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SCIO press briefing on China's space laboratory mission

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Speakers:
Wang Zhaoyao, Director of China Manned Space Agency
Yang Baohua, Vice President of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Zhao Guangheng, Chief Designer of the Space Utilization System
Sun Jun, Deputy Director of Beijing Aerospace Control Center

Chairperson:
Xi Yanchun, vice director-general of the Press Bureau, State Council Information Office

Date:
April 28, 2017

Xi Yanchun:

Thank you, Mr. Wang. Now the floor is open to questions. Please identify the media you represent before asking a question.

CCTV:

Mr. Wang, a moment ago you told us about the flight mission of Tianzhou 1. However, for you, what is the biggest specialty of this mission comparing to previous ones? And what is worthy of our attention as the mission continues? Thanks.

Wang Zhaoyao:

Compared to previous manned flight missions, the mission of Tianzhou 1 is the maiden flight of China's space station cargo transportation system. Since it is the first flight, there are several things to note: First, the mission has new features; second, the technological difficulties are great; third, the duration of the mission is long.

As for the new features, Tianzhou 1 is a brand new cargo conveyor we have developed for China’s space station. The payload ratio and the amount of propellant refueling are on a par with current international standards for space cargo transportation systems, if not being ahead of them. At the same time, we have scheduled more than 10 scientific experimental projects on the spacecraft, which help improve the efficiency of the entire mission.

Second, there are significant technical difficulties. Tianzhou 1 is designed to fully test the propellant refueling and the autonomous fast rendezvous and docking technologies. The international community regards these two experiments as involving technologies with very large technical difficulties. According to our knowledge, only Russia and the United States have developed the propellant refueling technology, but only Russia is using this technology on the international space station. It is really difficult. In addition, the current rendezvous and docking process needs two days for preparation. If the technology of autonomous fast rendezvous and docking technology succeeds, we only need 6.5 hours for rendezvous and docking between two spacecrafts. It will greatly enhance our work efficiency.

Third, the duration time is long. From the day when the space cargo ship arrived at the Wenchang Launch Site in Hainan in mid-February, to the day in the future when Tianzhou finishes its experiments, the mission will take more than half a year to accomplish. For such a long time, it poses a challenge for the organizing and command of the whole mission, as well as for the support system. Meanwhile, Tianzhou , after docking with the Tiangong 2 space lab, will orbit in tandem with it for two month. This is the longest time so far for any combination of Chinese space vehicles.

As the last manned mission before the space station is built, the mission is significant in serving as a link between past and future. In the late period of the flight, there will be a series of experiments arranged worthy of attention. For example, there's the flight of Tianzhou from one position to another for another docking with Tiangong 2, and the autonomous fast rendezvous and docking. What's more, a CubeSat will be released; an advanced navigation, guidance and control device and new domestic-made components will be tested in orbit. An active vibration isolation technology will also be tested. Those tests will be carried out one by one. Therefore, you have many projects to anticipate. Thank you.

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