Spaceflight Insider

News Archive / Tagged: Tiangong 2

  • China’s Tiangong-2 space laboratory to be deorbited after July 2019

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 7th, 2018

    The date when China's space station will reenter Earth's atmosphere is edging ever closer.

  • China’s Tianzhou-1 docks with Tiangong-2 space station

    Derek RichardsonApril 22nd, 2017

    Just two days after launching from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island in China, the Tianzhou-1 cargo freighter docked with the country’s Tiangong-2 space station.

  • China launches Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft on space station refueling test flight

    Curt GodwinApril 20th, 2017

    With the launch of the Tianzhou-1 automated cargo ship, China has taken a significant step in being able to support a long-term crewed presence in space. The spacecraft, mounted atop China's Long March 7 carrier rocket, lifted off at 7:40 a.m. EDT (11:40 GMT) April 20, 2017, from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center (WSLC) on Hainan Island.

  • China’s Tianzhou-1 cargo ship readied for launch toward Tiangong-2

    Curt GodwinApril 18th, 2017

    Crucial to China's goal of sustaining and resupplying its own space stations, a Long March 7 rocket has been rolled out to the launch pad at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center (WSLC) with the Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft encapsulated in its payload fairing.

  • Shenzhou 11 crew returns to Earth after month in space

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 18th, 2016

    China’s Shenzhou 11 spacecraft successfully landed on Friday, Nov. 18, in Inner Mongolia with two taikonauts aboard, completing the country’s longest crewed mission to date. The re-entry module touched down at 1:59 p.m. local time (12:59 a.m. EST / 05:59 GMT).

  • Shenzhou 11 spacecraft successfully docks with Tiangong 2 space laboratory

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 18th, 2016

    A duo of Shenzhou 11 taikonauts entered the Tiangong 2 orbital laboratory after a flawless docking of the two spacecraft at 3:31 a.m. China Standard Time on Oct. 19 (3:31 p.m EDT / 19:31 GMT on Oct. 18). The two-person crew will spend 30 days aboard the space lab testing advanced life support systems and conducting various science experiments.

  • China launches two taikonauts into space aboard Shenzhou 11

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 16th, 2016

    China has successfully launched its sixth manned space mission, sending two taikonauts into orbit aboard the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft. The crewed vehicle was lifted atop a Long March 2F rocket at 7:30 a.m. local time on Oct. 17 (7:30 p.m. EDT / 23:30 GMT on Oct. 16) from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert.

  • China set to launch Shenzhou 11 crewed mission

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 15th, 2016

    Under a shroud of secrecy, China is completing final steps toward the launch of its Shenzhou 11 spacecraft with two taikonauts on board. On Oct. 10, the country rolled out the Long March 2F rocket that will be used to send the crewed mission into space.

  • China’s Tiangong-1 space laboratory to fall to Earth in 2017

    Tomasz NowakowskiSeptember 23rd, 2016

    China’s first space laboratory, Tiangong-1 (“Heavenly Palace”), is expected to re-enter the atmosphere in the second half of 2017, according to Chinese officials. While most parts of the spacecraft will burn up, there are worries some pieces may hit the ground.

  • China launches Tiangong-2 space laboratory into orbit

    Tomasz NowakowskiSeptember 15th, 2016

    On Sept. 15, China successfully launched a Long March 2F rocket carrying the country’s second space lab – Tiangong-2 (meaning "Heavenly Palace" in Chinese). Liftoff took place at 10:04 p.m. local time (14:04 GMT; 10:04 a.m. EDT) from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in China’s Gansu Province.

  • China set to launch Tiangong-2 lab into space

    Tomasz NowakowskiSeptember 14th, 2016

    China is planning on launching its second Tiangong space laboratory on Thursday, Sept. 15. Called Tiangong-2, it will test technology for the country’s future space station. The orbital lab will ride to space atop a Long March 2F rocket, lifting off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

  • Tiangong 2 arrives at Chinese launch center for September liftoff

    Tomasz NowakowskiJuly 14th, 2016

    China has shipped its next space laboratory, known as Tiangong 2 (meaning “Heavenly Palace” in Chinese), to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, from where it will be blasted off into space in mid-September. The module was transported by rail from Beijing.