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ATianzhou 3D model
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Mission type | Tiangong space station resupply |
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Operator | CNSA |
COSPAR ID | 2023-063A ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 56446![]() |
Website | www |
Mission duration | 253 days, 23 hours and 15 minutes |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Tianzhou-6 |
Spacecraft type | Tianzhou |
Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation |
Launch mass | 13,500 kg (29,800 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 | 10 May 2023, 13:22 UTC[1] |
Rocket | Long March 7 |
Launch site | Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, LC-2 |
Contractor | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Deorbited |
Decay date | 19 January 2024, 12:37 UTC |
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 | 10 May 2023, 21:16 UTC |
Undocking date | 12 January 2024, 08:02 UTC |
Time docked | 246 days, 10 hours and 46 minutes |
Tianzhou 6 (Chinese: 天舟六号) was the sixth mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft, and the fifth 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.[2] This was the first mission of the operation phase of Tiangong.[3] It was launched on 10 May 2023 at 13:22 UTC,[4] and docked to the Tiangong Space Station a few hours later.[5][6]
On 12 March 2023, CMSA announced that Tianzhou 6 has completed manufacturing, and was delivered to Wenchang.[7][8]
On 13 April 2023, Long March 7 Y7, the launch vehicle for this mission, arrived at Wenchang Space Launch Site. It started to conduct stacking and tests with the already arrived Tianzhou 6.[9]
On 7 May 2023, Long March 7 Y7 and Tianzhou 6 arrived vertically at the launch pad.[10]
On 10 May 2023 at 13:22:51.405 UTC, it was successfully launched from Wenchang.[11] It docked to the aft port of the Tiangong Space Station less than 8 hours later.[6]
Tianzhou 6 was undocked on 12 January 2024 to make way for Tianzhou 7 cargo ship, and deorbited by burning up in the Earth's atmosphere about a week later.
The cargo capacity of Tianzhou 6 has been increased by 20%, allowing to it carry payloads of up to 7.4 tonnes.[12][13][11] Tianzhou 6 has the largest capacity in the Tianzhou series and is the largest active cargo supply spacecraft in terms of capacity.[14][15][16]
Starting from this mission, the launch frequency of Tianzhou cargo spacecraft will be adjusted from two ships per year to three ships every two years.[17]
Tianzhou-6 carried 1750 kg of fuel, of which 700 kg is for resupplying the space station. It delivered more than 7 tons of pressurized cargo, including scientific payloads for researching about lidar and supercritical flow.[18] It also brought 70 kg of fresh fruit for the Shenzhou 15 and 16's crew.[1]
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