A China lançou uma missão de demonstração de sua nave tripulada de última geração, usando o foguete Long March 5B. Este é o primeiro lançamento para esse novo foguete, uma iteração do lançador de Long March da China que também será usado para assumir as seções e componentes da próxima estação espacial orbital nacional do país.
Este lançamento voou a nave espacial da tripulação sem ninguém a bordo, decolando de Wengchang na China, que é o mais novo local de lançamento de naves espaciais do país. O Long March 5B é um foguete de dez motores, incluindo quatro com boosters que aumentam suas capacidades de elevação, e representa o veículo de lançamento mais poderoso do país até hoje. Ele não tem um segundo estágio, e foi projetado especificamente para trazer grandes cargas para a órbita baixa da Terra – que é exatamente o que é necessário para montar a estação espacial que a China planeja estabelecer lá até 2022.
A própria cápsula da tripulação passará um curto período em órbita baixa da Terra para sua missão de demonstração, que é um passo preparatório no caminho para certificá-la para o vôo. Eventualmente, a espaçonave substituirá o Shenzhou, que é o veículo atual que a China usa para levar astronautas ao espaço para encontros com estações orbitais. Ele pode transportar até seis pessoas ao mesmo tempo, contra três no modelo atual, e pode eventualmente levar astronautas para a Lua.
Esta é uma missão significativa para o programa espacial da China, e um interessante ponto de comparação para as missões em curso da Tripulação Comercial pela NASA, que está se aproximando de um marco importante com o primeiro lançamento de demonstração da espaçonave Commercial Crew da SpaceX com astronautas a bordo em 27 de maio. Crew Dragon da SpaceX pode transportar até sete passageiros, dependendo da configuração.
dae3fcd0321e9e300ebe023931341988cecc7e05d648675bcd9432729c0c7332.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