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China’s space station takes final shape with arrival of Mengtian module

  • CMSA says the research facility arrived just 13 hours after lift-off from launch pad in Hainan, southern China
  • The Tiangong will soon form its basic T-shape configuration when Mengtian is moved from its initial docking port

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The laboratory module Mengtian on its way to join the Chinese space station Tiangong. Photo: Xinhua
Ling Xinin Beijing
The third and final module arrived at China’s space station at 4.27am on Tuesday, about 13 hours after lift-off from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre in the southern province of Hainan, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said.
The research module Mengtian used its own propulsion to reach orbit about 380km (236 miles) above the Earth before joining Tianhe, the Tiangong station’s core module, and Wentian, another research module.

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China launches Mengtian, final module to complete Tiangong space station

China launches Mengtian, final module to complete Tiangong space station

The China Academy of Space Technology, which developed the guidance, navigation and control system for Tiangong, said the rendezvous and docking process had been handled quickly to overcome the challenge of Mengtian’s tight energy budget.

If the mission had not been completed in the planned time frame, docking would have been delayed while Mengtian focused on restoring energy with its massive solar arrays, the academy said on its official WeChat account.

Mengtian’s arrival was also timely in correcting the lopsided L-shaped combination of Tianhe-Wentian, which had used a lot of energy to stay oriented during orbit.

CMSA said Mengtian – currently connected to the core module’s front docking port – would soon be moved to a side port to restore the station’s symmetry and complete its basic T-shape configuration. No details were given of when the move will occur.

Mengtian is equipped with the Tiangong’s most complex and expensive research facility – a trio of atomic clocks intended to keep time with unprecedented precision – along with seven other minilabs for cutting-edge research ranging from fluids physics to materials science.

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