This year, the Chinese space station will dock two manned spacecraft, Shenzhou 14 and 15

IT Home February 10 news, according to China News Network reported that the "China Aerospace Science and Technology Activities Blue Book (2021)" press conference was held in Beijing yesterday. For the first time, the Shenzhou XIII manned spacecraft will use a rapid return program, and is scheduled to carry out a return mission in mid-April.

According to reports, this year's Chinese space station mission will achieve multiple firsts. Shao Limin, technical deputy manager of the manned spacecraft system project of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said that Shenzhou 13 will complete the docking task of the combination for up to 6 months for the first time, and implement rapid return for the first time to further improve the comfort of astronauts and the efficiency of mission implementation; the two manned spacecraft of Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 docked at the space station at the same time, forming a 6-capsule composite structure for the first time, and establishing a mission state of uninterrupted manned presence on the space station through group rotation.

IT Home learned that the Shenzhou XIII manned spacecraft was launched on October 16, 2021. Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu formed a flight crew, with Zhai Zhigang as the commander, and the three astronauts will live on the mainland space station for 6 months and carry out a series of scientific experiments and missions in orbit. On November 7, Shenzhou 13 crew completed the first outgoing activity, and Wang Yaping and Zhai Zhigang completed the installation of the mechanical arm suspension device and adapter parts, and the test of typical extravehicular movements.

On January 8 this year, under the close coordination of ground scientific and technological personnel, Shenzhou 13 astronauts successfully completed the rendezvous and docking test of the Combination of Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft and the space station in the core module of the mainland space station by means of hand-controlled remote operation.