Common terminology for manned space flight | Cargo spacecraft

Not long ago, the Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft was successfully launched, delivering a lot of supplies to the Tiangong. How much do you know about the "proper terms" of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft? Let's take a look!

Cargo spacecraft

A spacecraft used to transport materials (including cargo and waste) and to control the orbit of the space station. It consists of a cargo cabin and a propulsion cabin. At present, my country's Tianzhou cargo spacecraft includes fully sealed cargo spacecraft, semi-sealed cargo spacecraft and fully open cargo spacecraft.

The Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft docks at the rear port of the Tianhe core module

Fully sealed cargo spacecraft

The cargo cabin adopts a fully sealed structure of the cargo spacecraft. The fully sealed cargo spacecraft mainly performs the task of transporting sealed pressurized cargo (astronauts' daily necessities, test payloads, maintenance spare parts, etc.) and propellant.

Schematic diagram of a fully sealed cargo spacecraft

Semi-sealed cargo spacecraft

The cargo cabin is a cargo spacecraft composed of sealed and non-sealed structures. In addition to the transportation capabilities of fully sealed cargo spacecraft, the semi-sealed cargo spacecraft can also transport non-sealed test loads (such as measurement and control antennas) and maintenance spare parts (such as solar panels) outside the cabin.

Schematic diagram of a semi-sealed cargo spacecraft

Fully open cargo ship

The cargo cabin adopts a non-sealed cargo spacecraft. The fully open cargo spacecraft is used to transport large cargo such as space station expansion cabins and large antennas.

Schematic diagram of a fully open cargo spacecraft

Upstream Supplies

Articles and equipment transported, transferred or delivered by spacecraft to space laboratories and space stations.

The Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft carries a large amount of supplies for uplink

Cargo Package

A flexible fabric loading substructure with standard dimensions for loading and storing astronaut supplies, maintenance tools, equipment spare parts and other cargo.

The space station is full of cargo packages

Shelves

A structural device used to seal cargo compartments and support the loading of cargo or waste.

Shelf and cargo package local vibration test diagram

Loading density

The ratio of the mass of cargo in a cargo hold to the volume of cargo that can be loaded.

The Shenzhou 15 astronaut crew enters the Tianzhou 6

Propellant replenishment

The process of a cargo spacecraft replenishing propellant in the propellant tank of a space station (or space laboratory).

Schematic diagram of on-orbit propellant replenishment