Shenzhou 16

Shenzhou 16 (Chinese: 神舟十六号; pinyin: Shénzhōu Shí'liù-hào; lit. 'Divine Boat Number 16') is a planned Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, expected to launch in May 2023 on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. It will carry three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts. The mission will be the eleventh crewed and sixteenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

Shenzhou 16
Mission typeTiangong Space Station crew transport
OperatorChina Manned Space Agency
Mission duration180 days (planned)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftShenzhou 16
Spacecraft typeShenzhou
ManufacturerChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Crew
Crew size3
MembersTBA
Start of mission
Launch dateMay 2023 (planned)[1]
RocketLong March 2F
Launch siteJiuquan, LA-4/SLS
ContractorChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
End of mission
Landing dateNovember 2023 (planned)
Landing siteInner Mongolia, China
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination41.5°
Docking with Tiangong Space Station
Docking portTianhe nadir
Docking dateMay 2023
Undocking date2023 (planned)
Time docked180 days (planned)
 

Background

Shenzhou 16 will be the fifth long-duration spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, and will last about six months.

As of December 2022, the spacecraft has completed construction and testing, and is on standby for an emergency rescue mission of the Shenzhou 15 crew. Meanwhile, the Shenzhou 17 and 18 spacecraft are currently being assembled and tested.[2]

Mission

The flight will launch in May 2023, following the launch of Tianzhou 6 and near the end of the Shenzhou 15 mission.[1] The two crews will perform a handover in space prior to the departure of the Shenzhou 15 crew in May 2023.[3]

Crew
Position Crew member
Commander China TBA, PLAAC
Operator China TBA, PLAAC
System Operator China TBA, PLAAC

See also

References
  1. "2023年度载人航天任务基本情况" [Basic Situation of Manned Space Missions in 2023]. CMSA (in Chinese). 15 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  2. Shenzhou-16 spacecraft put on standby for emergency missions, retrieved 2022-12-18
  3. "China set to launch Shenzhou-15 spacecraft to its space station on Tuesday". Reuters. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
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