Member
Today is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), and during a celebration show
on the CCTV ("state media"), a model of the mini space station Sky Palace 1
is shown..... It is said that it will be in orbit in 2010-2011.
http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?i...04f21dtrz0.jpg
http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?i...04f23dtyz6.jpg
Order of Kilopi
It will only orbit for a year or so? It does look kinda small.
Et tu BAUT? Quantum mutatus ab illo.
Order of Kilopi
Interesting. Although details are hard to see this is consistent with some other artwork. A Shenzhou derived service module with a completely new laboratory.Originally Posted by Haibara
Today is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), and during a celebration show
on the CCTV ("state media"), a model of the mini space station Sky Palace 1
is shown..... It is said that it will be in orbit in 2010-2011.
http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?i...04f21dtrz0.jpg
http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?i...04f23dtyz6.jpg
What is not cvlear is where the 2nd docking port is supposed to go. Underneath perhaps? Or are the reports of two docking Shenzhou in error?
Jon
Order of Kilopi
It is, 8 tonnes supposedly, the same as Shenzhou. But it is enough to test management of an orbital facility, rendezous and docking (piloted and autonomous), and ferry exchange.
Jon.
Last edited by JonClarke; 2009-Jan-26 at 09:44 AM.
Order of Kilopi
it's cute..
Banned
They gotta start gathering their data sometime...
Good luck to them.
Order of Kilopi
The links don't work here.
Member
It is small..., 8 tons, about the same size as the ShenZhou 7.
But I think they mean it to stay there.....
A rough translation of the Chinese media:
"What we had done in the past is,
Shenzhou 1 : our first unmanned spaceship
Shenzhou 2 : our first unmanned spaceship with orbital manoeuvre capacity
Shenzhou 3 : manned flight simulation (unmanned, just a test)
Shenzhou 4 : first spaceship with living spaces for astronauts
Shenzhou 5 : first real manned space flight
Shenzhou 6 : first space flight with multiple astronauts
Shenzhou 7 : first space walk
What we will do next with the Sky Palace 1 mission is to accomplish space rendezvous.
The docking of a Shenzhou spaceship to a Sky Palace mini station.
From 2010 to 2011 we will launch Shenzhou 8, 9, and 10, to make the docking. First unmanned, then with astronauts(if unmanned attempt being successful).
Sky Palace 1 is our first 'target space vehicle'(? don't know what he mean.. made for a target goal I guess...), it is close to a simplified space lab, but mainly used to provide power and living space.
After that, from 2012 to 2015, Sky Palace 2 and 3 will be launched. Those will be real laboratories.
Using them as foundation, we will build our space station."
"To dock two spaceships in the vast space is very complicated, but we have started the research of this technique."
-----Su Shuangning, vice chief engineer of the program
"To success once doesn't mean you will always success, every single time we must start from ground 0, "
-----Zhang Jianqi, vice director of the program
---------------
Sorry guys...I can't write very well.....it is -25.3°c up here in Canada....
I have been sick for 3 weeks now.....
Order of Kilopi
You can see how it's Soyuz-derived.
Except that they took out the spheres and put in cylinders. ;-)
Order of Kilopi
Shenzhou has a similar configuration to Soyuz but in every other respect it is completely different. Different size, diffferent detailed layout, different systems. It is no more Soyuz than Orion is Apollo. Superficial similarities onceal deep differences.
Member
I seem to remember that the Chinese asked America for details of the docking adapters used on the space station and shuttles so that everyones spacecraft could dock with everyone else's, a good idea should an emergency arise.
They were refused.
One of the stupidist decisions I can remember.
So, now they have developed their own system and should the Chinese, Russians or Americans ever have an in space emergency, no-one can dock to help the other crew.
*(#@#$% brilliant.
A space walk will be in store.
Established Member
Yes, considering the retirement of shuttles and the delays in orion, shooting down a partner in manned space flight seems like a poor decision.
It isn't like the US is not cooperating with China is practically every other respect. What difference would bringing them into the ISS make?
Order of Kilopi
Do you have a reference? I've read in several places that it uses a compatible docking adaptor. They purchased a Soyuz capsule and a fair bit of documentation and other hardware from Russia, which seems easily enough to engineer their own docking adaptor.
Order of Kilopi
As I recall the Chinese bought the rights to a Russian androgynous docking system, this was used for the Shuttle-Mir missions and at least one Soyuz Mir mission. This is not compatible with the main Russian docking system which is male/female, or the US system which is an adaptation of the Russian androgynous design, but of larger diameter. The ATV uses the Russian male/female system, and the HTV will use the US system.
Jon
Order of Kilopi
That's good. I want to know the taikonauts can get help if they need it. All who fly in space, fly together.
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