天和号核心舱
The Tianhe core module launched in April 2021 and is the first of three planned space station modules.
Tianhe hosted Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo from 2021-06-17 to 2021-09-15.
The radial rendezvous test performed by Shenzhou-12 did not include docking and tested required sensors and guidance systems, measurement accuracy, and different lighting conditions when approaching Tianhe from below with respect to the Earth.
Tianhe hosted the Shenzhou-12 astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo beginning 2021-06-17.
The Shenzhou-12 crew entered the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, separated from Tianhe at 8:56 p.m. Eastern, circumnavigated Tianhe, and completed a radial (R‑Bar) rendezvous test at 1:38 a.m. Eastern the following day.
Tianzhou-2 delivered supplies to Tianhe for Shenzhou-12 and is expected to remain docked to the core module beyond the deorbiting of Shenzhou-12.
Tianhe will be joined in orbit by two experiment-hosting modules named Mengtian and Wentian in 2022.
Tianhe is 16.6 m long and 4.2 m in diameter and launched on 2021-04-28.
Nie Haisheng opened the hatch of the Tianhe module at 8:38 p.m. Eastern on 2021-08-19 to begin a planned near seven-hour extravehicular activity.
The Shenzhou-12 crew completed a spacewalk on 2021-07-04 that installed foot restraints and an extravehicular working platform on Tianhe’s robotic arm and raised a panoramic camera.
Liu Boming opened the hatch of the Tianhe module at 8:11 p.m. Eastern on 2021-07-03.
The Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft will deliver supplies to the Tianhe module a month before the Shenzhou-13 launch.
The Tianhe core module launched in late April 2021 and is currently hosting its first crew.
Tianhe was launched into orbit in late April 2021, marking the start of the construction phase of the Chinese space station project first approved in 1992.
When the Shenzhou-12 crew enters Tianhe it will be the first time since May 2000 that two orbiting space stations were simultaneously inhabited, the previous instance occurring when STS-101 and Soyuz TM-30 visited the ISS and Mir respectively.
The Tianhe cargo and supply architecture included Tianzhou-2 delivering EVA suits to support Shenzhou-12 extravehicular activities.
Tianzhou-2 launched to Tianhe in 2021-05-31 carrying 4,690 kg of cargo in a pressurized segment to supply the Shenzhou-12 mission.
The Shenzhou-12 crewed mission was scheduled to launch to the Chinese Space Station Tianhe from Jiuquan at 9:22 p.m. Eastern on 2021-06-16.
The Tianhe core module launched on 2021-04-28 Eastern.
Yuanwang 5 supported the launch of the Tianhe space station module in late April 2021.