The Shenzhou 13 spacecraft departed from Earth at 11:23 AM on October 15, according to Hanoi time, carrying a crew of three to the new space station for a mission lasting six months.
(Video: Xinhua)
The spacecraft launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in northern China, heading towards the Tianhe core module of the space station at an altitude of 400 km after a journey lasting 6.5 hours. The crew includes Wang Yaping, 41, the first female astronaut to set foot on the Tianhe module, along with her colleagues Zhai Zhigang, 55, and Ye Guangfu, 41. They will stay in orbit for six months, doubling the previous record set by the last mission. Zhai, the oldest member of the team, has been designated as the mission commander, while for Ye, this is his first trip to space. All three were part of the backup crew for the recently completed Shenzhou 12 mission.
Long March 2F Y13 rocket launched at Jiuquan.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that Shenzhou 13 successfully lifted off about 30 minutes after launch. The launch time was carefully chosen to coincide with the Tianhe module passing overhead the launch site, allowing the astronauts to reach their destination in the shortest possible journey. The docking process was supported by China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system.
During a pre-launch event, the crew did not need to bring portable breathing devices as in previous Shenzhou missions, as the weather is now much colder. They only needed to use the spacecraft’s breathing system once aboard. According to authorities, the automatic docking system performed well during the Shenzhou 12 and Tianzhou 3 missions, reducing the docking time from several days to just a few hours.
After Shenzhou 13 docks with the core module and the Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft, the configuration will form a T-shape with a mass of nearly 50 tons. The automatic control system, which was used for the first time in September on the Tianzhou 3 cargo ship, is also being utilized for the Shenzhou 13 mission. Consequently, the activation and launch of the rocket are controlled automatically.
On October 14, Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for CMSA, stated that authorities had implemented several safety measures for the crew, including positioning the Long March 2F rocket, ready to launch Shenzhou 14 into orbit in case of an emergency in space. Previously, Shenzhou 13 and the Long March 2F Y13 rocket were also prepared at Jiuquan when the first crew flew to the Tiangong station.
