Tiangong-3 (
Chinese: 天宫三号;
pinyin: Tiāngōng sānhào;
lit. 'Heavenly Palace 3') was a proposed
Chinesespace station, part of the
Tiangong program. The
China National Space Agency (CNSA) was originally expected to launch Tiangong-3 around 2015, following the launch of the
Tiangong-2 test laboratory, originally planned for 2013.[2] The goals for the Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 laboratories were merged, and the latter was therefore not ordered.[3][1] The first module of the third station of the Tiangong program,
Tiangong space station, was eventually launched in 2021.
Development
In 2008, the
China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) published a brief description of Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3, indicating that several crewed spaceships would be launched in the late 2010s to dock with Tiangong-3.[4] The first Tiangong module,
Tiangong-1, was launched in September 2011 and docked with the uncrewed
Shenzhou 8 spacecraft in November 2011, marking China's first orbital docking.[5]
Specifications
Tiangong-3 was expected to provide:
Unaided 40-day habitability for three astronauts.[2]
Testing for regenerative life-support technology, and verification of methods of orbital replenishment of propellant and air.[2]
^
ab""天宫二号"总设计师：不再有天宫三号 五年后建成空间站". 2017-11-22. "天宫二号"后，不再开发"天宫三号"，中国将直接进入空间站时代，空间站预计2022年建成 (After "Tiangong-2", no longer develop "Tiangong-3", China will directly enter the era of space station, the space station is expected to be completed in 2022)
^
abcDavid, Leonard (2011-03-11).
"China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". SPACE.com. Retrieved 2011-03-09. China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to the large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies.
^Branigan, Tania; Sample, Ian (2011-04-26).
"China unveils rival to International Space Station". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2011-04-27. China often chooses poetic names for its space projects, such as Chang'e – after the moon goddess – for its lunar probes; its rocket series, however, is named Long March, in tribute to communist history. The space station project is currently referred to as Tiangong, or "heavenly palace".
Tiangong-3 (
Chinese: 天宫三号;
pinyin: Tiāngōng sānhào;
lit. 'Heavenly Palace 3') was a proposed
Chinesespace station, part of the
Tiangong program. The
China National Space Agency (CNSA) was originally expected to launch Tiangong-3 around 2015, following the launch of the
Tiangong-2 test laboratory, originally planned for 2013.[2] The goals for the Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 laboratories were merged, and the latter was therefore not ordered.[3][1] The first module of the third station of the Tiangong program,
Tiangong space station, was eventually launched in 2021.
Development
In 2008, the
China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) published a brief description of Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3, indicating that several crewed spaceships would be launched in the late 2010s to dock with Tiangong-3.[4] The first Tiangong module,
Tiangong-1, was launched in September 2011 and docked with the uncrewed
Shenzhou 8 spacecraft in November 2011, marking China's first orbital docking.[5]
Specifications
Tiangong-3 was expected to provide:
Unaided 40-day habitability for three astronauts.[2]
Testing for regenerative life-support technology, and verification of methods of orbital replenishment of propellant and air.[2]
^
ab""天宫二号"总设计师：不再有天宫三号 五年后建成空间站". 2017-11-22. "天宫二号"后，不再开发"天宫三号"，中国将直接进入空间站时代，空间站预计2022年建成 (After "Tiangong-2", no longer develop "Tiangong-3", China will directly enter the era of space station, the space station is expected to be completed in 2022)
^
abcDavid, Leonard (2011-03-11).
"China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". SPACE.com. Retrieved 2011-03-09. China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to the large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies.
^Branigan, Tania; Sample, Ian (2011-04-26).
"China unveils rival to International Space Station". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2011-04-27. China often chooses poetic names for its space projects, such as Chang'e – after the moon goddess – for its lunar probes; its rocket series, however, is named Long March, in tribute to communist history. The space station project is currently referred to as Tiangong, or "heavenly palace".
