（2017年4月28日）
中国载人航天工程办公室
2017年4月27日19时07分，我国首艘货运飞船——天舟一号顺利完成了对天宫二号的推进剂在轨补加技术试验，标志着天舟一号飞行任务取得圆满成功。至此，中国载人航天工程空间实验室阶段任务胜利实现了“成功首飞、稳定运行、健康驻留、安全返回、顺利补加、成果丰硕”的任务目标。
一、载人航天工程基本情况
载人航天工程自1992年批准立项实施以来，按照 “三步走”发展战略稳步推进，截止2013年圆满完成了第一步和第二步第一阶段任务，突破掌握了载人航天天地往返、空间出舱、交会对接等基本技术，使我国成为具备独立开展载人航天活动能力的国家。
2010年，中央政府批准空间站工程立项，分为空间实验室任务和空间站任务两个阶段实施。空间实验室阶段主要任务是突破和掌握货物运输、航天员中期驻留、推进剂补加、地面长时间任务支持和保障等技术，开展空间科学实验与技术试验，为空间站建造和运营奠定基础、积累经验。根据任务目标，共规划实施4次飞行任务，包括长征七号运载火箭首飞任务、天宫二号飞行任务、神舟十一号飞行任务和天舟一号飞行任务。
空间站阶段主要任务是：在2022年前后，建成和运营我国载人空间站，掌握近地空间长期载人飞行技术，具备长期开展近地空间有人参与科学实验、技术试验和综合开发利用太空资源能力。
二、空间实验室飞行任务的基本情况
（一）任务主要目的。发射长征七号遥一火箭，考核火箭方案的正确性及功能和性能，并搭载远征1A上面级和多用途飞船缩比返回舱等载荷开展飞行演示验证试验；发射天宫二号空间实验室，接受载人飞船和货运飞船访问，突破和掌握推进剂补加、在轨维修等空间站建造和运营关键技术，并开展空间应用实验及技术试验；发射神舟十一号载人飞船，乘载2名航天员，与天宫二号空间实验室对接后，进行为期30天的驻留试验，验证较长时间载人飞行乘员生活、健康和工作保障相关技术；发射天舟一号货运飞船，与天宫二号空间实验室对接后，进行推进剂补加等关键技术验证，并开展搭载载荷应用试验。
（二）任务技术状态。载人航天工程航天员、空间应用、载人飞船、货运飞船、空间实验室、长征二号F运载火箭、长征七号运载火箭、酒泉发射场、海南发射场、测控通信和着陆场等系统参加任务。
长征七号运载火箭采用捆绑四枚助推器的两级构型，全长53.1米，起飞质量597吨，使用新型液氧煤油发动机，近地轨道运载能力13.5吨，在文昌航天发射场发射。
天宫二号空间实验室采用实验舱和资源舱两舱构型，全长10.4米，舱体最大直径3.35米，太阳翼展宽18.4米，起飞质量8.6吨，设计在轨寿命2年。
货运飞船采用货物舱和推进舱两舱构型，全长10.6米，舱体最大直径3.35米，太阳翼展宽14.9米，起飞质量13.5吨，上行物资总装载量6.5吨。
海南发射场由技术区和发射区组成，建有航天器总装测试厂房和加注扣罩厂房，长征七号火箭垂直总装测试厂房和发射工位，以及煤油加注系统和液氧加注系统等配套设施设备，满足长征七号火箭、应用载荷、货运飞船等产品的转运、测试、加注和发射要求。
三、空间实验室飞行任务的实施情况
2016年6月25日20时00分，长征七号遥一火箭在文昌航天发射场点火升空，进入预定轨道。按程序依次完成空间碎片主动清理飞行器、翱翔之星、空间智能飞行器与远征1A上面级的分离，开展在轨试验。6月26日15时41分，多用途飞船缩比返回舱安全返回东风着陆场。6月27日15时28分，远征1号A上面级受控离轨，陨落至太平洋中部。长征七号运载火箭首次飞行任务取得圆满成功。
2016年9月15日22时04分，天宫二号空间实验室在酒泉发射场使用长征二号F T2火箭发射，起飞后约586秒器箭分离，经变轨进入了高度约380公里的运行轨道，随后完成在轨测试，开展空间技术试验。
2016年10月17日7时30分，神舟十一号载人飞船在酒泉发射场使用长征二号F遥十一火箭发射，之后与天宫二号空间实验室交会对接构成组合体，航天员景海鹏、陈冬进入天宫二号空间实验室开展航天医学实验、在轨维修技术等试验。组合体运行期间，释放伴随卫星观测组合体飞行情况。11月18日13时 59分，航天员乘返回舱返回主着陆场。
2017年4月20日19时41分，天舟一号货运飞船在文昌航天发射场使用长征七号遥二火箭发射，入轨后经变轨调相，与天宫二号空间实验室交会对接构成组合体，进行推进剂在轨补加试验，后续还将巩固推进剂在轨补加试验技术成果，验证自主快速交会对接等关键技术，同时开展空间应用和航天技术等领域的多项实（试）验。
四、空间实验室飞行任务重要意义
空间实验室阶段规划的四次飞行任务目标全面完成，标志着我国载人航天工程第二步任务取得全面胜利，为我国空间站组装建造和长期运营奠定了坚实基础，对载人航天后续发展产生了积极而深远的影响，标志着中国载人航天全面迈入“空间站时代”。从工程发展角度看，这一阶段取得了十分重要的成果和十分难得的经验。主要包括建成了空间站货物运输系统，实现了航天员中期驻留目标，考核了空间站相关关键技术，开展了大量空间科学实验和技术试验，锻炼了工程全线连续高密度执行任务的能力，深化了我们对空间站阶段中长期飞行任务的规律认识。空间实验室阶段任务的圆满收官，进一步彰显了中国特色社会主义道路的无比优越，进一步展示出伟大事业、伟大工程、伟大斗争的重大成就，必将激励全党全军和全国各族人民紧密团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，全力以赴为实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦而努力奋斗！
Material for the press conference of the State Council Information Office
An Introduction of Space Laboratory Flight Mission
(April 28, 2017)
China Manned Space Agency, CMSA
At 19:07 pm on April 27, 2017, China’s first cargo spaceship, Tianzhou-1 successfully completed orbital refueling test with Tiangong-2, marking the success of the Tianzhou-1 flight mission. So far, the space laboratory mission phase of China manned space engineering has realized the mission objectives of stable operation, healthy staying, safe return and harvested abundant achievements.
