China Space Station will welcome two manned spacecraft and a cargo spacecraft in 2023.

　　China news agency, Beijing, January 18 (Reporter Li Jingze) The press conference of "Blue Book of China Aerospace Science and Technology Activities (2022)" was held in Beijing on January 18. The reporter learned from the press conference that in 2023, the mission of China Space Station will launch Shenzhou 16 and Shenzhou 17 manned spacecraft and Tianzhou 6 cargo spacecraft.

　　Jing Zheng, deputy commander-in-chief of the space station system of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said at the press conference that in 2023, the crew of Shenzhou 15 and Shenzhou 16 will stay continuously, carry out astronauts and cargo extravehicular activities, support space science, materials and technology test projects, and carry out maintenance and technical upgrading of space station facilities and equipment. Among them, the extravehicular load support under the cascade state of large and small manipulator will be carried out for the first time, the small manipulator will be installed for the first time, and people and goods will be released from the cabin at the same time for the first time.

　　In terms of manned spacecraft, Kevin·Z, deputy chief designer of the manned spacecraft system of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said that in 2023, the manned spacecraft will carry out two returns, two rendezvous and docking, and Mifune emergency support as planned, involving four shenzhou spaceship ships from Shenzhou 15 to Shenzhou 18. At the same time, the follow-up spacecraft will be developed in parallel. In 2023, the manned spacecraft mission will maintain a high-density and multi-ship parallel development state, and launching a manned spacecraft every six months will become the norm.

　　As for the cargo spacecraft, Xu Xiaoping, deputy chief designer of the cargo spacecraft system of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said that the Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft will be launched in 2023, which will transport the living materials, crew equipment and resident consumption for the Shenzhou-16 crew and the Shenzhou-17 crew, supply propellant for the space station, spare parts for the uplink maintenance and air cylinders for the cabin, etc., which will be the equipment and consumption materials for the on-orbit uplink application test.

　　He pointed out that the Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft is an improved spacecraft, which has expanded the volume of the sealed cabin and increased the cargo transportation capacity. It is still launched into orbit by the Long March 7 rocket at the Wenchang launch site in Hainan. (End)