Shenzhou 20 Reaches Tiangong Space Station
On April 24, at 11:49 a.m. EDT (1549 GMT), the Shenzhou 20 crew docked with the Tiangong space station. The spacecraft launched earlier that day at 5:17 a.m. EDT (0917 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The launch vehicle was a Long March 2F rocket. The docking came within hours of liftoff, completing a quick orbital approach.
Crew Composition and Duration of Stay
The Shenzhou 20 crew includes commander Chen Dong, who is on his third spaceflight. The other two astronauts are Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, both making their first trips to space. They will stay aboard the station for six months. This visit is part of China’s ongoing efforts to maintain a continuous human presence in space.
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Brief Overlap with Shenzhou 19 Crew
The Tiangong space station is currently hosting the Shenzhou 19 crew as well. The two crews will only share the station for a short period. The Shenzhou 19 astronauts are expected to return to Earth on April 29. This short handover allows for transfer of responsibilities and smooth transition of station operations.
China’s Ongoing Space Station Missions
Shenzhou 20 is the ninth crewed mission to Tiangong. The space station has a T-shaped structure and was fully assembled in October 2022. It is about 20 percent the mass of the International Space Station. China’s space agency has plans to expand the station by adding more modules in the future.The launch of Shenzhou 20 happened on April 24, a date that also marks the anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope’s deployment. Hubble was launched by NASA on April 24, 1990, aboard the space shuttle Discovery. The telescope faced an early issue with its primary mirror, which was corrected by astronauts in 1993. Hubble received further upgrades during four servicing missions in 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2009.
FAQs
What is the goal of Shenzhou 20’s mission?
Shenzhou 20 aims to maintain human presence in space, conduct experiments and support station maintenance during a six-month stay at the Tiangong station.
How many missions has China sent to the Tiangong space station?
Shenzhou 20 is the ninth crewed mission. Each mission contributes to continuous space presence and scientific research aboard Tiangong.
