China’s First Cargo Spacecraft Launched

April 17, Hainan Province: China’s first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1, nicknamed “Space Courier,” blasts off from Wenchang Space Launch Center. Tianzhou-1 successfully entered orbit 596 seconds after blasting off on the back of a Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket.

Measuring 10.6 meters in length and up to 3.35 meters in diameter, the tube-shaped Tianzhou-1 is designed to accommodate up to 6.5 tons of payload. It is China’s biggest-ever spacecraft.

So far, it has successfully performed the first docking with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab and will conduct two more dockings from different directions. These are key steps in China’s plan to establish a permanently-manned space station by 2022. Along with refueling capabilities, Tianzhou-1 can also supply astronauts with food, water and other provisions. Construction of the space station will begin next year.