1 A Brief Introduction of China’s Manned Space Engineering
Since the approval in 1992, China’s manned space engineering has been carried out steadily according to the Three-Step Development Strategy, of which the first step and the first stage of the second step have been successfully completed, with the basic technologies of manned space-ground round-trip, extra vehicular activity, rendezvous and docking mastered, making China the country with independent manned spaceflight abilities.
In 2010, the government approved the space station project, which would be implemented by two stages as Space Laboratory Mission Stage and Space Station Mission Stage. The main objectives of the Space Laboratory Mission Stage include technology breakthroughs of cargo transportation, astronaut medium-term staying, propellant refueling, ground long-time mission support and guarantee, implementation of space science experiment and technology test, which would lay a foundation for the construction and operation of the space station, accumulate experience and so on. Based on the objectives, there would be four missions, including the debut flight of Long March-7 launch vehicle, Tiangong-2 mission, Shenzhou-11 mission and Tianzhou-1 mission.
The main objectives of the Space Station Mission Stage are as follows: around 2022, to build and operate China’s manned space station, to master near-earth space long-term manned spaceflight technology, to be equipped with the abilities of long-term man-tended science experiments, technology tests and utilization of space resources.
2 A Brief Introduction of Space Laboratory Flight Mission
2.1 Main objectives of the mission
The mission will demonstrate the function and performance of the launch vehicle Long March-7 Y-1, and conduct in-orbit technology demonstration tests for the onboard Yuanzheng-1 upper stage and a scale capsule of a multi-purpose spaceship; launch Tiangong-2 Space Laboratory to be visited by manned spaceships and cargo spaceships, make technological breakthroughs and master the key technologies for space station construction and operation, such as the refueling and in-orbit servicing technologies, as well as conduct space application experiments and technology tests; launch Shenzhou-11 manned spaceship with 2 astronauts onboard, and accomplish 30-day staying test to demonstrate the long-term manned crew living, health and working support technologies after its docking with Tiangong-2 Space Laboratory; launch Tianzhou-1 cargo spaceship to dock with Tiangong-2 Space Laboratory, and test refueling technology and conduct payloads application tests.
