Shenzhou 17
{{Short description|2023 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong space station}}
{{infobox spaceflight
| name = Shenzhou 17
| image = 神舟十七号船箭组合体转运至发射区 计划近日择机实施发射1.png
| image_caption = Shenzhou 17 atop a Long March 2F prior to launch
| mission_type = Tiangong space station crew transport
| operator = China Manned Space Agency
| mission_duration = {{time interval|26 October 2023 03:14|30 April 2024 09:46|show=dhm}}
| spacecraft_type = Shenzhou
| manufacturer = China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
| crew_EVAs = 2
| crew_EVA_duration = 15 hours 17 minutes
| crew_photo = 神舟十七号航天员乘组 Shenzhou 17 crew 20231026 1.jpg
| crew_members = Tang Hongbo
Tang Shengjie
Jiang Xinlin
| crew_size = 3
| crew_photo_caption = Jiang Xinlin, Tang Hongbo and Tang Shengjie
| launch_date = 26 October 2023, 03:14:02 UTC{{cite tweet |author=China 'N Asia Spaceflight |user=CNSpaceflight |number=1714866189598597417 |title=Long March 2F Y17 with Shenzhou-17 on the top has been rolled out to the launch pad in Jiuquan. The launch of 3 astronauts is expected to happen on October 26 |date=19 October 2023}}
| launch_rocket = Long March 2F
| launch_site = Jiuquan, LA-4/SLS
| launch_contractor = China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
| landing_date = 30 April 2024, 09:46 UTC
| landing_site = Inner Mongolia, China
| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit
| orbit_regime = Low Earth orbit
| orbit_inclination = 41.5°
{{Infobox spaceflight/Dock
| docking_target = Tiangong space station
|docking_port = Tianhe forward
| docking_date = 26 October 2023, 09:46 UTC{{Cite web |title=China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docks with space station combination-Xinhua |url=https://english.news.cn/20231026/51d607fab46a40ba9a65213a49bc8c9c/c.html |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=english.news.cn}}
| undocking_date = 30 April 2024, 00:43 UTC{{cite web| title=China's Shenzhou-17 separates from space station combination, starts journey home| url=https://english.news.cn/20240430/d53e7825a89248368115d7e91139e2ec/c.html| access-date=2024-04-30 | website=english.news.cn}}
| time_docked = {{time interval|26 October 2023 09:46|30 April 2024 00:43|show=dhm}}
}}
| insignia = Shenzhou 17 mission patch.png
| insignia_caption = Mission patch
| programme = China Manned Space Program
| previous_mission = Shenzhou 16
| next_mission = Shenzhou 18
}}
Shenzhou 17 ({{zh|s=神舟十七号|p=Shénzhōu Shíqī-hào|l=Divine Boat Number 17}}) was a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 26 October 2023. It carried three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission was the twelfth crewed Chinese spaceflight and the seventeenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.
Background
Shenzhou 17 was the sixth spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, lasting just over six months.
The spacecraft entered the launch area in April 2023, prior to launch was maintained in a state of near-readiness if needed as a lifeboat for the Shenzhou 16 crew.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Andrew |date=2023-05-29 |title=China launches 3 astronauts to Tiangong space station on Shenzhou 16 spacecraft (video) |url=https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-16-astronauts-launch-tiangong-space-station |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=Space.com |language=en}}
The crew of Shenzhou 17 was announced on 25 October 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-25 |title=China unveils Shenzhou-17 crew for space station mission-Xinhua |url=https://english.news.cn/20231025/76e89240a91540898bf202b8b2845e6c/c.html |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=english.news.cn}}
Mission
The flight launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 26 October 2023 at 09:46 UTC, near the end of the Shenzhou 16 mission. Approximately 6.5 hours after launch, the spacecraft docked with the Tianhe core module's forward docking port.
Following docking, the crew entered the station and were greeted by the crew of Shenzhou 16, with whom they would share a four-day overlap between the two missions prior to Shenzhou 16's departure. The two crews sent a televised message to Mission Control as part of a handover ceremony, which was also livestreamed by Chinese national television broadcaster CCTV.{{Cite web |last=Wall |first=Mike |date=2023-10-26 |title=China's Shenzhou 17 astronauts arrive at Tiangong space station (video) |url=https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-17-astronauts-arrive-tiangong-space-station |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=Space.com |language=en}}
The mission ended on 30 April 2024, 9:46 UTC with a landing near the launch site in Inner Mongolia.
= Spacewalks =
On 21 December 2023, the first scheduled spacewalk of Shenzhou 17 was carried out by Tang Hongbo and Tang Shengjie through the airlock of the Wentian lab module. Tasks included a repair test of the Tianhe core module's solar panels, which have sustained minor damage caused by impacts of space debris and micrometeoroids. The spacewalk lasted for 7 hours and 25 minutes.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-22 |title=Shenzhou-17 crew completes first spacewalk – China Military |url=http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/TopStories_209189/16275490.html |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=eng.chinamil.com.cn}}
On 2 March 2024, the second scheduled spacewalk of Shenzhou 17 was carried out by Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin through the airlock of the Wentian lab module. Tasks included maintenance of the solar panels of the Tianhe core module, evaluation and analysis of the performance status of the solar panel power generation and also inspection of the status of the space station modules. The spacewalk lasted for 7 hours and 52 minutes.{{cite web|title=Shenzhou-17 crew completes in-orbit repairs during 2nd extravehicular mission|url=https://english.news.cn/20240302/2ff9eac993934261a189941c4bf22080/c.html|publisher=Xinhua|access-date=2 March 2024|date=2 March 2024}}
Crew
{{Spaceflight crew|terminology=Crew member
|position1=Commander|crew1_up={{flagicon|China}} Tang Hongbo
|position2=Operator|crew2_up={{flagicon|China}} Tang Shengjie
|position3=System Operator|crew3_up={{flagicon|China}} Jiang Xinlin
|agency1_up=CMSA|agency2_up=CMSA|agency3_up=CMSA|flights1_up=Second|flights2_up=First|flights3_up=First}}Commander Tang Hongbo is the first person to visit the station twice, having previously flown to Tiangong on Shenzhou 12. Tang Shengjie is also the youngest taikonaut to perform a spacewalk.
See also
References
{{Tiangong space station}}
{{Orbital launches in 2023}}
{{Portal bar|China|Spaceflight}}