It took place on June 5 in the Gobi desert in China and it was a perfect success. No one succumbed to dehydration! Long March is the 2 F rocket that propelled the Shenzen 15 mission ship to the Chinese orbital station Tiangong, ie the « Heavenly Palace ».
Snub to the USA?
It’s clear, the Asian giant has just taken another big step in its space conquest. A gigantic snub to the United States which had excluded China from the international space program (ISS) by prohibiting NASA from collaborating with it!
Liu Lang first Chinese woman in space
She is one of the three taikonauts who, after seven hours of flight, have settled into the main module of the station. His first experience dates back to 2012, at the Shenzen IX mission, which said thirteen days. This year, just like the astronaut trio from Shenzen 14, Liu and his two colleagues will remain in orbit for six months. No danger that they find the time long! In addition to spacewalks and various experiments, two of the most delicate operations will be added: the reception and installation of two laboratory modules which will be sent to them by their earthly colleagues next July and October.
A T-shaped palace
At the end of the mission, the celestial station will have the same shape and the same volume of space as Mir, the former Soviet station. By the end of 2022, Tiengong ( CSS, Chinese Spatial Station) will be able to be permanently occupied. Before returning to earth, the three astronauts of Shenzen 15 will receive and coexist for a while with the next mission put into orbit to continue China’s space quest.
Space tourism?
What to deduce from all this? Well, from now on, there will always be Chinese astronauts in space and – in residence – please!
In the longer term, tourists will make this beautiful journey. In any case, this is the objective of Zou Sianping, the great conductor of this fascinating space symphony.
