At 14:22 on July 24, 2022, Beijing time, the Long March 5B Yaosan carrier rocket carrying the Wentian experimental module was ignited and launched on time at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China. About 495 seconds later, the Wentian experimental module and the rocket succeeded Separated and entered the intended orbit, the launch was a complete success.
This is the 24th flight mission since the establishment of China's manned space project. The Wentian experimental module launched is the second section of the Chinese space station and the first scientific experimental module.
The Wentian experimental cabin is composed of a working cabin, an airlock cabin and a resource cabin. The take-off weight is about 23 tons. It is mainly used to support astronauts' stay, exit activities and carry out space science experiments. At the same time, it can be used as a backup for the Tianhe core cabin. Manage the space station.
In the follow-up, the Wentian experimental module will rendezvous with the core module assembly according to the predetermined procedure, and the Shenzhou 14 astronaut crew will enter the Wentian experimental module to carry out work.
The launch vehicle and Wentian experimental module for this launch mission were developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and the China Academy of Space Technology, which are affiliated to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, respectively.
(produced by Xu Miaoqiao)
Responsible editor: [Lu Yan]