the growing strength of women.
The date of the Shenzhou-13’s launch falls on the same day as China detonated its atomic bomb in 1964 exactly 57 years ago. Also, on the same date as launching Shenzhou-12, China’s first hydrogen bomb was detonated in 1967. “This is the Chinese style of romance, commemorating our past glories,” netizens said. Wei Dongxu, a space observer and TV commentator who also came
to the launch event, told the Global Times that the ability for continuous launches have shown the maturity of Chinese technologies in manned space programs.
Song Zhongping, a military expert and space observer, noted that the Shenzhou-13’s swift launch, less than one month after Shenzhou-12 returned, reflects “China speed” and indicates the country’s progress to becoming a global space leader.
“It also suggests that China’s space station and manned space technologies have completed the testing and verification phase, and entered the application phase. This is the biggest highlight of this launch,” Song said.
Chang Wuquan, chief designer of the Long March-2F rocket system, told the Global Times that two launches every year [ for the Long March-2F] would be a new routine in years to come.
The Saturday launch marks the last one scheduled for this year toward building China’s space outpost, and Shenzhou-13 is expected to draw a conclusion to the technology verification period of China’s space station building period before it enters a more complicated actual construction phase to form a three-module complex around 2022.
The six-month stay of the Shenzhou-13 crew will become the new normal for future China Space Station manned missions. It also suggests that the Shenzhou-13 crew will celebrate a special, unforgettable Spring Festival in space.
Major tasks and challenges ahead
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has revealed that the spacecraft would meet its first challenge right after the launch, as it needs to execute an automatic docking and rendezvous with the Tianhe core module from the radial direction, instead of the orbiting craft’s front and rear docking point as Shenzhou-12, Tianzhou-2 and -3 cargo spacecraft all did.
The Global Times learned from mission insiders that the Shenzhou-13 mission will also attempt a fast automatic rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, just as the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft did, which would take place about six and a half hours after the launch.
The Shenzhou-13 crew is expected to carry out two to three extravehicular activities, better known as spacewalks. According to the CMSA, they would be tasked with installing transfer gears linking the big and small robotic arms and related suspension gears, in order to make preparation for future construction work.
Their six-month stay itself would verify the performance of relevant technologies to sustain taikonauts’ wellbeing and support their highly efficient work in orbit.
Science and technology experiments in the field of space medicine and microgravity physics, and conducting a variety of science popularization events are among other goals of their stay.
Welcoming all
Hours ahead of the launch, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that the Shenzhou-13 mission, which comes less than a month after Shenzhou-12’s return, “vividly illustrates the spirit of Chinese manned spaceflight, that is especially able to endure hardship, to fight, to tackle problems, and to dedicate.” It also reflects the spirit of all Chinese in the nonstop pursuit of dreams and exploration into space, Zhao said.
“The Shenzhou-13 mission serves China’s new efforts and contributes to the common cause of mankind in manned space exploration. China will continue to increase the depth and width of international cooperation in the field and make positive contributions to the peaceful use of space and the building of a community with a shared future,” he noted.
Sending his blessings for a smooth journey, Zhao expected that, “We look forward to hearing from our compatriots from space on the eve of the Spring Festival.”
After the Shenzhou-13 mission completes a comprehensive evaluation of each operational system, the space station project will enter the construction phase, which is expected to last until 2022.