Shenzhou Programme

China's Piloted Space Programme

Scarborough, UK
2012 May 17, UTC
Thursday, day 138

Maintained by:

Robert Christy FBIS

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China Piloted Programme

Tiangong 1 Orbit Evolution

Shenzhou and Related Launches

The following table lists all launches in connection with development of China's piloted spacecraft Shenzhou and the space station that will join it.

Included in the listing are Shenzhou and its orbital modules, Tianlian, Tiangong and BanXing.

1999-061 CZ-2F Jiuquan Space Centre, China					1999 Nov 19, 22:30 UTC
Shenzhou 1 1999-061A 25956						Re-entered - 1999 Nov 20
Test mission to verify the whole Shenzhou launch, support, tracking and recoveryconcept, particularly the launch vehicle. Precise launch time: 23:30:07 a.m. Retrofire was Nov 20 at 19:00 UTC and Shenzhou landed in Inner Mongolia at 19:41 UTC. It also carried science equipment and 100 kg of seeds to investigate the effects of the orbital environment. Equipped with small, fixed panels of solar cells on the OM although contemporary illustrations showed the extendable, folding type similar to the ones on the SM.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
1999 Nov 20, 07:14	6729	0.0233	194	508	91.56	42.48	119
1999 Nov 20, 14:34	6639	0.0096	197	324	89.72	42.60	133

Shenzhou 1 Orbital Module 1999-061E 25960						Re-entered - 1999 Dec 1
Identified by NORAD as Shenzhou 1 'Debris' but probably the OM - as evidenced by the fact that its thrusters were used to raise the orbit. Separated from Shenzhou 1 Nov 20. Equipped with small solar panels fitted tangentially to the sides of the module.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
1999 Nov 21, 04:01	6636	0.0093	196	319	89.66	42.60	137
1999 Nov 21, 10:38	6643	0.0092	205	326	89.82	42.60	139

2001-001 CZ-2F Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2001 Jan 9, 17:00 UTC
Shenzhou 2 2001-001A 26664						Re-entered - 2001 Jan 16
Engineering test of Shenzhou spacecraft, also carried scientific equipment. Carried animal specimens including six mice, and small aquatic and terrestrial organisms. There were fifteen scientific experiments in the cabin, 12 in the orbital module and 37 externally, including a microgravity crystallography experiment, cosmic ray and particle detectors and a gamma ray burst detectors. To test the radio transmitting systems pre-recorded messages were played back. Retrofire was Jan 16 at 1015 UTC and the cabin landed in Inner Mongolia at 11:22 UTC.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2001 Jan 9, 22:37	6645	0.0104	197	336	89.84	42.58	130
2001 Jan 10, 19:58	6709	0.0004	329	334	91.16	42.58	209
2001 Jan 12, 22:00	6714	0.0007	331	340	91.24	42.58	279

Shenzhou 2 Orbital Module 2001-001C 26687						Re-entered - 2001 Aug 24
Released from Shenzhou 2 2001 Jan 16. Manoeuvred to higher orbit and then orbital decay brought about a natural re-entry. Equipped with folding solar panels.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2001 Jan 16, 14:34	6716	0.0012	330	346	91.29	42.58	316
2001 Jan 17, 20:36	6774	0.0010	389	403	92.48	42.59	117
2001 Aug 24, 06:24	6525	0.0007	142	151	87.42	42.57	304

2002-014 CZ-2F Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2002 Mar 25, 14:15 UTC
Shenzhou 3 2002-014A 27397						Re-entered - 2002 Apr 1
Engineering test of Shenzhou spacecraft, also carried scientific equipment. First Shenzhou vehicle to be equipped with a full life support system. Carried 44 experimentsand a video imager that broadcast from one of the portholes. As a communications test, a pre-recorded female voice was transmitted. Landed Inner Mongolia Apr 1 at 08:51 UTC. The Orbital Module remained in orbit.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2002 Mar 26, 01:55	6713	0.0004	332	338	91.23	42.40	272

