Tianzhou 1

Tianzhou 1
	A 1:144 scale Tianzhou-1 model
Mission type	Tiangong-2 resupply
Operator	CNSA
COSPAR ID	2017-021A
SATCAT no.	42684
Mission duration	154 days and 22 hours
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Tianzhou-1
Spacecraft type	Tianzhou
Launch mass	Under 13,000 kg (29,000 lb)
Dimensions	9 m × 3.35 m (29.5 ft × 11.0 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date	20 April 2017, 19:41 (UTC+8)
Rocket	Long March 7
Launch site	Wenchang LC-2
End of mission
Disposal	deorbited
Destroyed	22 September 2017
Docking with Tiangong-2
Docking port	Fore
ing date	22 April 2017, 04:23 UTC
Uning date	19 June 2017, 01:37 UTC
Time docked	57 days, 21 hours and 14 minutes
Docking with Tiangong-2
Docking port	Fore
Docking date	19 June 2017, 06:55 UTC
Undocking date	21 June 2017, 01:16 UTC
Time docked	1 day, 18 hours and 21 minutes
Docking with Tiangong-2
Docking port	Fore
Docking date	12 September 2017, 15:58 UTC
Undocking date	17 September 2017, 08:15 UTC
Time docked	4 days, 16 hours and 17 minutes
	Tiangong program ← Shenzhou 11 Tianhe core module launch → Tianzhou program Tianzhou 2 →

Tianzhou 1 (Chinese: 天舟一号) was the debut mission of the Tianzhou-class uncrewed cargo spacecraft. It was developed as part of the crewed space program of China. Tianzhou means "heavenly vessel" in Chinese.^[1] On 20 April 2017, Tianzhou 1 was launched by rocket Long March 7 at China Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. It successfully docked with the Tiangong-2 space laboratory on 22 April 2017 at 12:16 (UTC+8).^[2] Tianzhou 1 was deorbited on 22 September 2017. It plunged into Earth's atmosphere and burned up after a set of braking maneuvers under ground control.^[3]

Spacecraft

It used the first flight model of the Tianzhou. It is a Chinese automated cargo spacecraft developed from the Tiangong-1 to resupply its future modular space station.

Launch

Tianzhou 1 launched successfully on 20 April 2017 at 7:41 pm local time, from the Wenchang space center. This marked the second time a Long March 7 had been used and the first time for a mission. Tianzhou-1 became the heaviest Chinese spacecraft ever launched, at that time.^[4]

Mission

This mission demonstrated the Tianzhou spacecraft and its capabilities. It critically demonstrated propellant transfer for the Chinese space station, the last big hurdle for long-duration expeditions.^[5] On April 22, 2017, Tianzhou 1 successfully docked with Tiangong 2 marking the first successful docking of a cargo vessel, and refuelling, with the orbiting space laboratory.^[6] It subsequently performed a second docking and refueling on June 15, 2017. After it coupled with Tiangong 2 for a period of 60 days, it decoupled and separated from the space laboratory and completed a three-month period of free flight at around 390 kilometres above the Earth, separately carrying out a range of science experiments. On September 12, 2017, Tianzhou 1 performed the third and final docking and refuel with Tiangong 2, with what is termed a fast docking which took 6.5 hours to complete.^[7] Previously the rendezvous and docking process took around two days, or 30 orbits.^[8]