Tiangong program

{{main|Chinese space program}}

File:Yang Liwei.jpg, first Chinese astronaut, the third country to launch a crewed spaceflight.]]

File:Chinese Astronaut Food.JPG

After the United States threatened to use nuclear weapons during the Korean War,{{cite web|last=Yue|first=Dongxiao|date=1998|url=http://www.centurychina.com/history/faq7.shtml|title=Korean War FAQ |publisher=Century China|access-date=2016-03-12}}{{cite web|last=Cooper|first=Roxanne|url=https://www.rawstory.com/2010/10/repeatedly-threatened-nukes-korea-declassified-documents/|title=US repeatedly threatened to use nukes on N. Korea: declassified documents|publisher=The Raw Story|date=2010-10-09|access-date=2016-03-12}} Mao Zedong decided that only a nuclear deterrent of its own would guarantee the security of the newly founded PRC. Thus, Mao announced his decision to develop China's own strategic weapons, including associated missiles. After the launch of mankind's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957, Mao decided to put China on an equal footing with the superpowers ("我们也要搞人造卫星"), using Project 581 with the idea of putting a satellite in orbit by 1959 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the PRC's founding. However, it would not be until 24 April 1970 that this goal would become a reality.

Mao and Zhou Enlai began the PRC's crewed space program on 14 July 1967.{{cite web|url=http://tech.tom.com/1121/1122/2005916-250955.html|title=首批航天员19人胜出 为后来积累了宝贵的经验 |website=tech.tom.com|publisher=TOM Online|date=September 16, 2005|access-date=July 24, 2008|language=zh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051222024152/http://tech.tom.com/1121/1122/2005916-250955.html|archive-date=December 22, 2005}} China's first crewed spacecraft design was named Shuguang-1 (曙光一号) in January 1968.{{cite web|editor-last=Chang|editor-first=Ying|url=http://www.cctv.com/news/china/20051005/100369.shtml|title=[焦点访谈]第一艘无人试验飞船发射成功―回首航天路（四|website=cctv.com |publisher=China Central Television|date=October 5, 2005|access-date=August 2, 2007|language=zh}} Project 714 was officially adopted in April 1971 with the goal of sending two astronauts into space by 1973 aboard the Shuguang spacecraft. The first screening process for astronauts had already ended on 15 March 1971, with 19 astronauts chosen. The program was soon cancelled due to political turmoil.

The next crewed space program was even more ambitious and was proposed in March 1986 as Project 863. This consisted of a crewed spacecraft (Project 863–204) used to ferry astronaut crews to a space station (Project 863–205). Several spaceplane designs were rejected two years later and a simpler space capsule was chosen instead. Although the project did not achieve its goals, it would ultimately become the 1992 Project 921, encompassing the Shenzhou program, the Tiangong program, and the Chinese space station.

On the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China's founding, China launched the Shenzhou 1 spacecraft on 20 November 1999 and recovered it after a flight of 21 hours. The country became the third country with a successful crewed space program by sending Yang Liwei into space aboard Shenzhou 5 on 15 October 2003 for more than 21 hours. It was a major success for Chinese space programs.

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

In 1999, Project 921-2 was finally given official authorization. Two versions of the station were studied: an 8-metric ton "space laboratory" and 20-metric ton "space station".{{citation needed|date=October 2011}} In 2000, the first model of the planned space station was unveiled at Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. This was made up of modules derived from the orbital module of the Shenzhou spacecraft. Overall length of the station would be around 20 m, with a total mass of under 40 metric tons, with possibility of expansion through addition of further modules.{{citation needed |date=October 2011}}

In 2001, Chinese engineers described a three-step process toward the realization of Project 921. The original target date for the fulfillment of the project was 2010.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}}

• First, crewed flight itself (Phase 1); this successfully occurred in 2003
• Second, the orbiting of a space laboratory (Phase 2, a scaled back version of the initial model) that would only be crewed on a short-term basis and left in an automated mode between visits
• The third phase would involve the launch of a larger space laboratory, which would be permanently crewed and be China's first true space station (Phase 3)

Originally, China planned to simply dock Shenzhou 8 and Shenzhou 9 together to form a simple space laboratory. However, it was decided to abandon that plan and launch a small space laboratory instead. In 2007, plans for an 8-metric ton "space laboratory" being launched in 2010 under the designation of Tiangong-1 were made public. This would be an eight-ton space laboratory module with two docking ports. Subsequent flights (Shenzhou 9 and Shenzhou 10) will dock with the laboratory.{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1109/29tiangonglaunch/|title=Chinese rocket successfully launches mini-space lab|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=2011-09-29|access-date=2011-10-19}}

