By 
September 9th, 2016
Frame grab Image of Tiangong-2 via CCTV/GB Times
China’s next space laboratory — Tiangong-2 – is being prepared for liftoff at northwest China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The launch of the un-crewed space module is set to occur between September 15 – September 20th, according to a CCTV-Plus report.
Final prep stage
Tiangong-2 atop its Long March booster was rolled out from an assembly building along a 1.5-kilometer-long seamless rail track, with the rocket being covered by the tower on the launch site.
“In the final preparing stage, further tests and installation work will be carried out, as the components like stabilizing fin for rocket booster has not been installed yet,” explains the video report.
Piloted Shenzhou-11
As China’s second orbiting space lab, Tiangong-2 is a part of the Project 921-2 space station program, with the goal of creating a third generation space station.
China’s Shenzhou-11 piloted spacecraft in testing.
Credit: CCTV/framegrab via GBTimes.
In October, two still unnamed Shenzhou-11 male pilots are to link up with the Tiangong-2. They would stay onboard the module for 30-days.
Next year, the Tiangong-2 is to be visited by China’s first refueling and cargo vessel, Tianzhou-1. Due for liftoff in the first half of next year, the unpiloted ferry vehicle would be launched via a Long March 7 rocket from the new Wenchang spaceport.
China’s 60-ton medium-size space station is depicted in this artwork.
Credit: CNSA
Modular space station
All this action is prelude to China’s progression to a larger, 60-ton modular space station for the 2020s.
The core module for the Chinese space station — Tianhe-1 — is reportedly due for launch in 2018, hurled into orbit by China’s heavy-lift Long March 5 booster. That rocket is set to make its maiden flight next month, departing from Wenchang.
Take a look at launch preparations for Tiangong-2 by going to:
http://pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/0909/8031710_Preview_1473418271593.mp4
Posted in Space News