Shenzhou 3 Orbital Module 2002-014C 27408						Re-entered - 2002 Nov 12
Released from Shenzhou 3 2002 Apr 1. Manoeuvred several times before natural decay brought about re-entry 2002 Nov 12, approx 06:38 UTC over the Indian Ocean off western Australia. Equipped with folding solar panels.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2002 Apr 1, 10:29	6713	0.0007	330	339	91.22	42.41	322
2002 Apr 1, 20:50	6734	0.0003	353	357	91.65	42.40	262
2002 Apr 24, 21:15	6706	0.0005	324	331	91.08	42.40	45
2002 Apr 25, 05:59	6763	0.0004	382	388	92.26	42.41	51
2002 Jun 13, 16:10	6741	0.0010	356	369	91.79	42.41	32
2002 Jun 14, 08:41	6758	0.0007	376	385	92.16	42.41	284
2002 Nov 11, 23:54	6545	0.0004	164	169	87.83	42.40	269

2002-061 CZ-2F Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2002 Dec 29, 16:40 UTC
Shenzhou 4 2002-061A 27630						Re-entered - 2003 Jan 5
Engineering an flight qualification test of piloted spacecraft. Landed Inner Mongolia Jan 5 at 11:16 UTC. The Orbital Module remained in orbit.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2002 Dec 29, 23:47	6643	0.0100	198	332	89.80	42.41	131
2002 Dec 31, 00:27	6712	0.0004	331	337	91.21	42.41	170

Shenzhou 4 Orbital Module 2002-061C 27634						Re-entered - 2003 Sep 9
Released from Shenzhou 4 2003 Jan 5. Manoeuvred several times before natural decay brought about re-entry. Equipped with folding solar panels.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2003 Feb 9, 15:20	6717	0.0011	331	346	91.31	42.42	74
2003 Feb 10, 04:48	6740	0.0005	359	366	91.79	42.42	288
2003 Mar 1, 22:00	6730	0.0001	351	352	91.57	42.42	265
2003 Mar 2, 11:19	6744	0.0011	359	373	91.86	42.41	300
2003 Apr 21, 22:14	6732	0.0014	344	363	91.61	42.42	147
2003 Apr 22, 22:58	6742	0.0027	346	383	91.83	42.41	190
2003 Sep 9, 03:59	6517	0.0016	128	149	87.26	42.40	301

2003-045 CZ-2F Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2003 Oct 15, 01:00 UTC
Shenzhou 5 2003-045A 28043						Re-entered - 2003 Oct 16
First piloted mission by Shenzhou spacecraft. Carried a single crew member, Yang Liwei. One onboard experiment involved exposing crop seeds from Taiwan to the orbital environment. Landed in Inner Mongolia Oct 15 at 22:23. The Orbital Module remained in orbit.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2003 Oct 15, 08:07	6713	0.0001	334	336	91.24	42.42	251

Shenzhou 5 Orbital Module 2003-045G 28049						Re-entered - 2004 May 30
Released from Shenzhou 5 2003 Oct 15. Manoeuvred several times before natural decay brought about re-entry. Equipped with folding solar panels.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2003 Oct 16, 00:50	6713	0.0002	333	336	91.22	42.43	250
2003 Oct 21, 16:27	6709	0.0002	330	332	91.14	42.43	270
2003 Oct 22, 01:22	6721	0.0005	340	346	91.40	42.43	260
2003 Nov 2, 22:56	6709	0.0003	329	333	91.15	42.43	345
2003 Nov 4, 22:17	6726	0.0007	343	352	91.49	42.43	272
2003 Nov 11, 18:44	6722	0.0007	339	348	91.41	42.43	303
2003 Nov 13, 14:52	6739	0.0007	357	366	91.77	42.43	262
2003 Dec 24, 11:27	6721	0.0008	338	348	91.40	42.43	193
2003 Dec 25, 00:45	6729	0.0010	344	357	91.55	42.43	128
2003 Dec 31, 06:24	6726	0.0012	340	356	91.50	42.43	177
2003 Dec 31, 11:06	6742	0.0034	341	387	91.83	42.42	157
2004 May 30, 01:16	6519	0.0010	134	148	87.31	42.41	276

2005-040 CZ-2F Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2005 Oct 12, 01:00 UTC
Shenzhou 6 2005-040A 28879						Re-entered - 2005 Oct 16
Piloted mision carrying crew of two - Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng. For the first time, a Shenzhou crew entered the Orbital Module. Retrofire Oct 16 at 19:45 UTC led to a landing in Inner Mongolia at 20:33 UTC. The orbital Module remained in orbit.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2005 Oct 12, 08:07	6712	0.0006	330	338	91.21	42.41	186

