Tiangong program

The Tiangong program (Chinese: 天宫空间站工程; pinyin: Tiāngōng kōngjiānzhàn gōngchéng)^[1]^[2] is China's space program to create a modular space station, comparable to Mir. This program is independent and unconnected to any other international space-active countries.^[3] The program is part of the China Manned Space Program that began in 1992. The core module of the Tiangong space station, the Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens") was finally launched on 29 April 2021 marking the start of the Tiangong Space program deployment.

China launched its first space laboratory, Tiangong-1, on 29 September 2011. Following Tiangong-1, a more advanced space laboratory complete with cargo spacecraft, dubbed Tiangong-2, was launched on 15 September 2016. The first module of the 12 part new series of Tiangong space station launched on 29 April 2021.

The project culminated with the Tiangong space station, which consists of a 22.6-ton core module and cargo transport craft, with two more major research modules launched in 2022.^[4] It supports three astronauts for long-term habitation.^[5]

^ "China launches first section of its massive space station". China Daily. 29 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. China's most adventurous space endeavor, the multimodule space station, named Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, will be mainly composed of three components
^ "China launches space station core module Tianhe". Xinhua. 29 April 2021. The Tianhe module will act as the management and control hub of the space station Tiangong, meaning Heavenly Palace
^ Cite error: The named reference Branigan&Sample was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Barbosa, Rui (1 March 2021). "China preparing to build Tiangong station in 2021, complete by 2022". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
^ David, Leonard (7 March 2011). "China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". SPACE.com. Retrieved 9 March 2011. China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to a large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies.

[1] "China launches first section of its massive space station". China Daily. 29 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. China's most adventurous space endeavor, the multimodule space station, named Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, will be mainly composed of three components

[xinhua202104-2] "China launches space station core module Tianhe". Xinhua. 29 April 2021. The Tianhe module will act as the management and control hub of the space station Tiangong, meaning Heavenly Palace

[Branigan&Sample-3] Cite error: The named reference Branigan&Sample was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[nsf20210301-4] Barbosa, Rui (1 March 2021). "China preparing to build Tiangong station in 2021, complete by 2022". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 2 March 2021.

[David-5] David, Leonard (7 March 2011). "China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals". SPACE.com. Retrieved 9 March 2011. China is ready to carry out a multiphase construction program that leads to a large space station around 2020. As a prelude to building that facility, China is set to loft the Tiangong-1 module this year as a platform to help master key rendezvous and docking technologies.

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