On 29 September 2008, Zhang Jianqi ({{lang|zh|张建启}}), Vice Director of China crewed space engineering, declared in an interview of China Central Television (CCTV), it is Tiangong-1 that will be the 8-ton "target vehicle", and Shenzhou 8, Shenzhou 9, and Shenzhou 10 will all be spaceships to dock with Tiangong-1 in turn.{{cite web|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-09-29/145316381853.shtml|title=我国将于2010年-2011年发射小型空间站|trans-title=China will launch a small space station in 2010–2011|publisher=Sina News|date=2008-09-29|access-date=2020-12-30|language=zh}} On 1 October 2008, Shanghai Space Administration, which participated in the development of Shenzhou 8, stated that they succeeded in the simulated experiments for the docking of Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou 8.{{cite web|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-10-01/170014521590s.shtml|title=神八空间模拟对接初步成功|trans-title=Simulated docking of Shenzhou 8 has succeeded|publisher=Sina News|date=2008-10-01|access-date=2020-12-30|language=zh}}

In September 2010, the central government formally approved the implementation of China's manned space station project, and plans to build a large-scale, long-term manned national space laboratory around 2020.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmse.gov.cn/art/2013/11/5/art_19_510.html|date=5 November 2013|title=集大众智慧于探索融中华文化于飞天|quote=最终决定沿用“天宫”作为载人空间站的整体名称，但后面不再加序号 (The final decision was to use "Tiangong" as the overall name of the manned space station, but without the serial number at the end)}}

On 16 June 2012, Shenzhou 9 was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia, China, carrying a crew of three. The Shenzhou craft successfully docked with the Tiangong-1 laboratory on 18 June 2012, at 06:07 UTC, marking China's first crewed spacecraft docking.{{cite news|last=Amos|first=Jonathan|title=Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18481806|publisher=BBC News|date=June 18, 2012|access-date=June 21, 2012}}

On 11 June 2013, China launched Shenzhou 10 with a crew of three headed for the Tiangong-1.{{cite news|last=Harwood|first=William |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-launches-fifth-manned-space-mission/|title=China launches fifth manned space mission|publisher=CBC News|date=2013-06-11|access-date=2020-12-30}}

Tiangong-2 space laboratory launched on 15 September 2016.{{cite news |last=de Selding |first=Peter B. |url=http://spacenews.com/china-prepares-assembly-of-its-space-station-invites-collaboration-through-u-n/ |title=China prepares assembly of its space station, invites collaboration through U.N. |work=Space News |location=Paris |date=20 June 2016 |access-date=2016-09-22 }}{{cite news |url=http://www.space.com/34432-china-space-docking-tiangong-2.html|title=Chinese Astronauts Dock with Tiangong-2 Space Lab |date=2016-10-19 |access-date=2016-10-19 }} This was first crewed with Shenzhou 11 which launched on 17 October 2016 (16 October UTC) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and docked two days later.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37670842 |title=China's Shenzhou 11 blasts off on space station mission |work=BBC News |date=16 October 2016 |access-date=2016-10-17 }}

The full 60-metric ton space station will support three astronauts for long-term habitation. The core module, the Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens"), launched on 29 April 2021.{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Andrew|url=https://www.space.com/china-new-spacecraft-crewed-moon-missions.html|title=This Is China's New Spacecraft to Take Astronauts to the Moon (Photos)|publisher=SPACE.com|date=2 October 2019|access-date=1 November 2019}} The Tianhe module was first crewed with the Shenzhou 12 mission which launched and docked on 17 June 2021.{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/06/17/chinese-astronauts-enter-tiangong-space-station-for-first-time/ |title=Chinese astronauts enter Tiangong space station for first time |work=Spaceflight Now |date=17 June 2021 |access-date=18 June 2021}}

Chinese efforts to develop low Earth orbit space station capabilities will begin with a space laboratory phase, with the launch of three Tiangong test vehicles (later reduced to two).

