Shenzhou 15

Shenzhou 15 (Chinese: 神舟十五号; pinyin: Shénzhōu Shíwǔ-hào; lit. 'Divine Boat Number 15') is a Chinese spaceflight that launched on 29 November 2022, at 15:08 UTC.[1] The flight marked the tenth crewed Chinese spaceflight and the fifteenth flight of the Shenzhou program. The spacecraft carried three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on the fourth flight to the Tianhe core module, the first module of the Tiangong space station.[2] The launch of the three-person crew with a Long March 2F launch vehicle took place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Shenzhou 15
Shenzhou 15 before liftoff
Mission typeTiangong Space Station crew transport
OperatorChina Manned Space Agency
COSPAR ID2022-162A
SATCAT no.54379Edit this on Wikidata
Mission durationPlanned: 180 days
Elapsed: 129 days, 14 hours and 36 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftShenzhou 15
Spacecraft typeShenzhou
ManufacturerChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Crew
Crew size3
MembersFei Junlong
Deng Qingming
Zhang Lu
EVAs3
EVA duration>7 hours 6 minutes
Start of mission
Launch date29 November 2022, 15:08:17 UTC
RocketLong March 2F
Launch siteJiuquan, LA-4/SLS
ContractorChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
End of mission
Landing dateMay 2023 (planned)
Landing siteInner Mongolia, China
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination41.5°
Docking with Tiangong Space Station
Docking portTianhe forward
Docking date29 November 2022, 21:42 UTC
Undocking dateMay 2023 (planned)
Time docked129 days, 8 hours and 2 minutes

Shenzhou 15 mission patch

(L-R) Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu
 
Shenzhou 15 crew during the farewell ceromony

Background

The spaceflight is the third Chinese mission set to last six months (180 days).[3] The flight marked the fourth crewed mission to dock with the Tiangong space station before the end of 2022.[4]

Mission

The mission visited the Tianhe core module following the launch and docking of Tianzhou 5, the fourth resupply mission to the station. In addition, it also marked the first Chinese crew handover and created a record of 6 taikonauts in space at the same time with Shenzhou 14. The mission was launched following the launch and docking of the Wentian and Mengtian modules, in July and October 2022, respectively. There was a 5-day overlap between Shenzhou 15 and the previous Shenzhou mission, Shenzhou 14.[2][5]

The crew were greeted by the Shenzhou 14 crew while entering the Tianhe core module later on 29 November 2022, at 23:33 UTC as the fourth expedition to the Tiangong space station.

The Shenzhou 15 crew is expected to carry out 3 to 4 spacewalks, work on payloads both inside and outside the station, and carry out other scientific work during the 6-month mission.[5]

In preparation for the mission, Shenzhou 16 was prepped and ready on standby as an emergency rescue mission in case any serious problems were to happen to the Shenzhou 15 mission.[6]

Spacewalks

On 9 February 2023, the first scheduled spacewalk of Shenzhou 15 was carried out by Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu through the airlock of the Wentian lab module, with Deng Qingming assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. Fei and Zhang completed a series of tasks, including installing an external pump on the Mengtian lab module and other tasks related to Mengtian's payload airlock, which allows astronauts to deploy science payloads and small satellites using the station's robotic arms. The spacewalk lasted for 7 hours and 6 minutes, making it China's longest to date.[7]

On 28 February 2023, the second planned spacewalk of Shenzhou 15 was conducted by Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu through the airlock of the Wentian lab module, with Deng Qingming again assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. The two spacewalkers completed all the scheduled tasks and returned safely to Wentian. No specified tasks, time period or other details were stated.[8]

On 31 March 2023, the third planned spacewalk of Shenzhou 15 was conducted by Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu through the airlock of the Wentian lab module, with Deng Qingming again assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. The two spacewalkers completed all the scheduled tasks and returned safely to Wentian. No specified tasks, time period or other details were stated.

Spacecraft
Diagram of a Shenzhou spacecraft

The Shenzhou 15 spacecraft is based on the Soyuz MS design concept. Shenzhou was approved in 1992 as part of the Chinese space program Project 921, and has a design similar to the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.[9]

In the front of the spacecraft, there is the orbital module which contains an androgynous docking ring based on APAS technology, which is used to dock with the Tianhe core module. In the middle is the reentry module containing the crew which is a scaled-up version of the Soyuz descent module. The rear of the spacecraft is the service module which is equipped with engines, fuel tanks, and solar panels.[10]

Crew

The crew was publicly announced in a press conference on 28 November 2022.

Position Crew member
Commander China Fei Junlong, PLAAC
Second spaceflight
Operator China Deng Qingming, PLAAC
First spaceflight
System Operator China Zhang Lu, PLAAC
First spaceflight

See also

References
  1. "Spaceflight mission report Shenzhou-15". www.spacefacts.de. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  2. "Rocket to launch China's next space station module arrives at launch center". SpaceNews. 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  3. "中国航天进入空间站建造关键时期——访中国载人航天工程办公室主任郝淳". xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. Barbosa, Rui C. (1 March 2021). "China preparing to build Tiangong station in 2021, complete by 2022". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  5. "China reveals missions of Shenzhou-14, Shenzhou-15 space crews - Khmer Times". 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  6. Jones, Andrew (4 December 2022). "China's Shenzhou 14 astronauts return to Earth after helping build Tiangong space station". www.space.com/. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  7. "China's Shenzhou 15 astronauts take their 1st spacewalk outside Tiangong space station (video)". Space.com. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  8. "China's Shenzhou 15 astronauts perform 2nd spacewalk and 1st 'fire in space' test". Space.com. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  9. Davenport, Justin (June 16, 2021). "Shenzhou-12 and three crew members successfully launch to new Chinese space station". nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  10. "China's Shenzhou 13 crew docks with space station for 6-month stay". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
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