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Additional Media

Replay! China launches crew to new space station

A Long March-2F Y12 rocket launched the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft carrying astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo to the Tianhe core module of China's new space station on June 16, 2021 (Jun...

Live: Special coverage on Shenzhou-12 crewed mission to Chinese Space Station

China's home grown Long March rocket will send the Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft, carrying astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo, to the Chinese Space Station's core module Tianhe at 9:2...

Shenzhou 12

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Human Exploration

Low Earth Orbit Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First crewed flight to the Chinese large modular space station.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • June 16, 2021, 1:34 a.m.

Updated launch time.


Cosmic_Penguin • June 14, 2021, 2:51 a.m.

Added launch time per NOTAMs.


Nosu • April 21, 2021, 9:55 a.m.

Updated launch date


Cosmic_Penguin • April 11, 2021, 11:22 a.m.

Updated launch date.


Long March 2F/G

Family:
Configuration: F/G

The Long March 2F is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle. It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2F/G version includes longer boosters for increased lift capability, among other improvements.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    62.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    464.0 T
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Long March 2F/G
  • Family
  • Variant
    F/G
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 2F/G
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    8399.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Shenzhou 12


Active Human Rated Crew On-board: 3 Crew Capacity: 3
Destination: Tiangong space station
Serial Number: 12

First crewed mission to the Chinese Space Station.

Shenzhou Details

Crew


Nie Haisheng

Commander - configurations.Country.None - ( CNSA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Oct. 13, 1964
Age: 61

Liu Boming

Operator - configurations.Country.None - ( CNSA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Sept. 16, 1966
Age: 59

Tang Hongbo

Operator - configurations.Country.None - ( CNSA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Oct. 1, 1975
Age: 50

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 590 Failures: 15 Pending: 8

Agency Type:

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

INFO WIKI

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