Tianzhou 7 (Chinese: 天舟七号) is the seventh mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft, and the sixth resupply mission to the Tiangong Space Station. Like previous Tianzhou missions, the spacecraft was launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch CenterinHainan, China on a Long March 7 rocket.
ATianzhou 3D model
| |
| Mission type | Tiangong space station resupply |
|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-013A  |
| SATCAT no. | 58811 |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 186 days, 18 hours and 15 minutes (in progress) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Tianzhou-7 |
| Spacecraft type | Tianzhou |
| Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation |
| Launch mass | 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) |
| Payload mass | 7,400 kg (16,300 lb) |
| Dimensions | 10.6 m × 3.35 m (34.8 ft × 11.0 ft) |
| Power | 2 |
| Expedition | |
| Space station | Tiangong space station |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 17 January 2024, 14:27 UTC[1] |
| Rocket | Long March 7 |
| Launch site | Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, LC-201 |
| Contractor | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Inclination | 41.5° |
| Docking with Tiangong space station | |
| Docking port | Tianhe Aft port |
| Docking date | 17 January 2024, 17:46 UTC |
| Time docked | 186 days, 14 hours and 56 minutes |
 Tianzhou 7 mission patch | |
On 20 November 2023, CMSA announced that Tianzhou 7 had completed manufacturing, and was delivered to Wenchang.[2]
On 21 December 2023, Long March 7 Y8, the launch vehicle for this mission, arrived at Wenchang Space Launch Site. It started to conduct stacking and tests with the already arrived Tianzhou 7.[3]
On 17 January 2024 at 14:27 UTC, Long March 7 Y8 successfully lifted off from Wenchang SLS's LC-201, propelling Tianzhou 7 towards the Tiangong Station.[4] The spacecraft docked successfully with Tiangong some three hours later at 17:46 UTC.[5]
Spaceflight
