. 24/7 Space News .
More Room For Shenzhou

Photo of Shenzhou 6 being assembled.
By Morris Jones
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 20, 2005
Apart from an increase in the crew size and flight time, the most significant advancement of the Shenzhou 6 mission was the use of the Orbital Module. At last, China's astronauts could enjoy the additional living space this cylindrical unit provides.

The Orbital Module for Shenzhou 6 is still circling the Earth, presumably carrying out an extended mission. It could remain in orbit for six months or more. So, with the crew of Shenzhou 6 safely back on Earth, attention must shift to this ongoing part of the flight.

What exactly is on board the Orbital Module of Shenzhou 6? It's a question that's largely unsettled. China has changed the payloads of its Orbital Modules quite radically over the course of the Shenzhou program. The top (or front, depending on your orientation) of the orbital module has carried everything from complex antenna farms to high-resolution cameras.

But photography, computer graphics and even scale models of the Shenzhou spacecraft reveal a relatively vacant section. Like a soda can, Shenzhou's orbital module seems to end in a flat circle. Why has this space (no pun intended) been left blank?

Admittedly, there is a small protrusion which sticks out like a bent thorn. This could be a small antenna or a probe to investigate the particles and fields environment at the front of the spacecraft. It could even be a retaining tab that helps the Shenzhou spacecraft to remain steady under the shroud of the Long March 2F launch vehicle. But this is not a substantial payload. Nevertheless, the Orbital Module has probably been used better on this flight than ever before.

Chinese authorities stated that, this time, most of the activity would take place inside the Orbital Module instead of outside, and much of it would not be experimental. The Orbital Module has mostly served as a living area for the crew of Shenzhou 6, offering sleeping bags, food preparation facilities and a toilet. The crew themselves were also an experiment package, as they performed vibration tests on the spacecraft, evaluated the performance of new equipment, and used themselves as subjects for biomedical tests.

There was one other change to the Orbital Module of Shenzhou 6. Some graphics depict a large flat panel attached to the side of the module. This is different from the rectangular bulge that apparently houses propellant tanks for the module's thrusters, which has been carried on previous missions. What is this? It could be a sample tray for exposing specimens to space. But without the chance to recover these specimens, such an experiment would be dubious.

It's possible that this large flat panel is a radar experiment, possibly a synthetic aperture radar panel. This could have been set to fold out with a sequence of panels after the orbital module began to fly independently. Or it could have been simply used as a small test experiment. On previous missions, China has reportedly flown electronic intelligence-gathering equipment, as well as surveillance cameras. A radar payload would be the next logical step in a program that has regularly contributed to military reconnaissance.

Radar experiments are notoriously power-hungry, as they must actively beam out a signal over a long distance. The solar panels of the Orbital Module are large enough to support a small experiment payload and its telemetry, but it's doubtful that they could supply enough electricity for a decent SAR package. This could be a major factor that rules against the radar hypothesis.

If the new package isn't a sample tray or a radar array, what is it? China hasn't given an explanation for this, or the thorn on top of the Orbital Module. Although media coverage of Shenzhou 6 has been better than for its predecessors, China still has a long way to go before we truly understand the workings of this interesting spacecraft.

Related Links
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Analysis: Rumsfeld Arrives In Beijing
Beijing (UPI) Oct 18, 2005
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Beijing Tuesday for a brief but busy first visit in his position as a top member of the Bush administration.



Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only














The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.