Tianhe core module

Tianhe
天和
Rendering of Tianhe core module with the robotic arm at docking position
Module statistics
COSPAR ID2021-035A
Part ofTiangong
Launch date29 April 2021, 03:23:15 UTC[1]
Launch vehicleLong March 5B (Y2)
Mass22,500 kg (49,600 lb) [2][3][4][5][6]
Length16.6 m (54 ft) [7]
Width4.2 m (14 ft) [7]
Pressurised volume113m³[6]
habitable: 51m³[6]
Tianhe
Chinese天和
Literal meaningHeaven-Peace (or Heavenly Harmony)
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTiānhé
IPA[tʰjɛ́n.xɤ̌]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationTīn-wòh
JyutpingTin1-wo4
IPA[tʰin˥wɔ˩]

Tianhe (Chinese: 天和; pinyin: Tiānhé; lit. 'Harmony of the Heavens'),[8][9] officially the Tianhe core module (Chinese: 天和核心舱), is the first module to launch of the Tiangong space station. It was launched into orbit on 29 April 2021,[1] as the first launch of the final phase of Tiangong program, part of the China Manned Space Program (Project 921).[3][5]

Tianhe follows the earlier projects Salyut, Skylab, Mir, International Space Station, Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 space stations.[10] It is the first module of a third-generation Chinese modular space station. Other examples of modular station projects include the Soviet/Russian Mir and the International Space Station. Operations will be controlled from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center.[5]

In 2018, a fullscale mockup of Tianhe was publicly presented at China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai.[11][12] In October 2020, China selected 18 new astronauts ahead of the space station construction to participate in the country's space station project.[13]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference nsf-20210301 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ecns-20130925-82217 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference cmse-20131031 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference copuos2016tech20E was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference cmse-20160427104809225 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c 朱光辰 (2022). "我国载人航天器总体构型技术发展". 航天器工程. 第31卷 (第6期): 47.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference SN20210218 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "China launches space station core module Tianhe". Xinhua. 29 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Planned space station details made public". China Daily. 26 April 2018. The core module, Tianhe, or Harmony of Heavens
  10. ^ Graham, William (23 March 2021). "Twenty years after deorbit, Mir's legacy lives on in today's space projects". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference cmse-20080917 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference chinaspaceflight-tianhe was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "China selects 18 new astronauts ahead of space station construction". SpaceNews. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.