Skip to content
79,433 pages · 13,741 images · since 1994 Browse A–Z Today in space history
Encyclopedia Astronautica The full story of spaceflight
Encyclopedia entry

Tianzhou

Spacecraft · China

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Chinese space station cargo resupply ship. Designed to resupply the large multi-module Chinese space station, it began operations with the Tiangong space laboratory in 2017, years in advance of the assembly of the larger space laboratory.

The design used an extended version of the pressurized module of the Tiangong space station forward, with a new larger-diameter service module aft, which was fitted with tanks for resupply of liquids and gases required for station operations (propellants, water, oxygen). Tianzhou-1 had a mass of 12910 kg. It flew on the second Chang Zheng 7 rocket, launched from Wenchang space centre on Hainan island. Tianzhou-1 docked with the Tiangong-2 space lab, then unoccupied. This mission was mainly for technology development; the Tianzhou frieghters were to be used operationally to resupply China's future large space station.

Related

Country
China
Bibliography
2

Chronology

1 event

2017 April 20

11:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Wenchang. Launch Complex: Wenchang LC201. LV Family: CZ-NGLV. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 7.
  • Tianzhou-1 - . Nation: China. Class: Manned. Type: Manned logistics spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Shenzhou. Spacecraft: Tianzhou. Decay Date: 2017-09-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 42684 . COSPAR: 2017-021A. Apogee: 369 km (229 mi). Perigee: 311 km (193 mi). Inclination: 42.80 deg. Period: 92.36 min.

    See Tianzhou 1 (TZ 1). China's first space station cargo resupply ship. Tianzhou-1 had a mass of 12910 kg. It flew on the second Chang Zheng 7 rocket, launched from Wenchang space centre on Hainan island. Tianzhou-1 docked with the Tiangong-2 space lab, then unoccupied. This mission was mainly for technology development; the Tianzhou frieghters were to be used operationally to resupply China's future large space station. Tianzhou 1 was inserted into a 198 x 372 km x 42.8 deg initial orbit, which was then raised to 311 x 369 km. The second stage ejected the usual four motor separation covers into 200 x 550 km orbits.