Contradictory information regarding the SZ-9 launch date:-Chinese language report says that SZ-9 will be taken to Jiuquan next month:-http://business.sohu.com/20120326/n338913067.shtmlSZ-8 and TG-1 were both delivered around 8 weeks before launch, so a repeat would take us into June.However, the new orbital parameters of TG-1, which was boosted to a higher orbit on 23rd March, currently suggests a much later launch in August:-http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/China/Shenzhou/Shenzhou09.php#ndot2Presumably, the TG-1 rate of decay can be accelerated, if appropriate.
My own calculations suggest that following the most recent Tiangong 1 manoeuvre, the station will be at the "right altitude" - in the 31 circuits repeating orbit - for the Shenzhou 9 launch during the final third of July.
I don't think it's contradictory:Maybe they are just keeping all their options open. They had stated earlier, that the SZ-9 launch is planned between June and August. So, by delivering SZ-9 to Jiuquan next month, they can make sure that it is going to be ready in June, if everything else is, while the latest boost of TG-1 gives them the time to delay until August if needed, without having to reboost it again.
Quote from: Phillip Clark on 03/27/2012 03:41 amMy own calculations suggest that following the most recent Tiangong 1 manoeuvre, the station will be at the "right altitude" - in the 31 circuits repeating orbit - for the Shenzhou 9 launch during the final third of July.Has Shenzhou not enough margin to reach higher altitudes also?
As has just been commented, all Shenzhou flights starting with #2 have used the ~330-340 km 31-circuits repeating orbit.Shenzhou might well be able to fly higher, but for space station missions it is an advantage to have the station in something close to a repeating orbit, so that it you have a launch delay then there is another opportunity in 2-3 days time.
Oh no it's not !!!Although this image has been used quite extensively in Chinese media, it is actually my very good friend, South Korean Soyeon Yi, training at GCTC in 2007!! Pretty sad that the Chinese media have so little knowledge of their own manned space programme that they make such a daft error.
In the case of SZ-8, delivery to Jiuquan took place 8/9 weeks before the eventual launch. TG-1 was delivered at end June 2011 and looked likely to launch in late August until deferred due the the launch failure earlier that month. If these dates do give us any guidance, then it seems the Chinese are working towards a SZ-9 launch around first/second week in June.
It looks as if the forward (orbital) module has solar panels attached which is a surprize. The Chinese have never depicted a Shenzhou docking with anything with solar panels on its forward module.
Quote from: Phillip Clark on 04/14/2012 07:37 pmIt looks as if the forward (orbital) module has solar panels attached which is a surprize. The Chinese have never depicted a Shenzhou docking with anything with solar panels on its forward module.I think Shenzhou will not fly with orbital module solar panels more. Or it was not planned. It was said that SZ-8 will have last, more significant modifications if I remember correctly.
Quote from: vill on 04/14/2012 07:48 pmQuote from: Phillip Clark on 04/14/2012 07:37 pmIt looks as if the forward (orbital) module has solar panels attached which is a surprize. The Chinese have never depicted a Shenzhou docking with anything with solar panels on its forward module.I think Shenzhou will not fly with orbital module solar panels more. Or it was not planned. It was said that SZ-8 will have last, more significant modifications if I remember correctly.I agree with you totally - yet the photo above appears to show folded solar panels on the cylindrical forward module. It's not the descent module, clearly, since there's the transfer tunnel from the descent module at the bottom.