Tianzhou-2 cargo ship departed the Tianhe core module of China’s space
station on Sunday after 10 months in space, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Controllers plan to send the vehicle to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere at
an unspecified time.
Tianzhou-2 was launched with 6.6 metric tons of supplies and fuel from
Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on May 29, 2021. The vehicle was the first
cargo ship sent to China’s first permanent space station.
Tianzhou-2 carried 6,640 kg (14,639 lb) of cargo to the station, including
4,690 kg (10,340 lb) of pressurized cargo and 1,950 kg (4,299 lb) of fuel.
The module measures 10.6 m x 3.35 m (34.8 ft x 11 ft) and has two solar
panels.
Tianzhou-2 was originally docked to Tiangong’s aft docking port. Last
September, the vehicle was moved to the forward docking port after the
station’s first crew returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou 12 spacecraft. In
January, the crew of Shenzhou 13 crew tested Tiangong’s robotic by moving
Tianzhou-2 to and from a radial docking port.
The Tianzhou-3 cargo ship remains docked to the space station. The
Shenzhou-13 crew — Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, Ye Guangfu — are set to return
to Earth next month after approximately six months in space. The launches of
the Tianzhou-4 cargo ship and Shenzhou-14 crew ship are scheduled for May.
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Space & Astrophysics