Shenzhou 11
 Mockup of Shenzhou 11 spacecraft (right) docking with the Tiangong-2 (left) | |
| Operator | China National Space Administration(CNSA) |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2016-061A |
| SATCATno. | 41812 |
| Mission duration | 32 days, 6 hours and 29 minutes |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Shenzhou |
| Manufacturer | CASC |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 2 |
| Members | Jing Haipeng Chen Dong |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 16 October 2016, 23:30 UTC |
| Rocket | Long March 2F |
| Launch site | JiuquanLA-4/SLS |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 18 November 2016, 05:59 UTC |
| Landing site | Inner Mongolia |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Docking withTiangong-2 | |
| Docking date | 18 October 2016, 17:24 UTC |
| Undocking date | 17 November 2016, 4:41 UTC |
 (L-R) Haipeng and Dong | |
Shenzhou 11was acrewed spaceflightof theShenzhou programofChina,launched on 17 October 2016 (16 October UTC) from theJiuquan Satellite Launch Center.[1]It was China's sixth crewed space mission, at 33 days,[2]it was the longest until the follow-upShenzhou 12mission which lasted 3 months. Two days after launch, itdockedwith theTiangong-2space laboratory, which had been launched on 15 September 2016.[1][3][4]Shenzhou 11 was the first and only expedition and mission to Tiangong-2 in this portion of theTiangong program.
Crew[edit]
The crew consisted of two taikonauts.[1][5]Commander Jing celebrated his 50th birthday while in orbit.[6]
| Position | Crew member | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | Jing Haipeng Third spaceflight | |
| Operator | Chen Dong First spaceflight | |
- Back-up crew
| Position | Crew member | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | TBA,PLAAC | |
| Operator | Deng Qingming,PLAAC | |
The mission selected two crew instead of three to extend supplies to increase mission length for their long duration stay.[7]
Mission[edit]
The Shenzhou 11 launched at 07:30 on 17 October 2016 local time (23:30 UTC on 16 October) from theJiuquan Satellite Launch Centerusing aLong March 2Flaunch rocket.[1]
The mission's main objective was torendezvousand dock with theTiangong-2space laboratory and gain experience from a 30-day residence,[5]and to test its life-support systems.[1]
In the two days after the launch, it changed its orbit five times to arrive 52 kilometres behind the Tiangong-2 space lab. It autonomously rendezvoused and docked with Tiangong-2 at 3:24 p.m. EDT on 18 October 2016, while both spacecraft were at an altitude of 393 km (244 mi).[4][8]
The crew landed successfully after the 33-day mission on 18 November 2016. The reentry module of the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft landed inDorbod Banner,Inner Mongolia around 2:15 p.m. (China time) after undocking from the space lab on 17 November.[9]
References[edit]
- ^abcde"China's Shenzhou 11 blasts off on space station mission".BBC News.17 October 2016.Retrieved17 October2016.
- ^Perlez, Jane(16 October 2016)."China Astronauts to Attempt Nation's Longest Space Mission".The New York Times.Retrieved16 October2016.
- ^de Selding, Peter B. (20 June 2016)."China prepares assembly of its space station, invites collaboration through U.N."SpaceNews.Retrieved22 September2016.
- ^abWall, Mike (19 October 2016)."Chinese Astronauts Dock with Tiangong-2 Space Lab".Space.com.Retrieved19 October2016.
- ^abHuang, Jin (8 March 2016)."Why will Shenzhou-11 carry only two astronauts to space?".People's Daily.Retrieved10 March2016.
- ^"China launches longest manned space mission".Reuters. 16 October 2016.Retrieved26 September2019.
- ^Clark, Michael (19 October 2016)."Shenzhou 11 and Tiangong 2".Space Pod.TMRO.Retrieved25 June2021– via YouTube.
- ^"China's Shenzhou-11 successfully docks with Tiangong-2 spacelab".CCTV America.18 October 2016.Retrieved19 October2016.
- ^Griffiths, James (18 November 2016)."Shenzhou-11 astronauts return home after China's longest-ever space mission".CNN.Retrieved18 November2016.
External links[edit]
- Live webcast(in Chinese)
- Live webcast(in English)
