Big news in the cosmos! On Saturday, China's Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft paired with the Long March-7 Y10 carrier rocket was moved vertically to the launch pad at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province. This move is a major step towards supporting the space station’s operations!
The Long March-7 rocket is a next-generation medium-sized launch vehicle running on kerosene and liquid oxygen. Standing at 53.1 meters with four boosters, it boasts a payload capacity of 14 tonnes to low-Earth orbit and can dynamically tweak its flight path—kind of like your favorite navigation app adjusting routes on the fly! 🚀
So, what’s packed onboard the 'space express'? Tianzhou-9 is carrying about 6.5 tonnes of essential supplies, ranging from consumables and propellants to advanced experimental equipment. It also includes two sets of domestically developed spacesuits engineered for longer operations and more spacewalks, plus a state-of-the-art muscle training device to keep taikonauts fit in microgravity. Talk about a cosmic upgrade to the station’s gym! 💪
With all pre-launch checks in place and a backup rocket ready to launch within three months for emergency needs, this mission marks an exciting leap in space technology and innovation. It’s yet another brilliant chapter in China's journey of exploration!
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Rocket carrying Tianzhou-9 cargo spaceship moved to launch pad
cgtn.com
