Busy May looms for China space launches as Tiangong trio prepare for home

The record-setting astronauts have conducted dozens of scientific experiments and several spacewalks during their 180-day mission on board the space station

China’s space agency is planning three more launches next month, with another crew set to leave Earth for the partly-built station in mid-May

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Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang outside the Tiangong space station’s core module during the record-setting mission. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:00pm, 10 Apr 2022

China is preparing to welcome its three astronauts, who will complete their record 180 days in space in about a week.

Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu are preparing the Tiangong space station for the arrival of its next crew before their return to Earth in the final leg of their mission.

Chinese state media has reported that ground crews at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region have been rehearsing the search and retrieve exercise for the astronauts as they wind up their almost six-month mission.

But Tiangong will not be left vacant for long. According to an informed source, who asked not to be named, a cargo vessel will launch just weeks after the astronauts’ return, taking supplies to the station ahead of the arrival of the next crew.

“In around mid-May, we will have the Shenzhou 14 manned mission, sending three new astronauts to the space station for another 180-day mission from the Jiuquan launch centre [also in Inner Mongolia],” the source said.

The departure of the next crewed mission will be followed by the launch of the Wentian laboratory capsule, the next stage in Tiangong’s construction. It is expected to leave between late May and early June from the Wenchang launch site in the southern island province of Hainan.