Chinese space station: the Tianhe module has been refueled for the first time
On Saturday May 29, the cargo ship Tianzhou 2 (13.5 tons) took off from the Wenchang launch pad to join the Tianhe module. 8 hours and 6 minutes after this smooth take-off, the CMSEO (Chinese space agency) confirmed that Tianzhou 2 had docked to the Tianhe module, the “heart” of the future Chinese space station.
The stowage of Tianzhou 2 actually corresponds to an anticipated refueling: next month, the Chinese space station (SCC) will welcome its first astronauts, and the 4.69 tons of cargo – water, food, clothing, mini-labs, spacesuits. for spacewalks, etc. – will undoubtedly not be too many to place the new arrivals in the best possible conditions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNYYyIgIu3U
In addition to the freight, the cargo ship Tianzhou 2 also contains a reserve of two tons of fuel, enough to ensure the rear when it is necessary to maneuver the station (for planned reasons, such as a slight change of orbit, or unforeseen, such as the avoidance of space debris).
The rest of the mission promises to be crucial: around mid-June, a first crew will have to join the SCC. Just a few weeks after the thunderous success of its first Mars rover, China is therefore preparing to write a new page in its space epic.
