Tianzhou 3

Tianzhou 3

A 1:144 scale Tianzhou 1 model
Mission type	Tiangong space station resupply
Operator	CNSA
COSPAR ID	2021-085A
SATCAT no.	49222
Website	http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/
Mission duration	12 months (planned) 126 days, 23 hours, 7 minutes (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Tianzhou-3
Spacecraft type	Tianzhou
Manufacturer	China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Dry mass	6,640 kg (14,640 lb)
Dimensions	10.6 m × 3.35 m (34.8 ft × 11.0 ft)
Power	watts
Expedition
Space Station	Tiangong space station
Start of mission
Launch date	20 September 2021, 07:10:11 UTC
Rocket	Long March 7
Launch site	Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, LC-201
Contractor	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Inclination	41.5°
Docking with Chinese Space Station
Docking port	Tianhe Aft port
Docking date	20 September 2021, 14:08 UTC[1]
Time docked	126 days, 16 hours and 10 minutes
Tiangong program ← Shenzhou 12 Shenzhou 13 →   Tianzhou program ← Tianzhou 2 Tianzhou 4 →

Tianzhou 3 (Chinese: 天舟三号) is a mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft, launched on 20 September 2021, at 07:10:11 UTC.^[1] Like previous Tianzhou missions, the spacecraft was launched from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan, China on a Long March 7 launch vehicle.

Tianzhou 3 is the second cargo resupply mission to the Tianhe core module (TCM) of the under-construction Tiangong space station, carrying over six tons of supplies. The spacecraft successfully docked at the TCM's aft port seven hours after launch at 14:08 UTC, where it will remain until after the arrival of Shenzhou 13 in October.^[1]

Spacecraft[]

The Tianzhou cargo ship has several notable differences with the Tiangong stations from which it is derived. It has only three segments of solar panels (against 4 for Tiangong), but has 4 maneuvering engines (against 2).^[2]

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