posted 11-27-2022 09:36 PM               

China announces Shenzhou-15 crew for space station mission

Chinese astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu will carry out the Shenzhou-15 spaceflight mission, and Fei will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced at a press conference on Monday (Nov. 28).

Above: Chinese astronauts (from left to right) Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu will carry out the Shenzhou-15 spaceflight mission with Fei as commander.

Fei once participated in the Shenzhou-6 spaceflight mission and both Deng and Zhang are newcomers to space, according to Ji Qiming, assistant to the CMSA director.

The Shenzhou-15 crewed spaceship will be launched at 11:08 p.m. Tuesday Beijing Time (10:08 a.m. EST) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. It is the sixth flight mission of China's human spaceflight program this year, said Ji.

The Shenzhou-15 astronauts will rotate with the Shenzhou-14 trio in orbit and carry out verification of long-term residence in China's space station at its three-module configuration, according to CMSA. The Shenzhou-15 mission will wrap up the last stage of the space station construction and kick off the first stage of its application and development, said Ji. He added that the Shenzhou-15 trio will stay in orbit for six months.

posted 11-29-2022 09:25 AM               

China launches Shenzhou 15 crew for first direct handover on space station

China for the first time has launched astronauts into space before bringing home its prior crew from the country's space station.

Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu lifted off aboard the Shenzhou 15 spacecraft atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 11:08 p.m. Beijing Time on Tuesday (10:08 a.m. EST or 1508 GMT). After autonomously docking with the Tiangong ("Heavenly Palace") space station, the astronauts will be welcome aboard by the Shenzhou 14 crew of Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe who have been in space since June.

posted 11-29-2022 07:06 PM               

Shenzhou-15 docks with space station

China's Shenzhou-15 crewed spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination early on Wednesday (Nov. 30 Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship conducted a fast automated rendezvous and docked with the front port of the space station's Tianhe module at 5:42 a.m. Beijing Time (4:42 p.m. EST or 2149 GMT on Nov. 29), said the CMSA.

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, the CMSA said.

The astronaut trio aboard Shenzhou-15 then entered the Tianhe module where the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-14 crew were ready for their arrival. It is the first time that Chinese astronauts aboard the space station have seen the visit of a crewed spaceship, according to the CMSA.

posted 02-09-2023 12:07 PM               

Shenzhou-15 taikonauts complete their first spacewalk

The Shenzhou-15 taikonauts on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their first spacewalk at 12:16 a.m. Beijing Time on Friday [Feb. 10; 1616 GMT or 11:16 a.m. EST on Feb. 9], according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu, together with Deng Qingming who worked inside the space station to support his crewmates, collaborated to pull off all set tasks. Fei and Zhang have since safely returned to the Wentian lab module.

During the extravehicular activities (EVAs) lasting about seven hours, they completed several tasks, including the installation of the extension pumps outside the Mengtian lab module.

These were the first EVAs conducted after the completion of the Chinese space station. The Shenzhou-15 crew, as planned, will carry out several spacewalks in the future, said the agency.

posted 03-02-2023 10:37 AM               

Shenzhou-15 taikonauts complete their second spacewalk

The Shenzhou-15 taikonauts on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station recently completed their second spacewalk, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu, together with Deng Qingming who worked inside the space station to support his crewmates, collaborated to accomplish all set tasks. Fei and Zhang safely returned to the Wentian lab module.

posted 03-31-2023 08:43 AM               

Shenzhou-15 taikonauts complete their third spacewalk

On March 30, 2023, Beijing time, the Shenzhou 15 crew carried out their third extravehicular activity. With the close cooperation of the ground staff and the astronaut Deng Qingming inside the cabin, the two extravehicular astronauts Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu successfully completed all the scheduled tasks and returned safely to the Wentian experimental cabin.

Since the crewed mission of Shenzhou 12 in 2021, four astronauts have carried out a total of 10 extravehicular activities, making breakthroughs and mastering a series of key technologies. At present, extravehicular activities have become routine work for astronauts in orbit. Follow-up will continue to be carried out normally according to the needs of the task.

