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Tiangong () is a space station program of the People's Republic of China, with the goal of creating a third generation space station, comparable to Mir. This program is autonomous and unconnected to any other international space-active countries.〔 The program began in 1992 as Project 921-2. , China is moving forward on a large multiphase construction program that will lead to a large space station around 2020.〔 〕 China launched its first space laboratory, Tiangong 1, on September 29, 2011. Following Tiangong 1, a more advanced space laboratory complete with cargo ship, dubbed Tiangong 2, will be built. Tiangong 3 will continue to develop these technologies. The project will culminate with a large orbital station, which will consist of a 20-ton core module, 2 smaller research modules, and cargo transport craft. It will support three astronauts for long-term habitation〔 and is scheduled to be completed just as the International Space Station is currently scheduled to be retired.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=China takes first step towards space station )〕 ==Project history== In 1999, ''Project 921-2'' was finally given official authorization. Two versions of the station were studied: an 8-metric ton "space laboratory" and 20-metric ton "space station". In 2000, the first model of the planned space station was unveiled at Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. This was made up of modules derived from the orbital module of the Shenzhou spacecraft. Overall length of the station would be around 20 m, with a total mass of under 40 metric tons, with possibility of expansion through addition of further modules. In 2001, Chinese engineers described a three-step process toward the realization of Project 921. The original target date for the fulfillment of the project was 2010. *First, crewed flight itself (Phase 1); this successfully occurred in 2003. *Second, the orbiting of a space laboratory (Phase 2, a scaled back version of the initial model) that would only be crewed on a short-term basis and left in an automated mode between visits. *The third phase would involve the launch of a larger space laboratory, which would be permanently crewed and be China's first true space station (Phase 3). Originally, China planned to simply dock Shenzhou 8 and Shenzhou 9 together to form a simple space laboratory. However, it was decided to abandon that plan and launch a small space laboratory instead. In 2007, plans for an 8-metric ton "space laboratory" being launched in 2010 under the designation of Tiangong 1 were made public. This would be an eight ton space laboratory module with two docking ports. Subsequent flights (Shenzhou 9 and Shenzhou 10) will dock with the laboratory. On September 29, 2008, Zhang Jianqi (), Vice Director of China crewed space engineering, declared in an interview of China Central Television 〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=China will launch small space station in 2010-2011 (in Chinese) )〕 it is Tiangong 1 (i.e. not Shenzhou 8) that will be the 8-ton "target vehicle", and Shenzhou 8, Shenzhou 9, and Shenzhou 10 will all be spaceships to dock with Tiangong 1 in turn. On 1 Oct. 2008, Shanghai Space Administration, which participated in the development of Shenzhou 8, stated 〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Simulated docking of Shenzhou 8 has succeeded (in Chinese) )〕 that they succeeded in the simulated experiments for the docking of Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 8. On 16 June 2012, Shenzhou 9 was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia, China, carrying a crew of three. The Shenzhou craft successfully docked with the Tiangong-1 laboratory on 18 June 2012, at 06:07 UTC, marking China's first manned spacecraft docking. On 11 June 2013, China launched Shenzhou 10 with a crew of three headed for the Tiangong-1.〔(China launches fifth manned space mission )〕 The full 60-metric ton "space station" has been delayed to ~2020-2022, and will support three astronauts for long-term habitation.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tiangong program」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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