Tiangong-2

{{See also|List of human spaceflights in Tiangong Program}}

The China Manned Space Engineering Office published a brief description of Tiangong-2 and its successor Tiangong-3 in 2008, indicating that at least two crewed spaceships would be launched to dock with Tiangong-2.

Tiangong-2 was originally expected to be launched by the China National Space Agency (CNSA) by 2015 {{cite web|url=http://gbtimes.com/china/china-launch-tiangong-2-and-cargo-spacecraft-2015|title=China to launch Tiangong-2 and cargo spacecraft in 2015|newspaper=GB Times|date=13 June 2013|access-date=16 June 2013|archive-date=18 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318231956/http://gbtimes.com/china/china-launch-tiangong-2-and-cargo-spacecraft-2015|url-status=dead}} to replace the prototype module Tiangong-1, which was launched in September 2011.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15089720 "Tiangong-1 launch betrays China's earthly ambitions"] BBC News 29 September 2011 Retrieved 21 November 2011 In March 2011, Chinese officials stated that Tiangong-2 was scheduled to be launched by 2015.{{cite news|last=David|first=Leonard|title=China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals |url=http://www.space.com/11048-china-space-station-plans-details.html|access-date=9 March 2011|publisher=SPACE.com|date=11 March 2011|quote=China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to the large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies.}} An uncrewed cargo spacecraft will dock with the station, allowing for resupply.[http://thespacereview.com/archive/1565a.pdf "China manned spaceflight program"] The Space Review 15 October 2009 Retrieved 21 November 2011

In September 2014, its launch was postponed to September 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinas_Space_Station_is_Still_On_Track_999.html|title=China's Space Station is Still on Track|author=Morris Jones|publisher=SpaceDaily|date= 11 September 2014}} Plans for visits in October 2016 by the crewed mission Shenzhou 11 and the uncrewed resupply craft Tianzhou were made public.{{cite news|url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_to_launch_second_space_lab_in_2016_official_999.html|title=China to launch second space lab in 2016: official|date=10 September 2014|publisher=SpaceDaily|agency=AFP}} The station was successfully launched from Jiuquan aboard a Long March 2F rocket on 15 September 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goRzJM4PIEI|title=China successfully launches Tiangong-2 space lab|publisher=CCTV News|date= 15 September 2016}} Shenzhou 11 (Only Expedition) successfully docked with Tiangong-2 on 19 October 2016.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

Aboard the Shenzhou 11, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, were Commander Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong who formed the inaugural crew for the space laboratory.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/20/two-crewed-space-stations-now-orbiting-earth-spacewatch|title=Two crewed space stations now orbiting Earth |last=Clark|first=Stuart|date=2016-10-20|newspaper=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2016-10-22}} It was China's first crewed mission for more than three years.

During the 30 days the two astronauts were aboard Tiangong-2, they conducted a number of scientific and technical experiments on the physiological effects of weightlessness, tests on human-machine collaboration on in-orbit maintenance technology and released an accompanying satellite successfully. Accompanying photography and near-distance fly-by observation were also carried out. They collected abundant data and made some achievements in programs of gamma-ray burst polarimeter, space cold atomic clock and preparation of new materials.{{cite web |url=http://china.org.cn/china/2016-11/19/content_39742416.htm|title=SCIO briefing on China's Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11 manned space mission|publisher=China.org.cn|access-date=24 November 2016|date=19 November 2016}}

Shenzhou 11 separated from the orbiting Tiangong-2 space laboratory on 17 November 2016, reentry module landed successfully at the expected site in central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about 13:59 Beijing Time.

On 22 April 2017, the cargo vessel Tianzhou-1 successfully docked with Tiangong-2 marking the first successful docking and refuelling with the orbiting space laboratory. It subsequently performed a second docking and refueling on 15 June 2017. On 12 September 2017, Tianzhou-1 performed the third and final docking and refuelling with Tiangong-2, with what is termed a fast docking which took 6.5 hours, rather than 2 days, to complete.{{cite web|url=https://gbtimes.com/chinas-tianzhou-1-cargo-craft-and-tiangong-2-space-lab-perform-final-orbital-docking|title=China's Tianzhou-1 cargo craft and Tiangong-2 space laboratory perform final orbital docking|newspaper=GB Times|date=12 September 2017|access-date=15 September 2017|archive-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815164519/https://gbtimes.com/chinas-tianzhou-1-cargo-craft-and-tiangong-2-space-lab-perform-final-orbital-docking|url-status=dead}}

