Chinese Docking Mechanism

The Chinese Docking Mechanism is a spacecraft docking mechanism based on the Androgynous Peripheral Attach System (APAS).[1] There have been contradicting reports by the Chinese on its compatibility with APAS.[2] It is used by Shenzhou spacecraft, beginning with an uncrewed Shenzhou 8, to dock to Tiangong-1. Subsequent crewed missions docked with the Tiangong-1, Tiangong-2 and the Tiangong space station. Similar docking mechanism was also introduced to the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft. Tianzhou 1 was the first cargo spacecraft which docked with the Tiangong-2. It has a circular transfer passage that has a diameter of 800 mm (31 in).[3][4] The androgynous variant has a mass of 310 kg and the non-androgynous variant has a mass of 200 kg.[5]

See also

References
  1. John Cook; Valery Aksamentov; Thomas Hoffman; Wes Bruner (1 Jan 2011). "ISS Interface Mechanisms and their Heritage" (PDF). Houston, Texas: Boeing. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  2. "China's First Space Station Module Readies for Liftoff". Space News. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  3. "Differences between Shenzhou-8 and Shenzhou-7". CCTV. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2015. there will be an 800-millimetre cylindrical passage connecting Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1.
  4. Clark, Stephen (18 June 2012). "Chinese astronauts open door on orbiting research lab". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 17 March 2015. Jing floated through the narrow 31-inch passage leading into Tiangong 1
  5. Qiu Huayon; Liu Zhi; Shi Junwei; Zheng Yunqing (August 2015). "Birth of the Chinese Docking System". Go Taikonauts!. No. 16. p. 12.
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