Chinese Manned Spaceflight

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 mission profile

Launch date: 30 May 2023
Operator: China Manned Space Agency
Contractor: CALT
Launch Vehicle: Long March 2F
Crew Members:
Astronaut Jing Haipeng(PLAAC)
Astronaut Gui Haichao(Mission Specialist, Beihai University)
Astronaut unknown female(PLAAC)
Mission Duration: 180 days

View attachment 206330

Long March 2F rolled out today for May 30 mission

 

[skywatcher]

Long March 2F rolled out today for May 30 mission
View attachment 206581

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 mission profile

Launch date: 30 May 2023
Operator: China Manned Space Agency
Contractor: CALT
Launch Vehicle: Long March 2F
Crew Members:
Astronaut Jing Haipeng(PLAAC)
Astronaut Gui Haichao(Mission Specialist, Beihai University)
Astronaut unknown female(PLAAC)
Mission Duration: 180 days

View attachment 206330

 

[skywatcher]

All the Shenzhous
Grey: uncrewed Green: crewed
19 Nov 1999 Shenzhou-1
9 Jan 2001 Shenzhou-2
25 Mar 2002 Shenzhou-3
29 Dec 2002 Shenzhou-4
15 Oct 2003 Shenzhou-5
12 Oct 2005 Shenzhou-6
25 Sep 2008 Shenzhou-7
31 Oct 2011 Shenzhou-8
16 Jun 2012 Shenzhou-9
11 Jun 2013 Shenzhou-10
17 Oct 2016 Shenzhou-11
17 Jun 2021 Shenzhou-12
16 Oct 2021 Shenzhou-13
5 June 2022 Shenzhou-14
29 Nov 2022 Shenzhou-15
30 May 2023 Shenzhou-16

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 crew members:
Astronaut Jing Haipeng, comander, PLAAC
Astronaut Zhu Yangzhu, flight engineer, PLAAC
Astronaut Gui Haichao, mission specialist, Beihang University

 

[skywatcher]

 

[skywatcher]

Upcoming event
Shenzhou-15 will return to Earth on 4 June 2023

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 has docked with CSS

Current configuration:
Tianhe + Wentian + Mengtian + Shenzhou 15+Shenzhou 16+ Tianzhou 6

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 has docked with CSS
View attachment 208034
View attachment 208035
Current configuration:
Tianhe + Wentian + Mengtian + Shenzhou 15+Shenzhou 16+ Tianzhou 6
View attachment 208031

Shenzhou-16 crew members enter CSS

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 crew members enter CSS
View attachment 208059

Interior of CSS looks more and more like Mir

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-16 has docked with CSS
View attachment 208034
View attachment 208035
Current configuration:
Tianhe + Wentian + Mengtian + Shenzhou 15+Shenzhou 16+ Tianzhou 6
View attachment 208031

Interestingly, two professors on this flight

 

[skywatcher]

 

[skywatcher]

Upcoming event
Shenzhou-15 will return to Earth on 4 June 2023

Rescue rehearsal for Shenzhou-15 landing

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-15 has undocked CSS

UTC+8
06-03 21:29: The Shenzhou 15 spacecraft evacuated the space station
06-04 05:41: Attitude adjustment at a height of about 380km
06-04 05:42: Orbit-back separation, followed by a second attitude adjustment
06-04 05:43: Back to brake start, ignition about 2 minutes and 20 seconds
06-04 05:45: End of return brake
06-04 06:07: Push back and separate, at an altitude of about 145km
06-04 06:11: Entered the black barrier area, at a height of about 80km
06-04 06:16: Out of the black barrier area
06-04 06:19: The main parachute opened at an altitude of about 10km
06-04 06:21: Throwing the heat-resistant outsole, the height is about 6km
06-04 06:31: The thrust reverser engine ignites and the return module lands

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-15 has undocked CSS

UTC+8
06-03 21:29: The Shenzhou 15 spacecraft evacuated the space station
06-04 05:41: Attitude adjustment at a height of about 380km
06-04 05:42: Orbit-back separation, followed by a second attitude adjustment
06-04 05:43: Back to brake start, ignition about 2 minutes and 20 seconds
06-04 05:45: End of return brake
06-04 06:07: Push back and separate, at an altitude of about 145km
06-04 06:11: Entered the black barrier area, at a height of about 80km
06-04 06:16: Out of the black barrier area
06-04 06:19: The main parachute opened at an altitude of about 10km
06-04 06:21: Throwing the heat-resistant outsole, the height is about 6km
06-04 06:31: The thrust reverser engine ignites and the return module lands

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-15 has undocked CSS

UTC+8
06-03 21:29: The Shenzhou 15 spacecraft evacuated the space station
06-04 05:41: Attitude adjustment at a height of about 380km
06-04 05:42: Orbit-back separation, followed by a second attitude adjustment
06-04 05:43: Back to brake start, ignition about 2 minutes and 20 seconds
06-04 05:45: End of return brake
06-04 06:07: Push back and separate, at an altitude of about 145km
06-04 06:11: Entered the black barrier area, at a height of about 80km
06-04 06:16: Out of the black barrier area
06-04 06:19: The main parachute opened at an altitude of about 10km
06-04 06:21: Throwing the heat-resistant outsole, the height is about 6km
06-04 06:31: The thrust reverser engine ignites and the return module lands

Shenzhou-15 landed this morning

 

[skywatcher]

Shenzhou-15 landed this morning
View attachment 208714

 

[skywatcher]

 

[skywatcher]

 

[skywatcher]

Mission coming up:
A Long March 2F rocket will launch Shenzhou-17 crewed spacecraft with three Chinese astronauts to dock with CSS 27 Oct 2023.