Updates Shenzhou 10 mission updates, June 11-26, 2013

[Cosmic Penguin]

Early today the astronauts, with Wang Yaping as the speaker, did the first Chinese "space lesson". The 45 minute event was mainly about various effects of micro-gravity and the physics about them - a pretty standard item for such in-orbit educational events, and I think they handled this pretty well. :thumbup:

I am trying to find the whole event with English narratives, so until then take a look at BBC's report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22981920

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Early today the astronauts, with Wang Yaping as the speaker, did the first Chinese "space lesson". The 45 minute event was mainly about various effects of micro-gravity and the physics about them - a pretty standard item for such in-orbit educational events, and I think they handled this pretty well. :thumbup:

I am trying to find the whole event with English narratives, so until then take a look at BBC's report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22981920

For those interested in watching the whole event, see this link.

And another treat: Shenzhou 10 and Tiangong 1 seen passing in front of the Sun as photographed by Thierry Legault:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Today the three astronauts went back to Shenzhou 10 and undocked from Tiangong 1 at 00:27 UTC and retreated to about 150 meters away to re-try the manual docking procedures. This test was uneventful and Shenzhou 10 re-docked at 02:07 UTC.

The crew is expected to leave the station for the last time in two days time and land early on June 26.

 

[Donamy]

What happened to the fly-around ?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

What happened to the fly-around ?

I guess that will happen after the second un-docking on June 25 - let's see if that really happens.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I just wandered to the forum for the first time in a long while and tripped across this thread. Why is this not on U.S. news? :facepalm: Journalism is dead in this country, completely stone cold stiff and dead.

Back on topic - this is great!

 

[Codz]

I just wandered to the forum for the first time in a long while and tripped across this thread. Why is this not on U.S. news? :facepalm: Journalism is dead in this country, completely stone cold stiff and dead.

It's a fairly run-of-the-mill mission for the average person. Even Space Shuttle missions didn't get very much attention when they were flying, much less when this mission is being flown by a nation that we aren't cooperating with.

 

[boogabooga]

I just wandered to the forum for the first time in a long while and tripped across this thread. Why is this not on U.S. news? :facepalm: Journalism is dead in this country, completely stone cold stiff and dead.

Back on topic - this is great!

Probably better that way least it get spun into anti-Chinese propaganda.

Did I hear correctly that unlike the SZ-9 mission which had a 24 hr/day workload, this crew would be allowed to sleep?:huh:

 

[Alfastar]

I just wandered to the forum for the first time in a long while and tripped across this thread. Why is this not on U.S. news? :facepalm: Journalism is dead in this country, completely stone cold stiff and dead.

Well, it was in the U.S news if it not was the Chinese, but from the blue-letter company with white rockets :lol:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

It's a fairly run-of-the-mill mission for the average person. Even Space Shuttle missions didn't get very much attention when they were flying, much less when this mission is being flown by a nation that we aren't cooperating with.

And even less when the Chinese themselves aren't really eager to follow up mission coverage either - in fact a little on the extreme side I think. I don't think most of the world would care anyway - spaceflight isn't exactly very interesting most of the time. (remember that you can't press the T/R button for time warping in real life )

Probably better that way least it get spun into anti-Chinese propaganda.

Did I hear correctly that unlike the SZ-9 mission which had a 24 hr/day workload, this crew would be allowed to sleep?:huh:

Last time the crew work in shifts such that operations can be done around the clock (much like the way some Shuttle science laboratory missions did). This time the whole crew work together and sleep at the same time (much like the operations on the ISS). :tiphat:

 

[Ripley]

Early today the astronauts, with Wang Yaping as the speaker, did the first Chinese "space lesson"...

Now also on Youtube:

 

[RGClark]

Now also on Youtube:

Full video: Chinese astronaut gives space lecture - YouTube

Thanks for that; pretty cool. Wang Yaping is a very photogenic, and well-spoken astronaut. She may become the Chris Hadfield of China.

Bob Clark

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Goodbye Tiangong 1! Late yesterday the Shenzhou 10 crew left TG-1 for the last time - hatch closure was at 21:07 UTC. Before that the crew thanked all the people who made their mission possible and those supporting them:

Shenzhou 10 undocked from Tiangong 1 at 23:05 UTC, then made a fly around to the back of the mini space outpost during the next few hours. Tiangong 1 also flipped around to retrograde so that Shenzhou 10 can try again to make another approach towards it - another maneuver done for the first time by the Chinese.

The crew is now preparing for landing on the Mongolian grasslands at around 00:10 UTC tomorrow (with the de-orbit burn scheduled at around 23:25 UTC today).

 

[Alfastar]

So, what there going to do with the Tiangong 1 now? Go there do a controlled de-orbit burn, or stay it in orbit, and does anti-orbital decay burn for future missions in case the Tiangong 2 go be launched after 2014 / 2015?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Yep, the crew is coming back home! The spacecraft just finished its de-orbit burn. :thumbup:

So, what there going to do with the Tiangong 1 now? Go there do a controlled de-orbit burn, or stay it in orbit, and does anti-orbital decay burn for future missions in case the Tiangong 2 go be launched after 2014 / 2015?

It should be wrapping up its Earth observation mission in a few months. Then it's going to head for the final dive into the atmosphere...

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

And the crew is back at home! The descent module just landed at 00:07 UTC.

 

[N_Molson]

Nice one. Congrats to China for that successful manned mission ! :thumbup:

 

[IronRain]

:hesaid: and welcome back!