2.2 Mission Technical Specifications
Astronaut System, Space Application System, Manned Spaceship System, Cargo Spaceship System, Space Laboratory System, Long March-2F Launch Vehicle System, Long March-7 Launch Vehicle System, Jiuquan Launch Site System, Hainan Launch Site System, TT&C and Communications System, Landing Site System of Manned Space Engineering are involved in the missions.
The Long March-7 adopts a two-stage configuration with 4 boosters, having a total length of 53.1m, lift-off mass of 597 tons, and launch capacity of 13.5 tons for LEO. The Long March-7, the new liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket, was launched in Wenchang Launch Site.
The Tiangong-2 Space Laboratory adopts a two-module configuration of a experiment module and a resource module, with a total length of 10.4 m, the maximum diameter of 3.35 m, solar wing span of 18.4 m, lift-off mass of 8.6 tons, and a design life of 2 years.
The cargo spaceship adopts a two-module configuration of a cargo module and a propulsion module, with a total length of 10.6 m, the maximum diameter of 3.35 m, solar wing span of 14.9 m, lift-off mass of 13.5 tons, and a cargo mass of 6.5 tons.
Hainan Launch Site consists of a technical area and a launch area, equipped with spacecraft AIT facilities, refueling facilities, Long March-7 vertical test facilities and a launch pad, kerosene and liquid oxygen refueling system. The Hainan Launch Site can meet the requirements of transportation, test, refueling and launch for Long March -7 launch vehicle, application payloads, cargo spaceships, and etc.
3 Implementation of the Space Laboratory Mission
At 8:00 pm on June 25, 2016, the Long March-7 Y1 was launched toward the preset orbit at Wenchang Launch Site. Its separation with the Space Debris Active Cleaning Vehicle, CubeSat Aoxiang, Space Intelligent Vehicle and Yuanzheng-1A upper stage were carried successively as programmed. At 3:41 pm on June 26, the scale capsule of a multi-purpose spaceship landed successfully at Dongfeng Landing Site. At 3:28 pm on June 26, Yuanzheng-1A upper stage was instructed to deorbit and then fell into the middle part of the Pacific Ocean, heralding the successful completion of Long March 7’s maiden flight.
At 10:04 pm on September 15, 2016, Tiangong-2 space laboratory was lift off aboard Long March-2F T2 launch vehicle at Jiuquan Launch Site. After about 586 seconds, the spacecraft was separated from the rocket and entered into a 380 km orbit by means of orbit maneuver, and then completed in-orbit tests and carried out space technology tests.
At 7:30 am on October 17, 2016, Shenzhou-11 was launched by Long March-2F Y11 at Jiuquan Launch Site with astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong onboard. After its rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-2, the 2 astronauts entered into the laboratory to carry out experiments of space medical science, in-orbit maintenance, etc., during which, an accompanying satellite was released to observe the combined flight. At 1:59 pm on November 18, the 2 astronauts boarded a re-entry capsule to return to the landing site.
At 7:41 pm on April 20, 2017, the cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 was launched by Long March-7 Y2 at Wenchang Launch Site. Following the orbit maneuver, Tianzhou-1 completed rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-2 and fulfilled the in-orbit propellant refueling test. Hereafter, the technical results of in-orbit propellant refueling test will be consolidated, the key technologies of autonomous fast rendezvous and docking will be verified and a number of experiments in space applications and space technology are to be conducted.
4 The Significance of the Space Laboratory Mission
By now, the four flight missions concerning the Space Laboratory were wholly accomplished, marking the second step of China’s manned space engineering task achieving total victory. It also laid a solid foundation for the construction, assembly and long-term operation of China’s space station, making a positive and far-reaching impact on the subsequent development of manned space flight. With all the achievements, China is now truly entering into a “Space Station Age”. From the perspective of engineering, we’ve gained great fruits and valuable experience, including completing the space station’s cargo transportation system, realizing the medium-term stay of astronauts, assessing key technologies of the space station, conducting a large number of space scientific experiments and technological tests, improving the abilities to work under continuous pressures, deepening the understandings of the mid- and long-term flight missions at the space station stage. The perfect ending of the Space Laboratory Mission further manifests the incomparable superiority of the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, demonstrates the significant achievements of the great cause, the great project and the great struggle. The big event will inspire the whole army and people of all nationalities to unite closely under the leadership of the central Committee of the Chinese Communist party with President Xi Jinping at the core, to strive for the Chinese Dream to bring about a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.