Shenzhou 13 (Chinese:
![]() Launch of Shenzhou 13 on a Long March 2F | |
Mission type | Tiangong space station crew transport |
---|---|
Operator | China Manned Space Agency |
COSPAR ID | 2021-092A |
SATCAT no. | 49326![]() |
Mission duration | 182 days, 9 hours and 32 minutes |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Shenzhou |
Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation |
Crew | |
Crew size | 3 |
Members | Zhai Zhigang Wang Yaping Ye Guangfu |
EVAs | 2 |
EVA duration | 12 hours 36 minutes[1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 15 October 2021, 16:23:56 UTC[2] |
Rocket | Long March 2F |
Launch site | Jiuquan, LA-4/SLS |
Contractor | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology |
End of mission | |
Landing date | 16 April 2022, 01:56:49 UTC |
Landing site | Inner Mongolia, China |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Inclination | 41.5° |
Docking with Tiangong space station | |
Docking port | Tianhe nadir |
Docking date | 15 October 2021, 22:56 UTC |
Undocking date | 15 April 2022, 16:44 UTC |
Time docked | 181 days, 17 hours and 48 minutes |
![]() Shenzhou 13 mission patch ![]() Ye Guangfu, Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping |
Background
editShenzhou 13 was the second spaceflight to the Tiangong space station (at the time consisting only of the Tianhe core module), and the first with a planned duration of six months (180 days).[3] Following Shenzhou 13, six months would become the standard orbital duration for subsequent Shenzhou missions.[4]
For Shenzhou 13, the China Academy of Space Technology developed a new method of radial docking of the spacecraft to the bottom of Tiangong's Tianhe core module, differing from the front and rear docking method used previously by Shenzhou 12 and the Tianzhou cargo missions. This new method of docking would be crucial for both cargo logistics and crew operations, and would allow multiple Shenzhou spacecraft to dock to Tiangong at one time, making in-space crew changeovers possible for the first time.[5]
The crew of Shenzhou 13 was announced on 14 October 2021.[6]
Mission
editThe flight launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 15 October 2021 at 16:23 UTC, following the launch of the Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft.[7][8] Just over 6.5 hours after launch, the spacecraft docked with the Tianhe core module's nadir docking port.[9] The crew entered the station on 16 October at 01:58 UTC.[10]
During the mission, the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft remained on standby to serve as an emergency rescue vehicle.[11]
The Shenzhou 13 crew carried out two spacewalks, worked on payloads both inside and outside the station, and carried out other scientific work during the six-month mission.
Spacewalks
editOn 7 November 2021, the first scheduled spacewalk of Shenzhou 13 was carried out by Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping, during which Wang Yaping became the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk.[12] The two taikonauts installed a dual-arm connector for the station's robotic arm, and tested EVA equipment on the exterior of Tianhe. The spacewalk lasted for 6 hours and 25 minutes.[13]
On 26 December 2021, the second and final spacewalk of the mission was carried out by Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu, with Wang Yaping assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. The taikonauts deployed panoramic camera C, installed a foot restraint platform, and tested various methods of moving objects outside the station. The spacewalk lasted for 6 hours and 11 minutes.[14]
Space lectures
editOn 9 December 2021 at 3:55 PM China Standard Time (07:55 UTC), the crew of Shenzhou 13 conducted their first live "space lecture" broadcast. The "main classroom" was located in the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing, with "branch classrooms" in Nanning, Wenchuan, Hong Kong, and Macau. During the lecture, part of which was led by Wang Yaping, the taikonauts explained what living in space was like, and performed scientific experiments on cell biology, the behavior of effervescent tablets in microgravity, and water surface tension. After the lesson, the taikonauts were given time to answer schoolchildren's questions from the classrooms.[15][16]
On 23 March 2022 at 3:40 PM China Standard Time (07:40 UTC), the crew of Shenzhou 13 conducted a second live "space lecture" broadcast. The "main classroom" was once again in the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing, with "branch classrooms" in Lhasa, Tibet; and Ürümqi, Xinjiang. The lecture followed a similar structure to the previous broadcast, with a science lesson followed by a question-and-answer session with the taikonauts.[17]
Interaction with American students
editOn 10 April 2022, at 3:00 AM China Standard Time (9 April, 19:00 UTC), a special question-and-answer session between the crew of Shenzhou 13 and American students was held at the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. in Washington, D.C., hosted by Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Qin Gang. During the event, a pre-recorded message from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was also played, expressing his wishes for further international cooperation in space in the future.[18]
Return
editShenzhou 13 undocked from Tiangong on 15 April 2022 at 16:44 UTC, and landed nine hours later on 16 April at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia at 01:56 UTC.[19][2][20]
Crew
editPosition | Crew member | |
---|---|---|
Commander | Zhai Zhigang, PLAAC Second spaceflight | |
Operator | Wang Yaping, PLAAC Second spaceflight | |
System Operator | Ye Guangfu, PLAAC First spaceflight |
Zhai Zhigang previously flew on Shenzhou 7.
Wang Yaping, the first woman to visit the Tiangong space station and the first Chinese woman to fly to space twice, previously flew on Shenzhou 10.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Tiangong: Expedition 2". 27 December 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ a b "
神 舟 十 三 号 定 于周六 0时23分 发射新 "太 空 出 差 三 人 组"包括 一位女航天员". cn.reuters.com. 7 August 2023. - ^ "
中国 航 天 进入空 间站建造 关键时期——访中国 载人航 天工 程 办公室 主任 郝淳". xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021. - ^ "
空 间站建造 后 续有四 次 载人飞行,航 天 员每次 在 轨驻留 3至 6个月". thepaper.cn. Retrieved 29 April 2021. - ^ "China's Shenzhou 13 Mission and Its Long-Term Impact". The Diplomat. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ a b "China unveils Shenzhou-13 crew for six-month space station mission".
- ^ "China launches Shenzhou 13 astronauts on historic mission to new space station". space.com. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ Andrew Jones (20 September 2021). "Tianzhou-3 spacecraft docks with Chinese space station". Space News. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "China's Shenzhou-13 spacecraft docks for 6-month mission". apnews.com. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "
神 舟 十 三 号 3名 航 天 员顺利 进驻天和 核心 舱". xinhua.news. Retrieved 16 October 2021. - ^ "China's Shenzhou 14 is on standby to launch in case of space station emergency". Space.com. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Navin, Joseph (7 November 2021). "Wang Yaping becomes the first Chinese woman to walk in space". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "China's Shenzhou-13 taikonauts complete first extravehicular mission". Xinhua News. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ Davenport, Justin (26 December 2021). "Shenzhou-13 crew conducts second spacewalk of mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ 张馨
方 (6 December 2021). ""天 宫课堂 "第 一 课定于12月 9日 下 午 在 中国 空 间站开讲,此次太 空 授课活 动将进行全 程 现场直播 ". Mp.weixin.qq.com (in Chinese). - ^ Live: Special coverage of first class from China's space station on YouTube
- ^ Tiangong (China Space Station) is going Live
直播 中国 空 间站视角下 的 地球 on YouTube - ^ "Elon Musk featured in Chinese embassy event focused on space exploration". South China Morning Post. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ @CNSpaceflight (12 April 2022). "Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center conducted the last dress rehearsal of #Shenzhou13 recovery. According to the post in Wechat, the landing target is in the east area of Dongfeng Landing Site, same as Shenzhou-12, at ~09:10 local time on APR.16" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Watch China's Shenzhou 13 astronauts return to Earth from space station tonight". Space.com. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.