The Tianzhou 9 cargo spacecraft docked with China’s space station three hours after it was placed in its preset low-Earth orbit by the rocket. It means the Chinese space station has received deliveries from the Tianzhou 9 successfully.
A Long March 7 rocket, carrying the cargo vessel on top, lifted off on July 15 in Hainan.
After a short flight, the rocket placed Tianzhou 9 in its preset low-Earth orbit, and the solar wings on the robotic vessel unfolded. It marks the successful completion of the launch mission. About three hours later, the spacecraft docked with the space station’s Tianhe core module.
Deliveries for Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21
As the eighth cargo vessel to dock with the Chinese space station, Tianzhou 9 has delivered propellants, science payloads, and daily necessities for the Shenzhou-20 astronauts, as well as for their successors, who will board the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight this winter.
Gong Yongsheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, said that Tianzhou 9 is carrying 776.5 kilograms of science payloads related to 23 experiments.
According to the Astronaut Center of China, the two new spacewalk suits delivered to the space station feature an optimized design and longer life span. Compared with the current type that can facilitate 15 spacewalks, the new ones will support 20.
Yin Rui, an official with the Astronaut Center of China, said that Tianzhou-9 sent a new core muscle training device to the space gym. It will provide constant-resistance workouts for the core and upper limbs, effectively preventing atrophy of deep muscle groups. It will also improve the astronauts’ ability to readapt to Earth’s gravity after their return.
Tianzhou-9 brought about 30 new types of space food, expanding the menu for astronauts to over 190 items. The meal rotation cycle has been extended from seven days to 10 days. These improvements are expected to enhance the taste of the food and better meet the dietary needs of the astronauts.
Second Spacewalk Completed
The Shenzhou-20 mission crew members have conducted their second spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station on June 26. The team completed all their assigned tasks, including installing space debris shields, checking the condition of extravehicular equipment, and fixing broken parts.
The spacewalk was the 22nd that Chinese astronauts have carried out. What’s more, it’s the fifth time that astronaut Chen Dong has floated outside the Chinese space station.
Shenzhou-20 crew members have begun to carry out takeover work of the Tiangong space station after arrival, and have been steadily advancing various scientific experiments.
In addition, among the key experiments is China’s first in-orbit study of planarian regeneration. This study aims to enhance understanding of regenerative mechanisms at the individual organism level.
In the Wentian lab module, astronauts have monitored samples placed within the biotechnology experiment cabinet and utilized the onboard scientific glovebox to collect solid culture samples. These activities support ongoing research into how microgravity affects microbial behavior and cellular tissue growth.
And in the area of space medicine, the crew has transferred cell experiment units to the medical sample preparation unit within the human system research cabinet. This transfer supports investigations into cell growth, differentiation, and functional changes under microgravity.
Written by Yetao Gu, poster designed by Di Wang, additional reporting by China Daily, Xinhua, and Global Times.
If you liked this article, why not read: China’s High-Speed Rail in Numbers: Connecting Cities, Transforming Lives
