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szdaily -> News -> 
Shenzhou-14 astronauts enter Wentian lab module
    2022-07-26  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

THE Shenzhou-14 astronauts opened the hatch door of Wentian, the first lab module of China’s space station, and entered the module at 10:03 a.m. (Beijing Time) yesterday, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.

It is the first time that Chinese astronauts have entered a lab module in orbit.

Launched Sunday, Wentian docked with the front port of the Tianhe core module of China’s space station at 3:13 a.m. yesterday (Beijing Time) after it entered the planned orbit and completed state setting.

It is the first time that China’s two 20-ton-level spacecraft conducted rendezvous and docking in orbit, and also the first time that space rendezvous and docking were carried out during the astronauts’ in-orbit stay in the space station, the CMSA said.

The taikonauts in-orbit will use the airlock cabin in Wentian to carry out extravehicular activities (EVAs).

The node cabin in the core module, which usually serves as the exit and entry for EVAs, will become a backup of the airlock cabin.

Compared with the node cabin, the airlock cabin has a larger door, which is more convenient for the taikonauts to enter and exit the spacecraft as well as transfer tools and maintenance equipment.

The Shenzhou-14 crew will be aided by the small mechanical arm to carry out EVAs. The taikonauts are also scheduled to give another space lecture from Wentian.

Wentian has living facilities for the taikonauts just like the core module, the combination of which can serve as many as six taikonauts from two spacecraft during rotation. It has three sleeping areas, a toilet and a kitchen.

It can work as a backup for the core module and control the entire space station with all the key functions the core module has, providing extra insurance for the station.

“Before, there was only the core module with the cargo ship and the manned spaceship. But with Wentian there, there are two modules operating for the space station. Wentian has functions like energy management, information management, manned environment control and overall altitude and orbit control. So in case of danger, we have two sets of safety insurances from Wentian and Tianhe,” said Li Wei, deputy chief designer of the China Space Station General System at China Academy of Space Technology.

And its capability doesn’t stop there. Li said Wentian is “many things in one.” He said aside from controlling the station, Wentian is “capable of large-scale space experiments, both in and outside of Wentian’s sealed cabin, and on a greater scale than ever.”

Wentian is mainly for studies on space life sciences. It is equipped with scientific cabinets that can support experiments on life and ecology, biotechnology, as well as comparative studies of biological growth mechanisms under varying gravity conditions.

The experiment cabinets can be used to study the growth, development, heredity and aging of plants, animals and microorganisms in space, as well as the research on closed ecosystems. Multi-level biological experiments on molecules, cells, tissues and organs can be conducted.

(SD-Xinhua)

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