By 
December 30th, 2022
Image credit: CCTV Video News Agency/CMSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China’s space station has undergone rigorous in-orbit testing as the country prepares its off-world outpost for a long-term operational stage.
Now onboard the facility and busy at work on a six-month voyage, Shenzhou-15 crew members: Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu. This trio of taikonauts entered the space station on November 30.
If all goes according to schedule, the Shenzhou-15 mission will wrap up the last period of space station construction and kick off the first stage of its application and development, according to China Central Television (CCTV).
Now entering that key application and development milestone, the station is expected to see more than 10 years of operation.
Credit: GLOBALink/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Basic configuration
The station’s two lab modules, Mengtian and Wentian, are in position on each side of the Tianhe core module, forming the Tiangong space station’s basic T-shape configuration.
China’s space station now moves to a new phase said Li Dafei, a Beijing Aerospace Control Center’s designer of the Tianhe core module.
“We’ve set the state of the three modules in terms of information systems, energy, heating control, environmental control and life support to establish the basic configuration of three-module operation,” Li told CCTV.
Shenzhou-14, Shenzhou-15 crew members in handover ceremony.
Credit: CMS/CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
“We have many overlapping designs for the three modules,” Li added. “In order to ensure normal operations after we shift to any spare piece of equipment, we need to conduct regular inspections of the key equipment. Some inspections require cooperation from the in-orbit astronauts and can only be completed through ground-space coordination. Others can be done remotely from Earth and monitored and checked by the ground crew independently.”
Image credit: CCTVCCTV Video News Agency/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Unpacking and installing
Over the past month, the Shenzhou-15 crew members have been unpacking and installing experiment payloads in the Mengtian lab module and carrying out tests as scheduled.
The current crew is also carrying out daily physical fitness training as planned.
“The exercises are tailored. The astronauts have specific exercise plans designed in accordance with their physical conditions and characteristics,” Zhong Weiwei, an associate research fellow at the Astronaut Center of China, told CCTV.
“So far, the nine exercise facilities have all been installed, and the three astronauts are making good use of them. The most frequently used ones include the bike, the treadmill, the facility for resistance training, the chest expander and the penguin suits,” Zhong said.
Image credit: Shujianyang Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Sleep zones
Zhong said that two of the space travelers live in the sleep zone in Wentian, and the third crew member rests in the sleep zone of the core module.
“This adjustment is made according to their subjective requirements. All of them have meal in Wentian currently, and personal hygiene issues are handled in the core module,” Zhong noted.
During the past month, the crew has adapted to the in-orbit living and working environment and have undergone medical examinations.
“So far, all the work and life in orbit are going normally, and the astronauts’ physical signs are also normal,” Zhong said.
For a newly-issued video of the Shenzhou-15 crew onboard the station, go to:
Posted in Space News