In the past four months, with the cooperation of the ground staff, the "Dream Crew" has completed the maintenance and care of the space station platform, on-orbit repair and maintenance, and the extravavehicular installation of the external exposure test device for materials as planned. At present, the scientific experiment project of the space station is advancing steadily as planned, and gratifying results have been achieved in the field of space technology experiment.

Recently, the space-efficient free-piston Stirling thermoelectric conversion test device successfully completed the in-orbit test, and the comprehensive technical indicators such as thermoelectric conversion efficiency reached the international advanced level. According to reports, as a new technology for spacecraft power systems, the Stirling thermoelectric conversion system can efficiently convert thermal energy into electrical energy and reduce dependence on solar energy. It has broad application prospects in future manned lunar and deep space exploration missions.

In addition, the Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft has safely arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in the early stage, and the final assembly and testing work in the launch site area is being carried out as planned. It will be launched in early- to mid-May.

posted 04-16-2023 09:18 AM               

Shenzhou 15 crew breaks Chinese spacewalk record

On April 15, 2023, Beijing time, the Shenzhou 15 crew carried out their fourth extravehicular activity.

With the close cooperation of the ground staff and the astronaut Deng Qingming in the cabin, the two extravehicular astronauts Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu successfully completed all the scheduled tasks and returned safely to the Wentian experimental cabin. Up to now, the Shenzhou 15 astronaut crew has completed four extravehicular activities, setting a new record for a single Chinese crew.

During the four extravehicular activities, the three astronauts of the Shenzhou 15 crew worked closely together inside and outside the cabin, and successfully completed the installation of the external expansion pump set, the installation and connection of the cross-cabin cable and the external load exposure platform. The installation of support rods and other tasks laid the foundation for the subsequent large-scale extravehicular science and technology experiments.

posted 06-03-2023 03:39 PM               

Shenzhou 15 crew departs space station

Chinese taikonauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu boarded their Shenzhou-15 spacecraft and departed the Tiangong space station to return to Earth.

The autonomous undocking proceeded as planned at 9:29 a.m. EDT (1329 GMT or 9:29 p.m. Beijing Time) on Saturday (June 3). The Shenzhou-15 crew are expected to land in the Gobi desert in northwestern China at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT or 6:30 a.m. Beijing Time on Sunday), completing a 186-day mission.

posted 06-03-2023 05:47 PM               

China's Shenzhou-15 astronauts return safely

Three Chinese astronauts on board the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned to Earth safely on Sunday (June 4), after completing their six-month space station mission.

Above: The return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship touches down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

Shenzhou-15's return capsule, carrying astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 6:33 a.m. Beijing Time (6:33 p.m. EDT or 2233 GMT on June 3), according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The astronauts were in good shape, and the Shenzhou-15 manned mission was a success, the agency announced.

The astronauts were carried out by ground workers and placed on chairs in front of the capsule.

Above: Astronaut Fei Junlong is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/He Shuchen)

"We have completed all the scheduled tasks and felt good after returning to the motherland," said Fei, the mission commander, who had also participated in the country's second crewed space mission, Shenzhou-6, in October 2005.

Deng, who finally got the chance to fly to space after 25 years of preparation, said that he is grateful for the support and encouragement of the people of the whole country.

"I always believe in the power of dreams and persistence. No matter how old I am, I feel so happy to be needed by the nation," he added.

Above: Astronaut Zhang Lu is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

"I'm now very excited, and when I was on the space station, I often watched through the window, trying to find my motherland and hometown," said Zhang, one of China's second batch of astronauts.

"We will adjust our bodies as soon as possible, go back into training, and be ready for space missions in the future," Zhang added.

The return capsule separated from Shenzhou-15's orbiting capsule at 5:42 a.m. Beijing Time (5:42 p.m. EDT or 2242 GMT on June 3) as per the flight procedure.

Soon after the return capsule landed, the ground search team arrived at the landing site. Medical personnel confirmed that the astronauts were in good health.

Above: Astronaut Deng Qingming is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

China launched the manned spaceship Shenzhou-15 on Nov. 29, 2022. The Shenzhou-15 crew, China's oldest mission crew in terms of average age, successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs), becoming the crew to accomplish the most EVAs of all Chinese crews to date.

The crew witnessed the completion of the country's space station construction.