What does Tianhe mean for China's Space Station?

Tianhe, a much larger upgrade on China’s smaller, 8-ton Tiangong testbed space labs, is equipped with a multi-docking hub to facilitate construction of the space station and allow crew to embark on extravehicular activities.

When will China's Tiangong space station be built?

The construction of China’s Tiangong space station has been completed in 2022 and officially entered the phase of application and development. The Tiangong space station will operate in orbit for a long time as China’s national space lab, continuously supporting scientific and technological research and providing on-orbit services.

When did Tianhe launch?

It was launched into orbit on 29 April 2021, as the first launch of the final phase of Tiangong program, part of the China Manned Space Program (Project 921). Tianhe follows the earlier projects Salyut, Skylab, Mir, International Space Station, Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 space stations.

Why did China launch Tianhe?

Tianhe seeks “harmony of the heavens” Launch of the Tianhe module marks a transition from China’s original human spaceflight goals to the start of a permanent presence in space. China is effectively banned from participation in the International Space Station program due to geopolitical strife with the United States.

Why is Tiangong a low power station?

After the Tiangong space station completes its T-shaped 3-module configuration, solar arrays of the Tianhe core module are easily blocked by the bodies and solar arrays of the experiment modules, which results in low power generation efficiency.

What does Xi Jinping's 'Tianhe' launch mean for China's Space Station?

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a congratulatory message Thursday that the successful launch of the core module Tianhe means that China's space station construction has entered the full implementation stage, which lays a solid foundation for follow-up tasks.