{{Main|Tiangong-1}}

File:Tiangong 1 drawing.png

The Chinese docking target consists of a propulsion (resource) module and a pressurized module for experiments, with a docking mechanism at either end. The docking port of the experiment section supports automated docking.{{cite web|url=http://en.cmse.gov.cn/list.php?catid=55|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508014942/http://en.cmse.gov.cn/list.php?catid=55|url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-05-08|title=Tiangong I|website=cmse.gov.cn|publisher=China Manned Space Engineering Office|access-date=2011-10-26}} Its length is {{cvt|10.5|m}}, diameter is {{cvt|3.4|m}}, with a mass of {{cvt|8000|kg}}. Launched on 29 September 2011, it was intended for short stays of a crew of three. The second docking port, on the propulsion module, was kept screened from press photography inside and outside the module. It re-entered and burned up in the atmosphere on 2 April 2018, at 00:16 UTC.{{cite magazine|last=Thompson|first=Avery|url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/satellites/a22936/tiangong-falling-to-earth/|title=China Confirms Its Space Station Is Falling Back to Earth|magazine=Popular Mechanics|date=2016-09-19|access-date=2020-12-30}}

{{Main|Tiangong-2}}

File:Model of the Chinese Tiangong Shenzhou.jpg

A second and a third test station were originally planned to precede the eventual modular station. These would be {{cvt|14.4|m}} long, with a diameter of {{cvt|4.2|m}}, and weigh up to {{cvt|20000|kg}}. The second one would provide life support for a crew of 2 for 20 days, and the third one a crew of 3 for 40 days. However, all the objectives of these two stations were later merged into one project,{{cite web|url=http://www.cmse.gov.cn/art/2016/4/28/art_18_27619.html|title=脚踏实地，仰望星空——访中国载人航天工程总设计师周建平|website=cmse.gov.cn|publisher=China Manned Space Engineering Office|date=2016-04-28|access-date=2017-04-22|language=zh}} and the size scaled down to less than {{cvt|10000|kg}}.

The resulting Tiangong-2 space laboratory was launched on 15 September 2016.{{cite web|url=http://gbtimes.com/news/china-launch-tiangong-2-and-cargo-spacecraft-2015|title=China to launch Tiangong-2 and cargo spacecraft in 2015|publisher=GB Times|date=June 13, 2013|access-date=16 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618010943/http://gbtimes.com/news/china-launch-tiangong-2-and-cargo-spacecraft-2015|archive-date=2013-06-18}} The station made a controlled reentry on 19 July 2019 and burned up over the South Pacific Ocean.{{cite web|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}}

{{Main|Tiangong-3}}

A third space station proposed but later cancelled in favor of advancing to the new large modular station.{{cite web|url=http://www.china.com.cn/news/2017-11/22/content_41929256.htm |date=2017-11-22|title="天宫二号"总设计师：不再有天宫三号 五年后建成空间站|quote=“天宫二号”后，不再开发“天宫三号”，中国将直接进入空间站时代，空间站预计2022年建成 (After "Tiangong-2", no longer develop "Tiangong-3", China will directly enter the era of space station, the space station is expected to be completed in 2022)}}

{{Main|Tiangong space station}}

File:Space_food_for_Chinese_astronaut_at_NMC.jpg

China plans to build the world's third multi-module space station, to follow Mir and the International Space Station (ISS). This was dependent upon the date of OPSEK's separation from the ISS but after a statement in September 2017, the head of Roscosmos Igor Komarov said that the technical feasibility of separating the station to form OPSEK had been studied and there were now "no plans to separate the Russian segment from the ISS".{{cite magazine|last=Foust |first=Jeff|date=25 September 2017|url=https://spacenews.com/international-partners-in-no-rush-regarding-future-of-iss/|title=International partners in no rush regarding future of ISS|magazine=SpaceNews |access-date=28 December 2018}}

The previous separate components will be integrated into a space station, arranged as:

• Tianhe Core Cabin Module (CCM) – based on the Tiangong-3 "space station" and analogous to the Mir Core Module. The 18.1-meter-long core module, with a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters and a launch weight of 22 tons,{{cite news|url=http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-04/26/content_12395890.htm|title=Countdown begins for space station program|last=Xin|first=Dingding|date=2011-04-26|newspaper=China Daily|access-date=28 April 2011}} was launched first on 29 April 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/china-launches-first-tiangong-space-station-module/a-57369206|title=China launches first Tiangong space station module|website=Deutsche Welle |access-date=1 May 2021}}
• Laboratory Cabin Module I (LCM-1 Wentian) and Laboratory Cabin Module II (LCM-2 Mengtian) – based on Tiangong-2 "space laboratory". Each laboratory module is 14.4 meters long, with the same maximum diameter and launch weight of the core module.
• Shenzhou – crewed vessel
• Tianzhou ("Heavenly Vessel") – a cargo craft based on Tiangong-1 that will have a maximum diameter of {{cvt|3.35|m}} and a launch weight less than {{cvt|13|t}}, intended to transport supplies and experiments to the space station. The craft will have three versions: pressurized, unpressurized, and a combination of the two. It was first launched on the new Long March 7 launch vehicle from Wenchang on 20 April 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/tianzhou-1-china-debut-cargo-resupply-tiangong-2/ |title=Tianzhou-1 – China launches and docks debut cargo resupply|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|first=Rui C.|last=Barbosa|date=19 April 2017|access-date=5 May 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/03/china-to-launch-new-space-lab-later-this-year/|title=China to launch new space lab later this year|publisher=Spaceflight Now|first=Stephen|last=Clark|date=3 March 2016 |access-date=March 8, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/The_Next_Tiangong_999.html|title=The Next Tiangong|newspaper=Space Daily|first=Morris|last=Jones |date=March 3, 2014|access-date=2020-12-30}}

