China’s Tiangong space station

China has successfully completed construction of its space station. Tiangong (Palace in the Sky) will link up with Beijing’s planned Xuntian space telescope and host experiments in orbit, around 400km above the Earth


RUSSIA
Beijing
CHINA
Wenchang
Launch site
Hainan
INDIA


APR 2021: TIANHE (Harmony of the Heavens) launched.

Core module consists of 50 cubic metre-living quarters, service section – with communications, avionics, fuel, air and water – and docking hub


JUN 2022: Third crew launched to Tiangong aboard Shenzhou 14 spacecraft


JUL 2022: WENTIAN (Quest for the Heavens)launched. Crew oversees installation


OCT 2022: MENGTIAN (Dreaming of Heavens). Third laboratory module completes space station


Service section 

Solar panels

WENTIAN
Laboratory module

SHENZHOU (Divine Vessel)
Carries three astronauts

Propulsion module


LAUNCHER:
Long March 5B rocket. Height: 56.9m, payload: 6.0 tonnes


2023: XUNTIAN SPACE TELESCOPE (Space Sentinel) due to launch. Will orbit with Tiangong and dock for refuelling and maintenance.
Will conduct research into formation of universe and dark matter



Sources: AFP, South China Morning Post, NASA, Space.com
Picture: China National Space Administration
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