In June 2018, Tiangong-2 performed orbital maneuvers lowering the orbit to 292 × 297 kilometers, likely in preparation for deorbiting. It then returned to its usual orbit.{{cite web |url=http://spacenews.com/china-appears-to-be-preparing-to-deorbit-its-tiangong-2-space-lab/|title=China appears to be preparing to deorbit its Tiangong 2 space lab|author=Andrew Jones|publisher=SpaceNews |date=20 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencealert.com/tiangong-2-chinese-space-station-lowers-in-altitude-no-explanation|title=China's Space Station Got Weirdly Close to Earth For a Few Days and the Government Isn't Talking|author=Michelle Starr|publisher=Science Alert|date=25 June 2018}}

In July 2019, the China Manned Space Engineering Office announced that it was planning to deorbit Tiangong-2 in the near future, but no specific date was given.{{cite news|title=China set to carry out controlled deorbiting of Tiangong-2 space lab|first=Andrew|last=Jones|publisher=SpaceNews|date=12 July 2019|url=https://spacenews.com/china-set-to-carry-out-controlled-deorbiting-of-tiangong-2-space-lab/ |access-date=17 July 2019}} The station subsequently made a controlled reentry on 19 July 2019 and burned up over the South Pacific Ocean.{{cite news|title=China has deorbited its experimental space station|newspaper=The Verge|first=Andrew|last=Liptak|date=20 July 2019|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/20/20701831/china-tiangong-2-deorbited-experimental-space-station|access-date=21 July 2019}}

The dimensions of Tiangong-2 were:

• Crew size: 2, with 30 days of life support resources. The crew (from Shenzhou 11, October 2016) consists of two astronauts.
• Length: {{cvt|10.4|m}}.{{cite news|title=China unveils rival to International Space Station|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/26/china-space-station-tiangong|access-date=27 April 2011|newspaper=The Guardian|date=26 April 2011|quote=China often chooses poetic names for its space projects, such as Chang'e – after the moon goddess – for its lunar probes; its rocket series, however, is named Long March, in tribute to communist history. The space station project is currently referred to as Tiangong, or "heavenly palace".|location=London|first1=Tania|last1=Branigan|first2=Ian |last2=Sample}}
• Maximum diameter: {{cvt|4.2|m}}.
• Mass: {{cvt|8600|kg}}.

{{main|Chinese space station}}

Tianhe is the core module of the Chinese space station. The core module and its other parts launched between 2021 and 2022.

{{Portal|Spaceflight|China}}

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{{Reflist

|refs =

{{cite web|url=https://chinaspacereport.wordpress.com/spacecraft/tiangong2/|title=Tiangong 2|date=15 May 2016 |publisher=China Space Report|access-date=2022-10-04}}

{{cite news|last1=Hunt|first1=Katie|last2=Bloom|first2=Deborah|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/15/asia/china-launches-tiangong-2-space-lab/|title=China launches Tiangong-2 space lab |publisher=CNN News|date=15 September 2016|access-date=2016-09-15}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.space-track.org/basicspacedata/query/class/tle_latest/ORDINAL/1/NORAD_CAT_ID/41765/orderby/TLE_LINE1%20ASC/format/3le|title=Space-Track.Org API Access|website=space-track.org|date=2016-09-22|access-date=2016-09-15}}

{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/16/c_135689907.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916014824/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/16/c_135689907.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 September 2016|title=Tiangong-2 takes China one step closer to space station|publisher=Xinhua News Agency |date=2016-09-16|editor=huaxia|access-date=2016-09-16}}

{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/16/c_135690978.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917132353/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/16/c_135690978.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 September 2016|title=Tiangong-2 space lab may exceed 5 years service life: expert|agency=Xinhua News Agency |date=2016-09-16|access-date=2016-09-16}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/apr/22/tiangong-1-chinas-first-cargo-spacecraft-docks-with-orbiting-space-lab|title=Tiangong-2: China's first cargo spacecraft docks with orbiting space lab|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 April 2017|access-date=22 April 2017}}

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• {{Commons category-inline|Tiangong-2}}

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