Shenzhou-13 (SZ-13)

China

Manned Flight nº:

Earth orbit Flight nº:

China manned Flight nº:

1st manned flight to CSS.

Launch, orbit & landing data:

Designation	49326 / 21092A
Launch date - time	16 October 2021 - 16:23:56 UTC
Launch site	Jiuquan, LA-4/SLS
Launch vehicle	LM-2F (#Y13)
Shenzhou designation	nr
Mass (kg)	8082 kg?
Docking date - time	15 October 2021 - 22:48:39 UTC
Target spacecraft/port	Tiangong/Tianhe nadir
Low Earth orbit:
- Perigee / Apogee	330 x 340 km
- Inclination	42.4°
- Period	min
EVA duration	12h, 36min
Undocking date - time	15 April 2022 - 16:44 UTC
Time docked	181d, 17h, 48min
Landing date - time	16 April 2022 - 01:56:49 UTC
Landing location	41°39'13''N, 100°09'38''E (Inner Mongolia, China)
Flight Duration (d:hr:min)	182d, 9h, 32m
Nbr orbits	2885
Landing crew	launch crew

Launched Crew

Nr.	Name	Job	Duration
1	Zhai, Zhigang	Commander	182d 09h 32m
2	Wang, Yaping	Astronaut 1	182d 09h 32m
3	Ye, Guangfu	Astronaut 2	182d 09h 32m

Shenzhou-13 crew.

Descriptions:

Shenzhou 13 was the second spaceflight to the Tiangong space station (at the time consisting only of the Tianhe core module), and the first with a planned duration of six months (180 days). Following Shenzhou 13, six months would become the standard orbital duration for subsequent Shenzhou missions.
For Shenzhou 13, the China Academy of Space Technology developed a new method of radial docking of the spacecraft to the bottom of Tiangong's Tianhe core module, differing from the front and rear docking method used previously by Shenzhou 12 and the Tianzhou cargo missions. This new method of docking would be crucial for both cargo logistics and crew operations, and would allow multiple Shenzhou spacecraft to dock to Tiangong at one time, making in-space crew changeovers possible for the first time.

Shenzhou 13 crew during a pre-launch farewell ceremony.

Zhai Zhigang performing a spacewalk outside Tiangong on November 7, 2021.

Mission Report:

The flight launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 15 October 2021 at 16:23 UTC, following the launch of the Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft. Just over 6.5 hours after launch, the spacecraft docked with the Tianhe core module's nadir docking port. The crew entered the station on 16 October at 01:58 UTC.
During the mission, the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft remained on standby to serve as an emergency rescue vehicle.
Spacewalks:
The Shenzhou 13 crew carried out two spacewalks, worked on payloads both inside and outside the station, and carried out other scientific work during the six-month mission.
On 7 November 2021, the first scheduled spacewalk of Shenzhou 13 was carried out by Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping, during which Wang Yaping became the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk. The two taikonauts installed a dual-arm connector for the station's robotic arm, and tested EVA equipment on the exterior of Tianhe. The spacewalk lasted for 6 hours and 25 minutes.
On 26 December 2021, the second and final spacewalk of the mission was carried out by Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu, with Wang Yaping assisting the pair from inside the Tianhe core module. The taikonauts deployed panoramic camera C, installed a foot restraint platform, and tested various methods of moving objects outside the station. The spacewalk lasted for 6 hours and 11 minutes.
Space lectures:
On 9 December 2021 at 3:55 PM China Standard Time (07:55 UTC), the crew of Shenzhou 13 conducted their first live "space lecture" broadcast. The "main classroom" was located in the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing, with "branch classrooms" in Nanning, Wenchuan, Hong Kong, and Macau. During the lecture, part of which was led by Wang Yaping, the taikonauts explained what living in space was like, and performed scientific experiments on cell biology, the behavior of effervescent tablets in microgravity, and water surface tension. After the lesson, the taikonauts were given time to answer schoolchildren's questions from the classrooms.
On 23 March 2022 at 3:40 PM China Standard Time (07:40 UTC), the crew of Shenzhou 13 conducted a second live "space lecture" broadcast. The "main classroom" was once again in the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing, with "branch classrooms" in Lhasa, Tibet; and Ürümqi, Xinjiang. The lecture followed a similar structure to the previous broadcast, with a science lesson followed by a question-and-answer session with the taikonauts.

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