Tianzhou-3 rollout at Wenchang
While two space station missions are coming to an end, the next is set for launch. A Long March 7 carrying the Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft was
vertically transferred to the pad at Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan island on Thursday, September 16. Launch is expected around 0710 UTC on Monday, September 20, possibly with live coverage from CCTV and others. TZ-3 will deliver supplies and equipment to Tianhe for the Shenzhou-13 crewed mission, which could launch as soon as early October from Jiuquan.
Xi Jinping commented on space during a visit to a Shaanxi military base on September 15. “Space assets are national strategic assets that must be well-managed and well-used and, more importantly, protected,” Xi said.
Xi also emphasised emergency backups, survival systems and information security. Notably he stated: “It is necessary to strengthen
space traffic management to ensure stable and orderly operation of outer space, ” adding that it is necessary for international cooperation in space security to improve. (Chinese:
CCTV, English:
Global Times)
Notably former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine and CNSA head Zhang Kejian discussed STM in 2018 and stated it to be an area in which the two could and should cooperate. (
SpaceNews)