Tiangong-3

Tiangong-3 (Chinese: 天宫三号; pinyin: Tiāngōng sānhào; lit. 'Heavenly Palace 3') was a proposed Chinese space station, part of the Tiangong space station program. The China National Space Agency was originally expected to launch Tiangong-3 around 2015, following the launch of the Tiangong-2 test laboratory, originally planned for 2013.[1] The goals for the Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 laboratories were eventually merged, and the latter was therefore not ordered.[2]

This article is about the cancelled third experimental station within the Tiangong programme. For the planned modular station, see Tiangong modular space station.
Tiangong-3
天宫三号
Station statistics
Crew3
Mission statusCancelled
Mass22,000 kilograms (49,000 lb)
Length18.1 meters (59 ft)
Diameter4.2 meters (14 ft)

Development

In 2008, the China Manned Space Engineering Office published a brief description of Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3, indicating that several crewed spaceships would be launched in the late 2010s to dock with Tiangong-3.[3] The first Tiangong module, Tiangong-1, was launched in September 2011, and docked with the uncrewed Shenzhou 8 spacecraft in November 2011, marking China's first orbital docking.[4]

Specifications

Tiangong-3's 22-metric-ton core module was expected to be around 18.1 metres (59 ft) long and have a maximum diameter of 4.2 metres (14 ft).[5] It was expected to provide:

  • Unaided 40-day habitability for three astronauts.[1]
  • Testing for regenerative life-support technology, and verification of methods of orbital replenishment of propellant and air.[1]
  • A multi-docking berthing mechanism,[5] allowing up to four spacecraft to dock with it simultaneously.

See also

References
  1. David, Leonard (2011-03-11). "China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". Space.com. Retrieved 2011-03-09. China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to the large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies.
  2. "脚踏实地，仰望星空—访中国载人航天工程总设计师周建平". Chinese Government. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  3. "future plan of space laboratory system (in Chinese)". 2008-09-29. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. "Chinese spacecraft dock in orbit". BBC News, 2011-11-02.
  5. Branigan, Tania; Sample, Ian (2011-04-26). "China unveils rival to International Space Station". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2011-04-27. China often chooses poetic names for its space projects, such as Chang'e – after the moon goddess – for its lunar probes; its rocket series, however, is named Long March, in tribute to communist history. The space station project is currently referred to as Tiangong, or "heavenly palace".
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