Shenzhou 6 Orbital Module 2005-40E 28883						Re-entered - 2008 Apr 1
Released from Shenzhou 5 2005 Oct 16 at 19:44 UTC. Manoeuvred several times before natural decay brought about re-entry. Equipped with folding solar panels.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2005 Oct 17, 02:20	6714	0.0004	333	339	91.25	42.43	226
2005 Oct 19, 13:54	6715	0.0005	334	341	91.28	42.42	237
2005 Oct 20, 03:03	6725	0.0005	344	351	91.48	42.42	215
2005 Dec 12, 13:45	6714	0.0004	333	339	91.26	42.42	196
2005 Dec 13, 05:58	6730	0.0008	346	357	91.57	42.42	278
2006 Jan 20, 22:07	6723	0.0004	342	348	91.44	42.42	203
2006 Jan 21, 09:52	6729	0.0008	345	356	91.55	42.42	277
2006 Mar 18, 15:01	6720	0.0006	338	346	91.37	42.42	333
2006 Mar 19, 05:56	6730	0.0006	347	356	91.57	42.43	270
2006 May 28, 04:58	6716	0.0001	337	339	91.29	42.42	21
2006 May 28, 12:41	6730	0.0007	347	356	91.57	42.43	266
2006 Sep 5, 10:02	6717	0.0008	334	345	91.32	42.42	243
2006 Sep 5, 20:27	6729	0.0007	346	356	91.56	42.42	264
2007 Jan 11, 18:15	6705	0.0007	322	332	91.07	42.42	50
2007 Jan 12, 04:40	6711	0.0009	327	339	91.19	42.42	350
2007 Jan 27, 07:30	6708	0.0007	325	335	91.12	42.42	115
2007 Jan 27, 20:57	6712	0.0002	332	335	91.20	42.42	128
2007 Jun 6, 01:58	6712	0.0008	328	339	91.21	42.42	8
2007 Jun 6, 11:31	6720	0.0007	337	347	91.37	42.42	273
2008 Apr 1, 13:07	6512	0.0004	131	136	87.15	42.39	11

2008-019 CZ-3C Xichang Space Centre, China					2008 Apr 25, 15:35 UTC
Tianlian 1-01 2008-019A 32779
Data communications satellite to to provide a data relay, and measurement and control service for Chinese satellites and space stations. Brought into operation for the Shenzhou 7 mission 2008 September.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )	GEO longitude
2008 Apr 25, 09:45	27396	0.7592	219	41817	752.14	18.07	180
2008 May 3, 13:47	42165	0.0004	35769	35804	1436.10	0.50	326	77° east
2012 Mar 26, 19:33	42165	0.0003	35776	35798	1436.11	0.03	46	77° east

2008-047 CZ-2 Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2008 Sep 25, 13:10 UTC
Shenzhou 7 2008-047A 33386						Re-entered - 2008 Sep 28
Piloted mission carrying Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng. Sep 27 at 08:34 UTC Zhai Zhigang wearing a Chinese-made Feitian EVA suit and Liu Boming wearing a Russian Sea Hawk EVA suit undertook a 26 minutes (approximately) spacewalk, Zhai spent 19m 35s outside the spacecraft. Used the Tianlian 1-01 communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit. Landed In Inner Mongolia Sep 28 at 09:37 UTC.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2008 Sep 25, 14:18	6644	0.0098	200	331	89.82	42.41	125
2008 Sep 25, 20:17	6712	0.0005	330	337	91.20	42.40	274

BanXing 1 (Companion Satellite 1) 2008-047G 33392						Re-entered - 2009 Oct 30
Released from Shenzhou 7 Sep 27 at 11:24 UTC. 40 kg manoeuvrable cubesat, built by Shanghai Micro-satellite Engineering Center, to test rendezvous procedures with Shenzhou 7 - manoeuvred seven times during the test. Also transmitted images of the main spacecraft in orbit. Still operating at end of life when re-entered naturally 2009 October 30 around 03:30 UTC.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2008 Sep 27, 19:34	6712	0.0007	329	339	91.22	42.40	283

