[FPSPACE] Tiangong summary

Fri Oct 3 14:00:17 EDT 2008

Hi everyone - 

Once more, please forgive me for the brevity and typos. My summary is at the end. As Morris Jones pointed out in his piece today, China will have to test two technologies: SZ endurance as well as docking. Note the name changes with the introduction of "Tiangong". [MY COMMENTS ARE IN CAPS IN BRACKETS.]

THREE STAGES TO 2020:
Spacewalk Mission Set for 2008 - Official
China National Space Administration

Feb. 24, 2006 - /By Guan Xiaomeng - Chinadaily.com.cn/ - Sources from the China Manned Space Flight Engineering Office said that the Shenzhou-7 space flight, China's third manned space flight, would be launched in 2008 with the mission of a space walk. Wang Zhougui, director of the office, revealed in a lecture in that the development of China's space program would take three steps in the near future: First, Shenzhou-7 will carry astronauts to space for a space walk in 2008; second, Shenzhou-8 will fly into space with the more significant mission of a space dock; and third, China will establish her own space station, third only after the United States and former Soviet Union... Shenzhou-8, with the mission of a space dock, will be launched around 2009 to 2011. Wang continued to explain that the space docks refer to those between two space flights or between a space flight and a space capsule. "We will be able to carry out space aid, space cooperation, and other high-level space missions once we succeed in space docks," Wang said, forecasting a fine future for China's manned space program.

[THE THREE STEP MANNED PROGRAM PARALLELS THE THREE STEP LUNAR, LAYIN THE BASIS FOR A FINAL GO AHEAD ON CAPS IN 2016 OR 2021.]

1) NOTE THE NAME CHANGE FROM SHENZOU TO TIANGONG NOW, AND THE RENUMBERING OF THE SZ MISSIONS.

AstroExpo.com V4.0 - News Detail
CHINA NATIONAL SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Posted: 11/4/2005
CHINA PLANS TO PUT THREE MEN IN SPACE BY 2007
BEIJING, Nov. 3, 2005 - /Xinhua/ - China plans to put three men into space within the next two years as it looks ahead to an orbiting space station and a mission to the moon, the Reuters reported.China last month successfully completed its second manned space mission aboard the Shenzhou VI, and is now developing a series of new craft up to the Shenzhou X, two Beijing newspapers said.

The Shenzhou VII would carry three people and be launched within the next two years, the Beijing Morning Post said. But the Shenzhou VIII and IX [NOW TIANGONG 1 AND 2?] would only carry equipment for the planned orbiting space station, the newspaper said, quoting chief rocket designer Liu Zhusheng. Shenzhou X [NOW SHENZHOU 8?] would carry the people who will work in the space station, Liu told the newspaper, without giving a timeframe for its launch.But he said once the space station project got under way, Shenzhou VIII, VI and X could be launched within a month of each other. "Once one part has gone up, we need to immediately send up the next bit to connect it, so we'll carry out a series of quick launches in succession," Zhu said. [NOTE THE NEED FOR MUCH QUICKER LAUNCHES.]

China is also designing a rocket that can carry a payload of 25 tonnes into space [THIRD STEP], up from a present limit of eight tonnes, the Beijing News said, though it would unlikely be ready for another six-and-a-half years. Another objective is to put a man on the moon, but that plan could be complicated due to China's current inability to land and then recover a craft from the surface, the report said."Though we have already achieved a high level of successful technology, success does not necessarily mean the technology is mature," the newspaper quoted another rocket designer, Yang Hong, as saying...

China has run its ambitious space programme on a relative shoestring. State media has put the cost of developing the whole Shenzhou programme at about $2.3 billion, a fraction of the $16 billion budget of NASA, the US space agency, for 2005 alone. [THE BUDGET WILL HAVE TO BE INCREASED TO PAY FOR THE STEP 2 TIANGONG PROGRAM]

DATES
Spacewalk Mission Set for 2008 
China National  Space Administration

Feb. 24, 2006 - /By Guan Xiaomeng - Chinadaily.com.cn/ - Sources from the China Manned Space Flight Engineering Office said that the Shenzhou-7 space flight, China's third manned space flight, would be launched in 2008 with the mission of a space walk. Wang Zhougui, director of the office, revealed in a lecture in that the development of China's space program would take three steps in the near future: First, Shenzhou-7 will carry astronauts to space for a space walk in 2008; second, Shenzhou-8 will fly into space with the more significant mission of a space dock; and third, China will establish her own space station, third only after the United States and former Soviet Union...

Shenzhou-8, with the mission of a space dock, will be launched around 2009 to 2011 [2010]. Wang continued to explain that the space docks refer to those between two space flights or between a space flight and a space capsule. "We will be able to carry out space aid, space cooperation, and other high-level space missions once we succeed in space docks," Wang said, forecasting a fine future for China's manned space program.

ZHANG STATEMENT
Zhang Jianqi, Deputy Designer in  chief, manned Space program of China 

"After Shenzhou 7, we will build a space laboratory, called Tiangong 1. We will then launch  Shenzhou 8, 9 and 10. Docking technology will be tested on systems un-piloted [TG1 and TG2?], then piloted [SZ8?]. All these missions are within the framework of the first phase of the second stage." 

