#shenzhou11

[for-all-mankind]

Chinese astronauts send greetings to European astronauts, call for international cooperation. Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, crew of the Shenzhou-11 mission, recorded a video giving their best wishes to international cooperation to the European Space Agency. Recorded during their monthlong stay at Tiangong-2, the crewmembers thanked Europe for their participation in astronaut selection and training procedures, as well as cooperation between the Astronaut Center of China (ACC) and the European Astronaut Center (EAC). 

Haipeng also thanked ESA for sending him a special, space-worthy cheesecake created by French chef Alain Ducasse for his 50th birthday, which he celebrated during the mission. Dong references the European CAVES training – a two week course that culminates in six days living and working in an uncharted cave 800 meters below Earth's surface. Chinese astronaut Ye Guangfu participated in the 2016 CAVES expedition as part of the cooperation between the ACC and EAC.

Both astronauts also offered their greetings and best wishes to ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who launched to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 50 just hours before the Chinese duo returned to Earth. Of the all the global nations capable of spaceflight, only the United States in unable to participate with China; a 2011 Congressional bill prohibits the exchange of scientific information between the two countries at the risk of espionage.

Participation between NASA and the CNSA fall under this category, and therefore are unable to work together to explore the cosmos. Since the Chinese were not invited to participate in the International Space Station program during the 1990s, they are not allowed to visit the orbiting laboratory. Watch the full video below.

[for-all-mankind]

Shenzhou-11 astronauts return to Earth, paving the way for future space endeavors.

China’s Shenzhou-11 mission successfully returned to Earth earlier this morning, November 18, completing a record breaking stay aboard the Tiangong-2 space lab. Commander Jing Haipeng and Pilot Chen Dong landed in the Siziwang landing zone of Mongolia at 1:07am EDT. 

High levels of smog caused recovery forces to lose a visual on the capsule for nearly ten minutes as it was closing in on Earth’s surface and for some time after landing, causing increased suspense in the control room. The two astronauts also returned multiple science experiments performed while aboard Tiangong-2, including cocoons made by silk works, space-grown lettuce, and medical samples. Additionally, various technological experiments like the operation of a robotic arm and the Banxing-2 satellite, were performed to pave the way for China’s future space ambitions. Shown above are the jettison of the Orbital and Service modules, which much be shed from the spacecraft so the Reentry module - seen with its orange heat shield - can safely enter the atmosphere. Cameras on board the service module captured these stunning, never-before-seen images. Shenzhou-11 was the first and only mission to the Tiangong-2 mini space station; Shenzhou-12 will visit the core module of the much larger Chinese Space Station sometime after its launch in 2018. The Tiangong program helped China develop the technology and spaceflight experience needed for long duration human missions to an orbiting laboratory.

Our entire Shenzhou-11 mission archive can be seen here.

[breakingnewsno-blog]

#BREAKING: #Shenzhou11 return capsule touches down https://t.co/jdSBUulDWk

[for-all-mankind]

Shenzhou-11 departs space station, prepares for reentry.

After more than 30 days at the miniature space lab, Shenzhou-11 undocked from Tiangong-2 at 11:21pm EST. Chen Dong and Jing Haipeng are scheduled to reenter and land in China around 12:33am EST Friday, November 18. Over the course of their month-long stay, the two taikonauts performed experiments on the human body, agriculture - including the growing and cultivation of lettuce - and the deployment of a ‘companion satellite’, Banxing-2.  Tiangong-2 will not be visited by another human mission, but April 2017 will see the first flight of the automated Tianzhou-1 resupply freighter dock to the station. This will test out the spacecraft’s systems ahead of entering operational service to the future Chinese Space Station.

[for-all-mankind]

Banxing-2 took more photos of the Tiangong 2/Shenzhou 11 orbital complex yesterday, October-30. The companion satellite is still flying closely by the miniature space laboratory following its deployment last week, when it took its first high resolution photographs of the two vehicles. The two-man crew of Shenzhou 11 - Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong - are currently halfway through a 30-day mission to the space laboratory. When they return to Earth around November 17, they will have performed China’s longest space mission.

[for-all-mankind]

Higher resolution images have been released showing the orbital complex of Shenzhou-11 and Tiangong-2. Early Sunday morning, taikonauts abroad the station released a small camera satellite dubbed Banxing-2, which will fly in tandem with the complex before moving a few hundred miles away.

Tiangong-2 - which means “Heavenly Palace” in Chinese, is the vehicle in the lower half of the image. The three modules of Shenzhou-11 - meaning “Divine Craft” - can be seen above. Each vehicle has a single pair of solar panels and orbital maneuvering thrusters, though only Shenxhou’s can be seen.

Banxing-2 also filmed its release from the station, seen below.

P/c: CNSA

[for-all-mankind]

Companion satellite captures Tiangong-Shenzhou complex.

Banxing-2, which was deployed from Tiangong-2 yesterday, has begun taking photos of the orbiting laboratory and Shenzhou-11 complex. Literally translating to ‘companion satellite’, Banxing-2 is a printer-sized satellite which will follow the two craft in orbit over the coming days. Outfitted with a 25 megapixel camera and a fisheye lens, the satellite will photograph the docked vehicles before eventually moving a few hundred kilometers away. An infrared thermal imager will also photograph the vehicles for inspection by ground controllers, who will study the images for the condition of the craft. The combined Shenzhou-Tiangong complex measures 65 feet long with a maximum solar array wingspan of 55 feet. Currently entering the second week of their 30-day stay are taikonauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, who arrived October 18.

Below: diagram from mission control in Beijing showing the positioning of Banxing-2 to take its first series of images.

[for-all-mankind]

The two-man crew of Shenzhou-11 consists of three-time astronaut Jing Haipeng, who flew on the Shenzhou-7 and 9 missions, and rookie Chen Dong. Haipeng will turn 50 while in orbit, while Dong is 37. 

Haipeng summed up the mission of the Tiangong program in a beautiful statement prior to launch: "For China, a space station is a beautiful home up in outer space and that is also the dream for all of the astronauts." The veteran Taikonaut asked his rookie crewmate how the launch felt once they arrived in orbit. Dong’s response, seen above, added a touch of humanity into a program widely considered secretive by the rest of the world.