Shenzhou 7 Orbital Module 2008-047H 33394						Re-entered - 2010 Jan 4
Released from Shenzhou 7 Sep 27 at 11:34 UTC. Re-entered naturally. Main function was to act as an airlock for the EVA from Shenzhou 8. Not equipped with solar panels.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2008 Sep 29, 00:11	6711	0.0007	329	337	91.19	42.40	299
2010 Jan 4, 03:29	6511	0.0014	124	142	87.15	42.36	281

2011-032 CZ-3C Xichang Space Centre, China					2011 Jul 11, 15:41 UTC
Tianlian 1-02 2011-032A 37737
Data communications satellite to work alongside Tianlian 1-01 (2008-019A/32779) to provide a data relay, and measurement and control service for Chinese satellites and space stations. An early task was to support the launch and docking of Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 8 later in 2011.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )	GEO longitude
2011 Jul 12, 06:24	27568	0.7617	191	42189	759.23	18.03	180
2011 Jul 19, 16:31	42166	0.0003	35776	35799	1436.14	1.07	112	177° east
2012 Mar 26, 09:51	42165	0.0004	35772	35802	1436.13	0.50	98	177° east

2011-053 CZ-2F T1 Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2011 Sep 29, 13:16 UTC
Tiangong1 2011-053A 37820
Small laboratory, 8.5 tonnes mass (9 tonnes including fuel), for docking experiments during visits by the unpiloted Shenzhou 8 (2011 Oct 31 - Nov 17), Shenzhou 9 (possibly piloted) and Shenzhou 10 (piloted). Precise lift-off time 13:16:03 UTC, at the opening of a fifteen minute launch window. Anticipated life is two years after which it will be de-orbited. Delayed several times from 2010 by design/construction issues and investigation of the 2011 Aug 18 CZ-2C launch vehicle failure.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2011 Sep 29, 17:23	6644	0.0101	198	333	89.82	42.78	131
2011 Sep 29, 20:39	6650	0.0110	199	345	89.95	42.78	132
2011 Sep 30, 19:11	6723	0.0014	335	355	91.44	42.78	40
2011 Oct 5, 19:38	6720	0.0010	335	349	91.37	42.78	81
2011 Oct 28, 05:35	6713	0.0007	330	339	91.22	42.79	253
2011 Nov 18, 01:19	6706	0.0003	326	331	91.10	42.79	40
2011 Nov 18, 14:18	6751	0.0008	368	379	92.01	42.79	212
2012 Mar 23, 03:23	6724	0.0012	338	354	91.46	42.78	342
2012 Mar 23, 17:39	6737	0.0008	353	364	91.71	42.78	344

2011-063 CZ-2F T1 Jiuquan Space Centre, China					2011 Oct 31, 21:58 UTC
Shenzhou 8 2011-063A 37859						Re-entered - 2011 Nov 17
Test mission using piloted spacecraft in automatic mode to undertake docking operations with Tiangong 1 (2011-053A/37820). Docked Nov 2 at 17:28 UTC and the two vehicles were locked together eight minutes later. Undocked Nov 14 at 11:27 UTC, backed off to 140m distance, and re-docked shortly after at 11:53 UTC as a test of spacecraft sensors at a low Sun angle. Undocked for landing Nov 16 at 10:44 UTC. Landed Nov 17 at 11:32:14 UTC in inner Mongolia near 42°.2 north, 111°.3 east. The mission was flown as a biosatellite with a payload of plants and animals. - part of the payload was DLR of Germany's SIMBOX (Science in Microgravity Box).
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
Estimated orbit	6643	0.0100	199	332	89.81	42.78	125
2011 Nov 3, 12:04	6711	0.0008	328	338	91.19	42.79	285

Shenzhou 8 Orbital Module 2011-063D 37883						Re-entered - 2012 Apr 2
Separated from Shenzhou 8 Nov 17 at 10:44 UTC just prior to retro-fire. Main function was to carry the rendezvous systems and docking unit for operations with Tiangong 1. Not equipped with solar panels. Re-entered naturally 2012 Apr 2, 09:09 UTC ±1 min.
epoch (UTC)	s-m axis ( km )	ecc	perigee ( km )	apogee ( km )	period ( min )	incl ( ° )	ω ( ° )
2011 Nov 18, 07:14	6712	0.0003	332	336	91.21	42.80	98
2011 Dec 15, 10:51	6699	0.0005	317	325	90.95	42.80	316