Tianzhou-2 launched from Wenchang spaceport on a Long March 7 rocket at 8:55 a.m. Eastern on 2021-05-29.
Tianzhou-2 completed automated rendezvous and docking maneuvers with Tianhe at 5:01 p.m. Eastern on 2021-05-29.
Tianzhou-2 was first expected to launch on 2021-05-19 but the mission was delayed due to technical reasons.
China’s Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft docked with the Tianhe space station module in low Earth orbit on 2021-05-29.
Tianzhou-2 is tasked with delivering propellant and supplies ahead of a first crewed mission to Tianhe in June 2021.
The roughly 13-metric-ton Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft entered its intended orbit and deployed its solar arrays at 9:17 a.m. Eastern on 2021-05-29.
Tianzhou-2 is the second launch of 11 missions planned for the construction phase of the three-module Chinese space station across 2021 and 2022.
Tianzhou-2 will remain docked to the Tianhe module to support the Shenzhou-12 crewed mission in June 2021.
Tianzhou-2 is the second of 11 launches scheduled for 2021 and 2022 to construct China’s 66-ton, three-module orbital outpost.
Tianzhou-2 will transfer propellant to the Tianhe core module and deliver supplies to support future crewed missions.
China planned a Long March 7 launch of the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft to join Tianhe in orbit within weeks of the Long March 5B reentry, with the crewed Shenzhou-12 mission likely to follow in June.
Tianzhou-2 will launch on a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang to rendezvous and dock with Tianhe and transfer propellant to the module.
The recently delivered Long March 7 kerosene-liquid oxygen medium-lift rocket will be assembled to launch the Tianzhou-2 cargo and supply spacecraft to dock with the Tianhe core module.
The Tianzhou-2 mission will provide Tianhe with propellant for maintaining orbital altitude as well as supplies for hosting astronauts.
Once in orbit the Tianhe module will be visited by the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft launched by a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang.
Missions to deploy the Chinese Space Station core module, Tianzhou-2, and Shenzhou-12 will require Long March 5B and Long March 7 launches from Wenchang and a Long March 2F launch from Jiuquan.