Shenzhou spacecraft

2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Space transport

Shenzhou spacecraft
Shenzhou 5 in the preparation.
Description
Role:	Manned spacecraft
Crew:	three
Dimensions
Height:	30.34 ft	9.25 m
Diameter:	9.10 ft	2.8 m
Volume:	494.4 ft³	14.00 m³
Rocket engines
Main Engine (N2O4/MMH) :	2248 lbf ea	10000 N
Performance
Endurance:	20 days
Apogee:	201 mi	324 km
Perigee:	121.8 mi	196 km
Inclination:	42.5 degrees
Spacecraft delta v:	1,240 ft/s	380 m/s
Modules
Modular design of Shenzhou spacecraft

Shenzhou (Chinese: 神舟; pinyin: Shén Zhōu) is a spacecraft from the People's Republic of China which first carried a Chinese taikonaut into orbit on October 15, 2003.

Development began in 1992, under the name of Project 921-1. The Chinese National Manned Space Program was given the designation Project 921 with Project 921-1 as its first significant goal. The plan called for a manned launch in October 1999, prior to the new millennium.

The first four unmanned test flights happened in 1999, 2001 and 2002. These were followed with another manned launch on October 12, 2005. It is launched on the Long March 2F from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The command centre of the mission is the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Centre.

The name is variously translated as "Divine Craft", "Divine Vessel of the Gods" or similar, and is identically pronounced, though differently written, with a literary name for China (神州; literally "Divine Land").

In March 2005, an asteroid was named 8256 Shenzhou in honour of the spacecraft.

Shenzhou spacecraft

The Shenzhou spacecraft closely resembles Soyuz, although it is substantially larger, and unlike the Soyuz, it features a powered orbital module capable of autonomous flight.

The similarity in outward appearance between Shenzhou and Soyuz arises partially from basic constraints on space flight. Like Soyuz, Shenzhou consists of three modules: a forward orbital module (轨道舱), a reentry capsule (返回舱) in the middle, and an aft service module (推进舱). This division is based on the principle of minimizing the amount of material to be returned to Earth. Anything placed in the orbital or service modules does not require heat shielding, and this greatly increases the space available in the spacecraft without increasing weight as much as it would if those modules were also able to withstand reentry. Thus both Soyuz and Shenzhou have more living area with less weight than the Apollo CSM.

Complete Spacecraft Data

Total Mass-kg 7,840

Length-m 9.25

Diameter-m 2.80

Span-m 17.00

Orbital module

The orbital module (轨道舱) contains space for experiments, crew-serviced or operated equipment, and in-orbit habitation. Without docking systems, Shenzhou 1~6 carried different kinds of payload on the top of their orbital modules for scientific experiments.

Unlike the Soyuz, the Shenzhou orbital module is also equipped with its own propulsion, and control systems, allowing autonomous flight. It is possible for Shenzhou to leave an orbital module in orbit for redocking by a later spacecraft, something which the Soyuz cannot do since the hatch enabling it to function as an airlock is part of its descent module. In the future it is possible that the orbital module(s) could also be left behind on the planned Chinese project 921/2 space station as additional station modules. The fact that China has yet to deploy a space station (e.g., something equivalent to Salyut such as a module that has been re-docked with after deployment) implies an equivalent stage of progress to Russia pre-1970.

In the unmanned test flights launched to date, the orbital module of each Shenzhou was left functioning on orbit for several days after the reentry capsules return, and the Shenzhou 5 orbital module continued to operate for six months after launch. Significantly, the docking adapter in the orbital module appears to be compatible with the APAS-89 adapter used by American and Russian spacecraft. It is therefore technically possible for Shenzhou to dock with the International Space Station.

Orbital module Data

Design Life: 200 days.

Length: 2.80 m (9.10 ft).

Basic Diameter: 2.25 m (7.38 ft).

Maximum Diameter: 2.25 m (7.38 ft).

Span: 10.40 m (34.10 ft).

Habitable Volume: 8.00 m3.

Mass: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb).

RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 16 x 5 N.

RCS Propellants: Hydrazine.

Electrical System: Solar panels, 12.24 m².

Electric System: 0.50 average kW.

Electric System: 1.20 kWh.

Re-entry module

The reentry module (返回舱) is located in the middle section of the spacecraft and contains seating for the crew. It is the only portion of Shenzhou which returns to Earth's surface. Its shape is a compromise between maximizing living space while allowing for some aerodynamic control upon reentry.

Re-entry module Data

Crew Size: 3.

Design Life: 20 days.

Length: 2.50 m (8.20 ft).

Basic Diameter: 2.52 m (8.26 ft).

Maximum Diameter: 2.52 m (8.26 ft).

Habitable Volume: 6.00 m3.

Mass: 3,240 kg (7,140 lb).

Heat Shield Mass: 450 kg (990 lb) - this is ablative and mass can likely be reduced in future as analysis of recovered shields is undertaken.

RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 8 x 150 N.

RCS Propellants: Hydrazine

Service module

The aft service module (推进舱) contains life support and other equipment required for the functioning of Shenzhou. Two pairs of solar panels, one pair on the service module, the other pair on the orbital module, have a total area of over 40 m² (430 ft²), indicating average electrical power over 1.5 kW (Soyuz have 1.0 kW).

