China To Launch 'Heavenly Harmony' Space Station Core Module (phys.org) 53
Hmmmmmm shares a report from Phys.Org: China plans to launch the core module for its first permanent space station this week in the latest big step forward for the country's space exploration program. The Tianhe, or 'Heavenly Harmony' module is set to be hurtled into space aboard a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang Launch Center on the southern island of Hainan. The launch could come as early as Thursday night if all goes as planned. It would be the first of 11 missions to build and supply the space station for a three-person crew. Another 10 launches will send up two more modules; four cargo supply shipments and four missions with crews. At least 12 astronauts are training to fly to and live in the station, including veterans of previous flights, newcomers and women.
When completed by late 2022, Tianhe is expected to weigh about 66 tons, a fraction the size of the International Space Station, which launched its first module in 1998 and will weigh about 450 tons when completed. Tianhe will have a docking port and will also be able to connect with a powerful Chinese space satellite. Theoretically, it could be expanded with more modules.
When completed by late 2022, Tianhe is expected to weigh about 66 tons, a fraction the size of the International Space Station, which launched its first module in 1998 and will weigh about 450 tons when completed. Tianhe will have a docking port and will also be able to connect with a powerful Chinese space satellite. Theoretically, it could be expanded with more modules.
It is already in orbit (Score:5, Informative)
Interesting pictures from the launch - you can clearly see different tech on the side boosters (nice blue high temperature flame) and old smoky (probably hypergolic kerosene) from the main second stage. In any case, it flew and it is already proceeding to orbital insertion.
Re: (Score:3)
The first measure of success is "did it work" not "did it use the newest tech" or "did it look shiny".
Re: (Score:2)
Did it "hurtle" properly?
Re:It is already in orbit (Score:4, Funny)
In space, no one can hear you hurtle
Re: (Score:2)
News for nerds my arse.
Interesting pictures from the launch - you can clearly see different tech on the side boosters (nice blue high temperature flame) and old smoky (probably hypergolic kerosene) from the main second stage. In any case, it flew and it is already proceeding to orbital insertion.
According to Wikipedia [wikipedia.org] it's Kerosene/LOX for the side boosters and Hydrogen/LOX for the core and second stage. That's a pretty efficient approach, and explains the relatively large core stage compared to the boosters. Only an optional third stage, probably used for GEO payloads, uses hypergolics. By the way, what do you mean by hypergolic kerosene, anyway? I'm unfamiliar with the concept.
Re: (Score:2)
He's throwing around words to look "k3wl". Nobody's using kerosine and H2O2 and catalyst. Common hypergols are things like nitrogen tetroxide and varieties of hyrdrazine.
Yes, I do know what hyperrgols are. And my late ex, who worked at the Cape for 17 years, was a specialist in hypergols.
Space satellite? (Score:2)
"will also be able to connect with a powerful Chinese space satellite"
Can someone enlighten me?
Is that unlike connecting with an underwater satellite?
(initially I comprehended _a powerful Chinese space telescope_ and thought that, Hubble being 30 years old, it was high time for a replacement or at least a sibling).
Re:Space satellite? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Space satellite? (Score:4, Interesting)
I read that they are planning to test out the ability to service satellites in-orbit. Details were a bit sparse but it will involve excursions from the station to visit the satellite and then return.
Re: (Score:1)
Will they also be able to "service" neighbors' satellites?
Re: (Score:1)
Permanent? (Score:2, Insightful)
To be in a permanent orbit, it would have to be much higher.
They'll have to keep boosting it, like the ISS, to account for atmospheric drag.
"Tianhe is expected to weigh about 66 tons"
It will mass 66 tons, but there's no weight in orbit.
Re: (Score:1)
Uh, there is weight. It's falling at exactly the rate the Earth curves away under it. That's what orbit IS.
Re: (Score:2)
"Tianhe is expected to weigh about 66 tons"
It will mass 66 tons, but there's no weight in orbit.
Thanx for the clarification, and I thought I would get hit by a 66 tons mass falling from orbit on my head.
Just don't attack them with a rasberry (Score:2)
Then a 16 ton weight will indeed fall on your head.
