China has successfully launched the core module of a new space station into orbit, marking a significant milestone in the country’s ambitious space program. The Tianhe module was launched aboard a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on April 29, 2021.
The Tianhe module, which means “Harmony of the Heavens,” is the first of three modules that will make up China’s space station. It is a cylindrical module weighing around 22 tonnes and measuring 16.6 meters in length and 4.2 meters in diameter. The module will serve as the living quarters for astronauts and also provide life support, recycling of air and water, and control, communications, and navigation systems.
The launch of Tianhe marks an important step in China’s plans to establish a permanent manned presence in space. The country hopes to complete construction of its space station by 2022 and plans to have a crew of three astronauts stationed on the facility for extended periods.
China’s new space station will be significantly smaller than the International Space Station (ISS), which is a joint project of the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and several European countries. The ISS is about 109 meters wide and weighs over 400 tonnes, while the Chinese space station is expected to be around one-fifth the size of the ISS.
The launch of Tianhe is a major achievement for China’s space program, and it reflects the country’s growing ambitions in space exploration. China has been rapidly expanding its space program over the past several years, and it has made several notable achievements in the field.
In 2019, China became the first country to land a probe on the far side of the moon. The Chang’e 4 mission, which consisted of a lander and a rover, conducted experiments on the moon’s surface and sent back data and images. China also sent a spacecraft to Mars in July 2020, which is expected to land on the red planet in May 2021.
China’s growing space program has been a cause of some concern for the United States, which has long been the dominant player in space exploration. The U.S. has expressed concerns about China’s space program, which it sees as a threat to its own space capabilities.
Despite these concerns, China has made it clear that it is committed to peaceful space exploration and cooperation with other countries. The country has expressed a willingness to collaborate with other nations on space exploration projects, and it has been working with Russia on several space initiatives.
In conclusion, the launch of the Tianhe module marks a significant achievement for China’s space program and demonstrates the country’s growing ambitions in space exploration. The establishment of a permanent manned presence in space is a major goal for China, and the country is making rapid progress towards achieving that goal. As China continues to expand its space program, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the world responds to its growing space capabilities.