Service module Data

Design Life: 20 days.

Length: 2.94 m (9.65 ft).

Basic Diameter: 2.50 m (8.20 ft).

Maximum Diameter: 2.80 m (9.10 ft).

Span: 17.00 m (55.00 ft).

Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb).

RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 8 x 150 N.

RCS Fine No x Thrust: 16 x 5 N.

RCS Propellants: N2O4/MMH, unified system with main engine.

Main Engine: 4 x 2500 N.

Main Engine Thrust: 10.000 kN (2,248 lbf).

Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/MMH.

Main Engine Propellants: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).

Main Engine Isp: 290 sec. L/D Hypersonic: 0.30.

Electrical System: Solar panels, 24.48 + 12.24 m², 36.72 m² total.

Electric System: 1.00 average kW.

Electric System: 2.40 kWh.

Shenzhou "space laboratory module"

An eight ton "space laboratory module" with two docking ports is planned for launch under the designation of Shenzhou 8. It will serve as a target for successive missions, allowing China to experiment space rendezvous capabilities.

This corresponds to the smaller of the two ongoing Project 921-2 Chinese space station plans.

History

China's first efforts at human spaceflight started in 1968 with a projected launch date of 1973. Although China did launch an unmanned satellite in 1970 and has maintained an active unmanned program since, this attempt was canceled due to lack of funds and political interest.

The current Chinese human spaceflight program was authorized on April 1, 1992 as Project 921/1, with work beginning on January 1, 1993. The initial plan had three phases:

• Phase 1 would involve launch of two unmanned versions of the manned spacecraft, followed by the first Chinese manned spaceflight, by 2002.
• Phase 2 would run through 2007, and involve a series of flights to prove the technology, conduct rendezvous and docking operations in orbit, and operate an 8-tonne spacelab using the basic spacecraft technology.
• Phase 3 would involve orbiting of a 20-ton space station in the 2010-2015 period, with crews being shuttled to it using the eight-ton manned spacecraft.

The chief designers include Qi Faren and Wang Yongzhi. The first unmanned flight of the spacecraft was launched on November 19, 1999 after which Project 921/1 was renamed Shenzhou, a name reportedly chosen by Jiang Zemin. A series of three additional unmanned flights ensued. The Shenzhou reentry capsules used to date are 13 percent larger than Soyuz reentry capsules, and it is expected that later craft will be designed to carry a crew of four instead of Soyuz's three, although physical limitations on astronaut size, as experienced with earlier incarnations of Soyuz, will likely apply.

While the Shenzhou orbital module could be used for military reconnaissance there appears to be no military reason for incorporating such as system in a manned mission, as China could use purely unmanned satellites for these purposes. The experience during the 1960s of both the United States with the Manned Orbiting Laboratory and the Soviet Union with the Almaz space station suggests that the military usefulness of human spaceflight is quite limited and that practically all military uses of space are much more effectively performed by unmanned satellites. Yet, the nature of space exploration, with different nations trying successively to achieve the same goals (e.g., the original "space race", current efforts to duplicate GPS and GLONASS with Galileo), implies that China may well be walking down this route as others have before them.

The fifth launch, Shenzhou 5, was the first to carry a human ( Yáng Lìwěi) and occurred at 9:00 CST (UTC +8) on October 15, 2003.

Missions launched

• Shenzhou 1 - November 19, 1999 - unmanned test flight
• Shenzhou 2 - January 9, 2001 - carried animals
• Shenzhou 3 - March 25, 2002 - carried a test dummy
• Shenzhou 4 - December 29, 2002 - carried a test dummy and several science experiments
• Shenzhou 5 - October 15, 2003 - 14 Earth orbits carrying Yáng Lìwěi
• Shenzhou 6 - October 12, 2005 - five day mission with Fèi Jùnlóng and Niè Hǎishèng

Planned missions

• Shenzhou 7 - October 2008 - three man crew; a spacewalk performed by one crew member will be the main objective of the mission
• Shenzhou 8 - 2010 (?) - unmanned mission, it will be an eight ton "space laboratory module" (see Project 921-2) with two docking ports and target for Shenzhou 9 docking
• Shenzhou 9 - 2010 (?)- unmanned mission, will rendezvous and dock with Shenzhou 8
• Shenzhou 10 - 2010 (?)- two or three person crew, will dock with Shenzhou 8 and Shenzhou 9

• Shenzhou 11 (?) - 2012 (?) - unmanned mission, it will be an eight ton "space laboratory module" (see Project 921-2) with two docking ports and target for Shenzhou 12 docking
• Shenzhou 12 (?) - 2012 (?)- unmanned mission, will rendezvous and dock with Shenzhou 11
• Shenzhou 13 (?) - 2012 (?)- two or three person crew, will dock with Shenzhou 11 and Shenzhou 12

• Shenzhou circumlunar (?) - 2015 (?)

This is similar to the process used by the Soviet Union in their early Soyuz program which was intended to test procedures for future Lunar flights.