I guess the remaining 50 tons will continue to orbit.
Re: (Score:2)
That is good!
I feel now much more safe!
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
I don't know why this is modded up. It will, in fact, weigh almost 66 tons.
The pull of gravity in LEO is only slightly less than on the Earth's surface. This is because the distance to LEO from the Earth's surface is much less than the Earth's radius. However, an object in orbit is, by definition, in free fall, since there is no force holding it up. As a result objects in orbit, including people, experience a sense of weightlessness, even though they are not actually without weight.
3 stories, published before 00:26 am Pacific Time. (Score:4, Informative)
China launches main part of its 1st permanent space station [gwcommonwealth.com]
China successfully launches first module of its own space station [ruetir.com] (Nice photo of the launch.)
Not very lofty goals (Score:3)
I think Skylab was close to 90 tons and that was in the 70's.
Re: Not very lofty goals (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Not very lofty goals (Score:5, Interesting)
It's modular. The first Zarya module of the ISS was only 19 tonnes. They will build it up over time.
Re: (Score:1, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
66T is considerably more than a Saturn V lifted,
Saturn V was rated at 140 tons to LEO, easily lifting the 90 ton Skylab. Those were the days ... may they soon return.
Re: (Score:1)
Already launched (Score:5, Interesting)
The launched was live streamed a few hours ago at https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Even if you don't understand a word, there was a nice model of the space station shown in the first part, then you can see from the launch to after the solar panels were deployed.
Rather tough conditions of entry (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
All digital devices will be cloned and back-doors installed or you don't get any air!
So not as bad as US border entry then.
Re: (Score:2)
A backdoor in a space station makes sense!
Heavenly Harmony? (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds like an Ubuntu release.
Re: Heavenly Harmony? (Score:2)
ðY£ðY£
Re: Heavenly Harmony? (Score:2)
Forgot. No emojis on slashdot :) :) :)
Re: (Score:2)
Slashdot can't even handle text from people using Macs. Literally the one site on the internet where its a problem.
Interesting phrasing. . . (Score:2)
" At least 12 astronauts are training to fly to and live in the station, including veterans of previous flights, newcomers and women."
I'm guessing this is a translation of the Chinese press release, and yet. . . really ??
Re: (Score:2)
" At least 12 astronauts are training to fly to and live in the station, including veterans of previous flights, newcomers and women."
I'm guessing this is a translation of the Chinese press release, and yet. . . really ??
Relax. If they didn't mention women separately, someone would have complained about that as well. Remember, we live in a world where we have intense celebrations because of a "first time two women were on a spacewalk at the same time, which pretty much ignores the fact that it really isn't news. https://phys.org/news/2019-10-... [phys.org]
The virtue signalling checkboxing is really demeaning to the many women who have been spacewalking only since 1884.
Svetlana Savitskaya is the first woman spacewalker. And she is
Re: (Score:2)
The virtue signalling checkboxing is really demeaning to the many women who have been spacewalking only since 1884.
It's not really virtue signaling when women are bragging about spacewalks before airplanes flew.
That would be just called bullshitting.
- Major Mansplainer, Former Commander of the Civil War Space Force
They are more advanced than we ever knew! But yeah, 1984 is when Savitskya did the first female spacewalk Anyhow, my response is mainly as a counterpoint to the present narrative that men are preventing women from doing anything but being lower class, and the major checkboxing that claims firsts, seconds, and on and on. firsts. It's like how Spacex fans go gaga every time Elon lands a Falcon first stage.
Weapons deployment platform (Score:2)
First step in a system to deploy weapon satellites.
ISS puzzle (Score:2)
I don't understand why China is not allowed to join the ISS? It allegedly had "sensitive technologies" a couple of decades ago, but it's probably old-school tech now. Russia is up there, and they are not any friendlier than China toward the US. The ISS needs maintainers.
Heavenly? (Score:2)
Has someone told these communists that heaven is a religious concept?
Will this one Actually be in Space? (Score:2)
Will this "space" station actually be in space, or just really high upper atmosphere like the ISS?