Encyclopedia
Astronautica astronautix.com topic index
space wire
Updated: September 19, 2005
Orbimage Announces Agreement To Purchase Assets Of Space Imaging
Envisat Sensors Measuring Heat And Light
NASA Planning To Resume Work At Michoud Assembly Facility
Damage Detectives Inspect Shuttle On Orbit ...
ISS Crew Reactivate A Fixed Elektron Oxygen-Generation System
Shenzhou
425 x 239 pixels - 19,686 bytes Shenzhou Model View of a 1/40 scale module of Shenzhou at the Chinese Astronautical Technology Research Group. Excluding the triangular sections, the lower solar panels of the service module measure 2.0 m x 7.5 m. Those of the orbital module are 2.0 m x 3.4 m. This indicates that the complete spacecraft can generate three times more power than Soyuz, providing an average of over 1.5 kW of electricity. In autonomous flight the orbital module would generate over 0.5 kW average. Credit: Steven S. Pietrobon 546 x 306 pixels - 39,332 bytes Shenzhou Model Fwd Credit: Steven S. Pietrobon 430 x 510 pixels - 39,631 bytes Shenzhou Model Bot'm View of the 'bottom' of the Shenzhou model. Noteworthy, from left to right: probable orientation instruments (horizon, ion flow and/or stellar/sun sensors) at the middle of the service module; the robust pylons supporting the moveable solar panels; the thruster groups at the centre of gravity of the spacecraft, below the re-entry capsule, which would be used for rolling the spacecraft and for horizontal / vertical translation manoeuvres; the blue patch on the re-entry module (meaning unclear); the four groups of four thrusters at the base of the orbital module, which would provide auxiliary propulsion for the spacecraft and autonomous propulsion for the orbital module after separation; the white patch on the orbital module, indicating the entry hatch location; the forward porthole in the orbital module. The re-entry capsule is 2.4 m in diameter at the base, and, 2.0 m long (excluding the heat shield). This compares to 2.17 m diameter x 1.90 m for the Soyuz capsule. | |
|
