2016年CRI Tiangong-2 delivered to launch site, to perform more tasks

 

According to a statement from China's manned space engineering office, the Tiangong-2 will be capable of receiving manned and cargo¹ spaceships, and will be a testing place for systems and processes for mid-term space stays and refueling in space.

It will also be involved in experiments on aerospace² medicine, space sciences, in-orbit maintenance and space station technologies.

China's first space lab Tiangong-1, which was launched in September 2011 had a designed life of two years, ended its data service earlier this year. It will eventually descend³ into the atmosphere and burn up.

Scientists have made a considerable number of upgrades to the Tiangong-2 so it can fulfill⁴ the new duties expected of it.

Liao Jianlin is deputy chief designer of space lab systems at China's Aerospace Science and Technology corporation.

""Tiangong-2 is not simply a duplicate of Tiangong-1. We've made a lot of changes to take into consideration its missions, that will include medium-term stays for astronauts. We have made some design changes to improve the comfort levels for the astronauts inside the airtight cabin."

Liao also reveals that Tiangong-2 is equipped to dock with China's first cargo spaceship Tianzhou-1, to perform various in-orbit tasks.

"One mission is to verify the key technology of in-orbit propellant refilling. Another is to conduct experiments of space applications and in-orbit repair for subsequent space stations, as space stations of the future, will fly longer in orbit and therefore have lots of things in need of repair and replacement⁵. So, we we have set up a special in-orbit repair system on Tiangong-2." 

Assembly and tests will begin at the center ahead of the lab's launch scheduled for mid-September. The Shenzhou-11 spacecraft, which will carry two astronauts to dock with Tiangong-2 in space, has passed its initial tests, and its crew members are undergoing intensive training. "

1 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

2 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

3 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

4 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

5 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。