Zhang also explained why Tiangong 1 [TG1 or TG2?] will be like a miniature space laboratory. It weighs some eight tons, just like the Shenzhou vessel. Tiangong 1 will carry out a docking misson with a spaceship. [TG1 and TG2 NOW DOCK WITH SZ8?]

"Four launchings will be done in two years - Tiangong [TG1 and TG2?] and Shenzhou 8, 9 and 10 -, because Tiangong 1 [TG1 and TG2? OR JUST TG2?] does not have a lifespan of two years." When Shenzhou 10 finishes docking, we says Zhang Jianqi, the program will go forward with the objective of building a permanent space station. 

"We carry initial proposals for the third step [the station, not to be confused with the lab], and prepare the proposals to carry it out it. The proposals will be submitted to the central government for ratification. We envisage to complete the space station about 2020. For that purpose, we must send the central module of the station [lab?] into space, which will enable us to master docking technology." China will undertake a second round of selection of astronauts for the more demanding mission which will supplement [sic] l' orbital docking.

CHEN LAN SUMMARY 1:

- China will launch Tiangong-1, 2, 3 spacecraft between 2010 and 2015. TG-1 will be the docking target (probably a modified OM) and TG-2 and 3 will be the 8t class mini-station, or the Spacelab. There will be two unmanned vehicles (SZ-8 and 9) and 5 manned ships to visit these TGs during this period. [CHEN - AS THE COUNT CHANGES LATER ON, IT APPEARS THAT THE NAME CHANGE THREW YOU OFF AS WELL.]

CHEN LAN SUMMARY 2: 
The statement in the CCTV link, by Zhang Jianqi, head of the manned program, is so far the most reliable official statement. It is consistent with the official manned program web site (www.cmse.gov.cn). Others may be from various scientists (some of them are even not involved in the program) or just conceptual designs (remember those modified ISS drawings).

2. TG-1, 2, 3 are unlikely connected. As I know, TG-1 is just a docking target that lacks many facilities needed by scientific experiments. It even has not a sustainable life support system (just a guess). In initial reports, TG-1 is not called a spacelab. TG-2 and 3 will be real mini-stations capable of human living and working inside them. IMO, with only two years of designed life and not designed for modular station, it doesn't make sense to dock them together. There are no any reports indicating TG-2 and 3 will become a modular station. 

3. The plan calls for 3 lab launches and 8 Shenzhous in the period of 2010 - 2015 (source: CMSE web site) [11 LAUNCHES IN A 5 YEAR PERIOD, 2 PER YEAR, UP FROM 1/2 PER YEAR NOW. IT APPEARS THAT AS CZ5 COMES INTO PRODUCTION, IT WILL FREE UP LAUNCHERS FOR CHINA'S MANNED SPACE PROGRAM. OR IS IT JUST TG1, TG2, SZ8, SZ9, SZ10?] But I think actual launches are very likely delayed into the second half of the next decade. As for reboosting capability, the lab itself and two docking Shenzhous will be enough during the active working period (definitely less than 2 years, most likely one year or a little more). All these labs will be launched by CZ-2F/G from Jiuquan and maybe some of Shenzhous launched by CZ-2F/H (a new model using YF-100 LOX/Kerosene engine). [CONVERSION OF EXISTING LAUNCHER PRODUCTION LINE AND LAUNCH FACILITIES TO NON-TOXIC PROPELLANTS, IN ADDITION TO CZ5]

4. I haven't seen reports with details of the fuel transfer tech. But I know the plan of the cargo ship with fuel transfer capability(5,5t up cargo, ATV class). It will be launched from Hainan by CZ-5 after 2014. The station will come as late as 2020. But it may be earlier. According to Zhang, the worse case is with only the core module. Please note that in Chinese reports, 2020 is the date of "completion", which I understand "workable", with a core and without other modules. If there is a gap between TG-3 and the station, it is possible coming with the TG-4 or something we do not know now.

SUMMARY: 

2010 TG1, the core with solar panels, launches around 2010. It docks UNMANNED with TG2, the first mini-lab. Some months therafter, SZ8 docks. then SZ 9 and SZ 10. 

As SZ lifetime is unknown, perhaps TG1 replaces the Orbital Module of a SZ, and is used for the lifetime test.

So two manned missions to lab per year (or is it one per year: SZ8, SZ9, SZ10?), of unknown length - say anywhere from 3 to 6 months, using the SZs for station keeping maneuvers, through to 2014. SZ mission count varies, as do TG names. 

2012 - TG2 undocked, TG3 attached to TG1? New technologies and equipment, or will TG3 be added to TG1-TG2? I suppose that fundamentally that is unknown now, and will depend on TG2 performance, budgets, launchers.

E.P. Grondine
Man and Impact in the Americas - a great book if I do say so, and likely to become collectable. Contact me off list about obtaining personally signed copies.

Does anyone know the status of SpaceX's Dragon spaceship?

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