Tianzhou (spacecraft) explained

Tianzhou
Image Alt:	Tianzhou 2 cargo spacecraft prior to launch
Manufacturer:	CASC
Operator:	CMSA
Applications:	Tiangong Space Station resupply
Spacecraft Type:	Automated cargo spacecraft
Launch Mass:	13500kg (29,800lb) (basic); 14000kg (31,000lb) (improved)
Payload Capacity:	6900kg (15,200lb) (basic); 7400kg (16,300lb) (improved)
Dimensions:	10.6mx3.35mm (34.8feetx10.99feetm)
Volume:	40m^2^[1]
Status:	Active
Built:	8
Orders:	1
Launched:	8
Operational:	1
First:	Tianzhou 1
Last:	Tianzhou 8
Derivedfrom:	Tiangong-1
Stagedata:	Engines: 4× 490 N main engines, 32 attitude control engines (25, 120, 150 N thrust)^[2]

The Tianzhou is a Chinese automated cargo spacecraft developed from China's first prototype space station Tiangong-1 to resupply its modular space station. It was first launched (Tianzhou 1) on the Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang on April 20, 2017 and demonstrated autonomous propellant transfer (space refueling).^[3]

The first version of Tianzhou has a mass of 13,500 kg and can carry 6,500 kg of cargo. Tianzhou-6 is the first improved version of the spacecraft to be launched into orbit; it has a mass of about 14,000 kg and can transport 7,400 kg of cargo.^[4]

Function

Based on the Tiangong-1 space station, the Tianzhou functions as the main automated cargo spacecraft for the Tiangong space station. It has pressurized, semi-pressurized and unpressurized cargo capabilities, and is able to transport airtight cargo, large extravehicular payloads and experiment platforms. It was first launched on the new Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang on April 20, 2017.^[5]

Name

The China Manned Space Engineering Office opened a consultation for the naming of the prospective cargo ship on April 25, 2011. By May 20, it had received more than 50,000 suggestions. On July 8, Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut and deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that they had a short list of ten names. On October 31, 2013, it was revealed that the spacecraft had been named Tianzhou, combining the Chinese names of the Tiangong space stations and the Shenzhou spacecraft. They also stated that they would use the two letter identification TZ.

Missions

Tianzhou spacecraft were initially flown to the Tiangong space station every 6 months. From Tianzhou 6 onward, missions have been flown with the new version of Tianzhou with increased cargo capacity, allowing the launch frequency to be reduced to three ships every two years.^[6]

Mission	Launch (UTC)	Carrier Rocket	Launch Pad	Docking (UTC)	Deorbit (UTC)	Remarks
				Station/ Port		Docking	Undocking
Tianzhou 1	20 April 2017, 11:41	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tiangong-2 forward	21 April 2017, 04:16	22 September 2017, 08:15	22 September 2017, 10:00	Maiden flight of the Tianzhou spacecraft. Only Tianzhou flight to Tiangong-2.	^[7]
Tianzhou 2	29 May 2021, 12:55	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	29 May 2021, 21:01	27 March 2022, 07:59	31 March 2022, 10:40	First Tianzhou flight to the Tiangong space station.	^[8] ^[9] ^[10] ^[11]
Tianzhou 3	20 September 2021, 07:10	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	20 September 2021, 14:08	17 July 2022, 02:59	27 July 2022, 03:31		^[12] ^[13] ^[14]
Tianzhou 4	9 May 2022, 17:56	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	10 May 2022, 00:54	9 November 2022, 06:55	14 November 2022, 23:21		^[15]
Tianzhou 5	12 November 2022, 02:03	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	12 November 2022, 04:10	11 September 2023, 08:46	12 September 2023, 02:13		^[16]
Tianzhou 6	10 May 2023, 13:22	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	10 May 2023, 21:16	12 January 2024, 08:02	19 January 2024, 12:37		^[17]
Tianzhou 7	17 January 2024, 14:27	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	17 January 2024, 17:46	10 November 2024, 08:30	17 November 2024, 13:25		^[18]
Tianzhou 8	15 November 2024, 15:13	nowrap	Long March 7	nowrap	Wenchang, LC201	Tianhe aft	15 November 2024, 18:32				^[19]

