Shenzhou 14
Rollout of Shenzhou 14 atop a Long March 2F
Mission typeTiangong space station crew transport
COSPAR ID2022-060A
SATCAT no.52797
Mission duration182 days, 9 hours and 25 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeShenzhou
ManufacturerChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Crew
Crew size3
MembersChen Dong
Liu Yang
Cai Xuzhe
EVAs3
EVA duration15 hours 53 minutes
Start of mission
Launch date5 June 2022, 02:44:10 UTC[1]
RocketLong March 2F
Launch siteJiuquan, LA-4/SLS
ContractorChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
End of mission
Landing date4 December 2022, 12:09 UTC[2]
Landing siteInner Mongolia, China
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination41.5°
Docking with Tiangong space station
Docking portTianhe nadir
Docking date5 June 2022, 09:42 UTC
Undocking date4 December 2022, 03:01 UTC
Time docked181 days, 17 hours and 19 minutes

Shenzhou 14 mission patch

Cai Xuzhe, Chen Dong and Liu Yang
 

Shenzhou 14 (Chinese: 神舟十四号; pinyin: Shénzhōu Shísì-hào; lit. 'Divine Boat Number 14') was a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 5 June 2022. It carried three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission was the ninth crewed Chinese spaceflight and the fourteenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

Background

Shenzhou 14 was the third spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, and the second with a planned duration of six months (180 days).[3] Shenzhou 14 would also mark the beginning of Tiangong being permanently inhabited, with Shenzhou 14 departing after the arrival of Shenzhou 15, and the same being done on subsequent expeditions.[4]

Prior to launch, the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft was maintained in a state of near-readiness if needed as a lifeboat for the Shenzhou 13 crew.[5]

The crew of Shenzhou 14 was announced on 4 June 2022.[6]

Mission

Launch of Shenzhou 14

The flight launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 5 June 2022 at 02:44 UTC, following the launch of the Tianzhou 4 cargo resupply spacecraft. Just under 7 hours after launch, the spacecraft docked with the Tianhe core module's nadir docking port. The crew entered the station later the same day at 12:50 UTC.

During the mission, the Shenzhou 15 spacecraft remained on standby to serve as an emergency rescue vehicle.[7]

The Shenzhou 14 crew carried out three spacewalks, worked on payloads both inside and outside the station, and carried out other scientific work during the six-month mission.[8] The crew also oversaw the expansion of Tiangong with the addition of the Wentian and Mengtian laboratory cabin modules, which arrived at the station in July and October 2022 respectively.[9] During Shenzhou 14's stay aboard Tiangong, the Tianzhou 5 cargo spacecraft arrived and docked with the station.[10]

Station expansion

On 24 July 2022, the Wentian module launched and successfully docked with the Tianhe's forward port. The crew of Shenzhou 14 opened the hatch and entered Wentian for the first time on 25 July 2022 at 02:03 UTC, to perform an inspection of the module. Wentian was later repositioned to Tianhe's starboard port, its final location.

On 31 October 2022, the Mengtian module launched and successfully docked with Tianhe's forward port, and was repositioned to Tianhe's port-side port on 3 November 2022. Following Mengtian's reposition, the crew opened the hatch and entered Mengtian for the first time on 3 November 2022 at 07:12 UTC to inspect the module's interior.

Spacewalks

On 1 September 2022, the first scheduled spacewalk of Shenzhou 15 was carried out by Chen Dong and Liu Yang, with Liu Yang becoming the second Chinese woman to carry out a spacewalk. The two exited the airlock of the Wentian lab module and completed a series of tasks, including installing an extended pump set on the exterior of the station, raising panoramic camera B, installing a workbench, and demonstrating procedures for an emergency return to the airlock. The spacewalk lasted for 6 hours and 7 minutes.[11][12]

On 17 September 2022, the second scheduled spacewalk was carried out by Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe through the airlock of the Wentian lab module, with Liu Yang assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. Chen and Cai completed the installation of foot restraints and extravehicular workbenches with support from the station's small robotic arm, performed further work on the extended pump set, and further verified EVA emergency rescue procedures. The spacewalk lasted for 4 hours and 12 minutes.[13]

On 17 November 2022, the third spacewalk was carried out by Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe through the airlock of the Wentian lab module, with Liu Yang once again assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. Chen and Cai installed an inter-chamber connection device between Tianhe and Mengtian, raised panoramic A on Wentian, and installed a small mechanical arm power-assisted handle. The spacewalk lasted for 5 hours and 34 minutes.[14][15]

Space lecture

On 12 October 2022 at 4:01 PM China Standard Time (08:01 UTC), the crew of Shenzhou 14 conducted a live "space lecture" broadcast. The "main classroom" was located in Beijing, with "branch classrooms" in Zhengzhou, Heze, and Dali. During the lecture, Chen Dong and Liu Yang introduced the functions of the Wentian module and conducted scientific experiments as part of a science lesson while Cai Xuzhe filmed. After the lesson, the taikonauts were given time to answer schoolchildren's questions from the classrooms.[16]

Return

Shenzhou 14 returned to Earth on 4 December 2022, undocking from Tiangong at 03:01 UTC and landing at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia at 12:09 UTC.[17]

Crew

Position[18] Crew member
Commander China Chen Dong, PLAAC
Second spaceflight
Operator China Liu Yang, PLAAC
Second spaceflight
System and Science Operator China Cai Xuzhe, PLAAC
First spaceflight

Chen Dong previously flew on Shenzhou 11.

Liu Yang previously flew on Shenzhou 9, becoming the first Chinese woman in space.

See also

References

  1. ↑ China Spaceflight [@CNSpaceflight] (April 6, 2022). "Shenzhou 14 to be launched by Long March 2F Y14 on June.05 2022" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ "长征二号F • 神舟十四号载人飞船（2022年待定） | 航天爱好者网". Archived from the original on 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  3. ↑ "中国航天进入空间站建造关键时期——访中国载人航天工程办公室主任郝淳". xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "China reveals missions of Shenzhou-14, Shenzhou-15 space crews". 19 April 2022.
  5. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2021-10-22). "China's Shenzhou 14 is on standby to launch in case of space station emergency". Space.com. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  6. ↑ "Nation's latest space launch set for Sunday". RTHK. Reuters. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "China's next crewed spacecraft is ready for potential space station rescue mission". Space.com. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "China reveals missions of Shenzhou-14, Shenzhou-15 space crews - Khmer Times". 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  9. ↑ "www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz-5b_mt". spaceflightfans.cn. Archived from the original on 2021-04-26. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  10. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2022-11-12). "China launches Tianzhou 5 cargo ship to Tiangong space station". Space.com. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  11. ↑ Tong, Zhang. "China's spacewalkers take 2 steps towards faster Tiangong space station construction". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  12. ↑ Jones, Andrew. "China's Shenzhou 14 astronauts perform 1st spacewalk out of new module (video)". Space.com. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  13. ↑ Howell, Elizabeth (17 September 2022). "Chinese astronauts take 4-hour spacewalk outside new lab at Tiangong space station". Space.com. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  14. ↑ "Shenzhou-14 taikonauts perform third spacewalk". The Star. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  15. ↑ Jones, Andrew (18 November 2022). "China's Shenzhou 14 astronauts complete their 3rd and final spacewalk (video)". Space.com. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "中国空间站第三次太空授课活动取得圆满成功". 新华网. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  17. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2022-12-04). "China's Shenzhou 14 astronauts return to Earth after helping build Tiangong space station". Space.com. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  18. ↑ "Shenzhou 14".
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