By 
May 18th, 2021
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China’s Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft is ready for launch, destined to link up with the country’s Tianhe, the core module of China’s space station placed into Earth orbit April 29.
The China Manned Space Engineering Office reports that the now-orbiting core module has completed in-orbit performance, space application checks, and checked out for astronaut accommodation.
Additionally, the Tianhe has entered a planned rendezvous orbit in preparation for receiving the soon-to-launch cargo craft.
After their in-orbit connection, Tianzhou-2 will transfer propellants and place astronaut necessities into the module.
Credit: CGTN
Space schedule
Meanwhile, a Shenzhou-12 spacecraft is being readied, slated to haul three astronauts to the core module in early June. The crew will stay inside the module for three months.
According to China Daily, in September the Tianzhou 3 cargo ship will be lifted to dock with the core module and the next month, another three-crew team will fly the Shenzhou-13 to the module, staying onboard for six months.
In 2022, two large space labs will be launched to connect with the module. That same year, two manned missions and two robotic cargo flights will be made to continue construction of the Chinese space station, which is scheduled to become complete and start formal operation around the end of next year, China Daily reports.
Credit: CAST
Go to this China Central Television (CCTV) video showing the Long March-7 Y3 rocket, carrying the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft, being transferred to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China’s Hainan Province last Sunday.
Posted in Space News
