AKA: Chinese Cargo Spaceship. Status: Operational 2017. Gross mass: 12,910 kg (28,460 lb). Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft).
The design used an extended version of the pressurized module of the Tiangong space station forward, with a new larger-diameter service module aft, which was fitted with tanks for resupply of liquids and gases required for station operations (propellants, water, oxygen). Tianzhou-1 had a mass of 12910 kg. It flew on the second Chang Zheng 7 rocket, launched from Wenchang space centre on Hainan island. Tianzhou-1 docked with the Tiangong-2 space lab, then unoccupied. This mission was mainly for technology development; the Tianzhou frieghters were to be used operationally to resupply China's future large space station.
See Tianzhou 1 (TZ 1). China's first space station cargo resupply ship. Tianzhou-1 had a mass of 12910 kg. It flew on the second Chang Zheng 7 rocket, launched from Wenchang space centre on Hainan island. Tianzhou-1 docked with the Tiangong-2 space lab, then unoccupied. This mission was mainly for technology development; the Tianzhou frieghters were to be used operationally to resupply China's future large space station. Tianzhou 1 was inserted into a 198 x 372 km x 42.8 deg initial orbit, which was then raised to 311 x 369 km. The second stage ejected the usual four motor separation covers into 200 x 550 km orbits.