The larger station will be assembled in 2021–2022 and have a design lifetime of at least ten years. The complex will weigh approximately {{cvt|60000|kg}} and will support three astronauts for long-term habitation. The public is being asked to submit suggestions for names and symbols to adorn the space station and cargo spacecraft. "Considering past achievements and the bright future, we feel that the crewed space program should have a more vivid symbol and that the future space station should carry a resounding and encouraging name", Wang Wenbao, director of the office, said at the news conference. "We now feel that the public should be involved in the names and symbols as this major project will enhance national prestige, and strengthen the national sense of cohesion and pride", Wang said.

The core module, the Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens"), launched on 29 April 2021.

Tiangong has an orbital altitude similar to that of the ISS and has approximately one-fifth the mass.{{cite journal |first=Michael |last=Koziol |year=2022 |title=A Permanent Space Station for China |journal=IEEE Spectrum |volume=59 |issue=1 |pages=41 }}

After the success of China's crewed space launch, a Chinese official expressed interest in joining the International Space Station program.{{cite news|editor-last=Tong|editor-first=Zongli |url=http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/104019/104109/6385914.html|title=李学勇：中国希望参加国际空间站计划|newspaper=People's Daily|date=2007-10-16|language=zh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115230716/http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/104019/104109/6385914.html|archive-date=November 15, 2017}} In 2010, European Space Agency ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain stated that his agency was ready to propose to the four other partners (CSA, JAXA, NASA, and Roscosmos) that China, India, and South Korea be invited to join the ISS partnership.{{cite magazine|last=de Selding |first=Peter B.|url=https://spacenews.com/esa-chief-lauds-renewed-us-commitment-space-station-earth-science/|title=ESA Chief Lauds Renewed U.S. Commitment to Space Station, Earth Science|magazine=SpaceNews |date=2010-02-03|access-date=2020-12-30}} China has indicated a willingness to cooperate further with other countries on crewed exploration.{{cite web|title=Cooperation & Exchange |website=cmse.gov.cn|publisher=China Manned Space Engineering Office|url=http://en.cmse.gov.cn/list.php?catid=37|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508014721/http://en.cmse.gov.cn/list.php?catid=37 |url-status=dead|archive-date=May 8, 2011}}

{{Portal|China|Spaceflight}}

• Chinese space program
• Tiangong-1
• Tiangong-2
• List of human spaceflights in Tiangong Program

{{Reflist

|refs =

{{cite news|last1=Branigan|first1=Tania|last2=Sample|first2=Ian|title=China unveils rival to International Space Station|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/26/china-space-station-tiangong|access-date=2011-04-27|newspaper=The Guardian|date=2011-04-26|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".}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/03/china-preparing-to-build-tiangong-station-in-2021-complete-by-2022/|title=China preparing to build Tiangong station in 2021, complete by 2022|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|first=Rui|last=Barbosa|date=1 March 2021|access-date=2 March 2021}}

}}

{{commons category|Tiangong program}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_Might_Be_Planning_Early_Space_Station_Attempt.html|title=China Might Be Planning Early Space Station Attempt|newspaper=Space Daily|date=February 19, 2006}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050728122756/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/prot9212.htm Article on Project 921-2]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20031202233658/http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/china_plans_031016.html China plans more space missions] – October 16, 2003 article
• [http://www.worldspaceflight.com/china/921.php Details of Project 921]
• [http://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=37820 Orbit of Tiangong 1] at Heavens-Above

{{China space station}}

{{Chinese space program}}

{{Space stations}}

{{Shenzhou program}}

{{Politics of outer space}}

Category:Space program of the People's Republic of China