The combination of the Shenzhou 15 crewed spaceship and a Long March 2F carrier rocket is being transferred to the launching area in Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Nov 21, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
JIUQUAN – The Shenzhou 15 crewed spaceship will be launched at 11:08 pm Tuesday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, announced the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Monday.
The spaceship will take three astronauts – Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming, and Zhang Lu – to carry out the Shenzhou 15 spaceflight mission. Fei will be the commander, said Ji Qiming, assistant to the director of the CMSA, at a press conference.
According to Ji Qiming, assistant to the director of the CMSA, after entering orbit, the Shenzhou 15 spaceship will make a fast, automated rendezvous and dock with the front port of the space station's core module, Tianhe
Fei once participated in the Shenzhou 6 spaceflight mission and both Deng and Zhang are newcomers to space, according to Ji.
It is the sixth flight mission of China's manned spaceflight program this year and the last one in the construction phase of China's space station, said Ji.
He added that the trio will stay in orbit for six months.
The launch will be carried out with a Long March 2F carrier rocket, which will be filled with propellant soon, Ji said.
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According to him, after entering orbit, the Shenzhou 15 spaceship will make a fast, automated rendezvous and dock with the front port of the space station's core module, Tianhe.
The astronauts will rotate with the Shenzhou 14 trio in orbit and carry out verification of long-term residence in China's space station at its three-module configuration, according to the CMSA.
The Shenzhou 15 mission will wrap up the last stage of the space station construction and kick off the first stage of its application and development, said Ji.
This undated photo shows Fei Junlong, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou 15 spaceflight mission. (PHOTO / XINHUA
This undated photo shows Deng Qingming, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou 15 spaceflight mission. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
This undated photo shows Zhang Lu, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou 15 spaceflight mission. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
The space station will then be expanded to its largest configuration with three modules and three spaceships, having a total mass of nearly 100 tonnes, Ji said.
During their stay in orbit, the Shenzhou 15 crew will witness the arrival of the Tianzhou 6 cargo craft and Shenzhou 16 manned spaceship. They will also have a work handover with the Shenzhou 16 crew in orbit.
During the stay in orbit, the Shenzhou 15 crew will witness the arrival of the Tianzhou-6 cargo craft and Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship. They will also have a work handover with the Shenzhou-16 crew in orbit
The Shenzhou 15 astronauts will return to the ground in May next year according to the plan, he said
Ready for moon landing project
Meanwhile, the space agency said China has made breakthroughs in the development of the new-generation crewed spaceship, new-generation manned carrier rocket, moon lander, and moon landing spacesuit, stepping closer to its moon landing goal.
China has completed key technology research and validation of the manned lunar exploration project, forming a moon landing implementation plan with "Chinese characteristics," said Ji.
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"China's footsteps in space exploration will not stay only in the low-Earth orbit, and we will surely fly further," Ji replied to the question of when China will land on the moon.
"The country is ready to implement the lunar landing project. I believe the dream of landing on the moon will come true in the near future," Ji said.