Tiangong is visible to the naked eye, but it’s fainter than the ISS because of its smaller size

Image courtesy google

China’s space station, Tiangong, is in low Earth orbit, between 210 and 280 miles above the surface. It’s slightly higher than the International Space Station’s (ISS) orbit of 254 miles.

Tiangong is visible to the naked eye, but it’s fainter than the ISS because of its smaller size. The best time to see it is when it’s nighttime at your location and the space station is sunlit. 

Tiangong has three modules that can support up to three astronauts at a time. It went into operation in 2022. China recently announced plans to double the size of Tiangong in the coming years

Yes, China has put astronauts into orbit. China was the third country to send humans into orbit. The first Chinese astronaut was Yang Liwei, who launched into space on October 15, 2003.

China’s space program has also included: 

  • Landing robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon 
  • Sending its first civilian astronaut into space 
  • Sending its youngest-ever crew to space 
  • Planning to put astronauts on the moon before 2030 

China has its own human space program, the China Manned Space Program. It has also cooperated with other countries on human and robotic space projects.

As of October 2023, Tiangong is at an altitude of 237 miles, with an orbital speed of 17,184 miles per hour. It’s currently at a ground point of 12.03° North.  

China plans to add three more modules to Tiangong, with the fourth module, “Xuntian”, scheduled for launch in 2024. Once completed, Tiangong will be about one-fifth the mass of the International Space Station.

the Chinese space station is visible from Earth. It looks like a bright star or airplane moving across the sky. It doesn’t have flashing lights or change direction.

The best time to see Tiangong is when it’s nighttime where you are and the space station is sunlit. This often happens in the morning before sunrise or in the evening after sunset. 

The space station has cameras that capture views of Earth. China has released a compilation of these views.

Tiangong is China’s space station. It’s also known as the Celestial Palace in Chinese

Tiangong is made up of three modules: 

  • Tianhe: The core module launched in April 2021 
  • Wentian: The experiment module launched in 2022 
  • Mengtian: The experiment module launched in 2022 

The station orbits between 340 and 450 km above the Earth’s surface. It’s typically occupied by three astronauts at a time for six-month stays. 

Tiangong has been fully operational since late 2022. China plans to double the size of the station. After the expansion, Tiangong will weigh 180 metric tons, which is 40% of the mass of the ISS. 

The first Tiangong space station was launched on September 29, 2011.

Here are some differences between Tiangong and the International Space Station (ISS): 

  • Modules: Tiangong has three modules, while the ISS has 16. 
  • Size: Tiangong is smaller than the ISS. Tiangong weighs about 20% as much as the ISS. 
  • Crew: The ISS can accommodate up to 13 astronauts, while Tiangong typically has three astronauts. 
  • Orbit: Tiangong orbits slightly higher than the ISS. 
  • Visibility: Tiangong is fainter than the ISS and can only be seen with the naked eye at night. 

The ISS is made up of 16 pressurized modules. The modules are shaped like canisters and spheres, and include: 

Zarya, Zvezda, Poisk, Rassvet, Nauka, Prichal, BEAM, Leonardo, Harmony, Quest. 

The ISS also includes: 

Tranquility, Unity, Cupola, Destiny, Kibō, Columbus. 

The main focus of Tiangong is scientific research.

Tiangong orbits Earth at an altitude of 217 to 280 miles (340 to 450 kilometers). The ISS orbits Earth at an altitude of 248 to 254 miles (400 to 408 kilometers). This means that Tiangong orbits slightly higher than the ISS.  

The ISS is a multi-nation laboratory that travels at 17,500 mph, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes. It’s easy to see and track from Earth because it reflects sunlight and appears as a bright white pinpoint of light in the sky.

Tiangong can house up to six people, but usually has three astronauts at a time. The first crewed mission to Tiangong was Shenzhou-12, which launched on June 17, 2021. As of May 30, 2023, there were six people on Tiangong. 

The CMSA hopes to keep Tiangong continuously inhabited by at least three astronauts for at least a decade. The space station will host many experiments from both China and other countries.

Tiangong has three permanent modules: 

  • Tianhe: The core module, which contains living quarters for astronauts. It was launched in April 2021. 
  • Wentian: The experiment module. 
  • Mengtian: The science lab module. It was launched in October 2022. 

The modules form a T-shape. The Tianhe module is in the middle, with the Wentian and Mengtian modules on either side. 

China plans to launch a multi-functional expansion module with six docking ports. This module will dock with the Tianhe core module, allowing full-size modules to be added. (Full article source google)

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