See also

• Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
  • Progress spacecraft – an expendable cargo vehicle currently in use by the Russian Federal Space Agency
  • Automated Transfer Vehicle – a retired expendable cargo vehicle used by the ESA
  • Cygnus spacecraft – an expendable cargo vehicle developed by Northrop Grumman under American CRS program, currently in use.
  • H-II Transfer Vehicle – an expendable cargo vehicle currently in use by JAXA
  • Dream Chaser Cargo System - a cargo variant of the reusable SNC's spaceplane with Shooting Star module.
  • Dragon cargo spacecraft - a reusable cargo vehicle developed by SpaceX, under American CRS program, currently in use.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 天舟货运飞船到底长啥样 40立方米的货物舱共有208个货格. 2021-05-31 . 新華網. zh-hans . 2022-11-13.
2. Lei . Jianyu . Jia . Dongyong . Bai . Mingsheng . Feng . Yong . Li . Xingqian . 2023 . Research and Development of the Tianzhou Cargo Spacecraft . Space: Science & Technology . 3 . 10.34133/space.0006 . 2692-7659 . free.
3. News: Chinese space station freighter concludes refueling demo mission . Spaceflight Now . Stephen . Clark . 17 September 2017 . 5 May 2018.
4. Web site: Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft reaches China's Tiangong space station . Jones . Andrew . spacenews.com . 10 May 2023 . 10 May 2023.
5. News: Tianzhou-1 – China launches and docks debut cargo resupply . . Rui C. . Barbosa . 19 April 2017 . 5 May 2018.
6. Web site: 《面对面》专访白明生总师：陪伴"天舟家族"走过的日子-中国空间技术研究院 . Bai Mingsheng: The days of accompanying "Tianzhou family" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230306054159/https://www.cast.cn/news/7394 . 2023-03-06 . 2023-03-06 . www.cast.cn.
7. Web site: Clark . Stephen . China's Tianzhou 1 cargo carrier docks with space lab in orbit . Spaceflight Now . 22 April 2017 . 24 April 2021.
8. Web site: 长征七号遥三火箭 • 天舟二号货运飞船 • LongMarch-7 Y3 • Tianzhou-2 . spaceflightfans.cn . 21 April 2021 . 25 May 2021 . zh . 11 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210611233243/http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz-7-tianzhou-2 . dead .
9. Web site: Jones . Andrew . China preparing Tianzhou-2 cargo mission to follow upcoming space station launch . . 13 April 2021 . 24 April 2021.
10. Web site: Graham . William . China launches Tianzhou 2, first cargo mission to new space station . NASASpaceFlight.com . 29 May 2021 . 29 May 2021.
11. Web site: Jones . Andrew . Tianzhou-2 docks with China's space station module . SpaceNews.com . 29 May 2021 . 29 May 2021.
12. Web site: China rolls out rocket for Tianzhou 3 cargo mission ahead of Monday launch (Photos). . 17 September 2021.
13. Web site: Tianzhou-3 spacecraft docks with Chinese space station. 20 September 2021. spacenews.com. 21 September 2021.
14. Web site: 【2021年9月待定】长征七号 • 天舟三号货运飞船 • LongMarch 7 Y4 • Tianzhou-3 . spaceflightfans.cn . 21 April 2021 . 24 April 2021 . zh . 26 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210426190502/http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz7-tianzhou-3 . dead .
15. 1503871793576411137 . China Spaceflight . CNSpaceflight . 16 March 2022 . According to a travel agency, Long March 7 Y5 will launch Tianzhou 4 on MAY 10..
16. Web site: 【2022年10月待定】长征七号 • 天舟五号货运飞船 • LongMarch 7 Y6 • Tianzhou-5 . spaceflightfans.cn . 21 April 2021 . 24 April 2021 . zh . 4 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210804124927/http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz-7-tianzhou-5 . dead .
17. Web site: 关于招募首颗中国高职科普卫星"金陵号" 暨中国青少年科普卫星（八一08星）工程研制团队的通知 . Notice on Recruiting the Engineering Development Team of the First Chinese Higher Vocational Science Satellite "Jinling" and the Chinese Youth Science Satellite (August 08) . zh . 9 May 2022 . 9 May 2022.
18. Web site: Tianzhou 7 . 17 January 2024 . 17 January 2024.
19. Web site: Tianzhou 8 . 14 November 2024.