A Long March 2F rocket launched Shenzhou 16 taikonauts Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao from the to the Tiangong space station from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)
Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)
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TechTranscript
00:00 50 seconds to the launch.
00:03 See, it's separated.
00:05 40 seconds.
00:07 40 seconds.
00:08 Now, the rocket is in stand-alone mode,
00:11 ready for launch and ignition.
00:14 At this stage, the rocket is on its own.
00:17 The navigation is on its own.
00:18 30 seconds to go.
00:20 So, this is a video from the drone.
00:25 40 seconds.
00:27 40 seconds.
00:28 40 seconds.
00:30 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
00:46 Ignition.
00:47 Lift-off.
00:53 70, 0, 0, 90.
00:55 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
00:59 70, 0, 0, 90.
01:01 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
01:04 90, turn around.
01:06 Turn around.
01:08 Pitch over means that it has already changed its direction
01:12 from vertical direction to the east.
01:15 In a certain angle, right?
01:16 We can also see that from a far short.
01:19 To the eastward.
01:20 The radar is tracking normally.
01:23 The color signal is normal.
01:25 This will be the Shenzhou-16.
01:27 So, this is a video from the camera mounted on the core stage.
01:32 Right.
01:33 And this is an infrared image.
01:36 You are watching live footage on the launch of the Shenzhou-16 spacecraft
01:45 to China Space Station.
01:47 The next critical step will be the jettisoning of the emergency escape tower.
01:51 Right.
01:52 Again, this is infrared.
01:58 We can see a clear angle change, right?
02:00 Yeah.
02:01 So, it's flying eastward.
02:04 So, will there be still some adjustment of the angle to the 41.5 degree
02:11 as you earlier mentioned?
02:14 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:15 This is the ignition.
02:17 So, you can see the two of the boosters.
02:20 There are four in total, right?
02:22 There are four.
02:23 So, there are two on this side.
02:24 Yeah, just from one side.
02:25 Yeah.
02:26 You should be able to see it when separation.
02:28 Right.
02:29 So, the emergency escape tower will be jettisoned soon.
02:34 You can see some light sparks on the top of the rocket when it's injected.
02:40 Right.
02:41 And on the right side of the simulation.
02:44 It's a 3D simulation.
02:45 Simulation.
02:46 But it is driven by the real data.
02:47 The real data, of course.
02:48 Which means that the position and the jettison.
02:52 The jettison of the escape tower.
02:54 Yeah.
02:55 And the next step will be separation of the four boosters.
02:57 Right.
02:58 Let's wait for those step by step.
03:02 Followed by separation of the fairing.
03:09 The G-forces acting on the bodies of the astronauts are increasing.
03:14 We can see the burning mark on the engines, right?
03:21 So, right now it's really high into the atmosphere, right?
03:24 Okay, separated.
03:25 Okay, separation of the four engines.
03:27 And the core stage is also separated.
03:31 Core stage separated.
03:32 So, this is again the infrared image.
03:36 You can see very clearly the four boosters and the first stage.
03:39 They've already separated from...
03:41 Now it's already on the second stage.
03:44 Second stage.
03:45 As I mentioned, it has one main engine and four whirling engines.
03:49 Right.
03:50 They feel so comfortable.
03:55 Yeah.
03:56 They're talking.
03:57 I think they've done the max Q, which is the maximum gravity.
04:01 They've already done that.
04:02 They've already done that.
04:03 You can see this is a camera from the video mounted on the second stage.
04:06 Second stage.
04:07 And this is a camera in the payload fairing.
04:10 And the next critical step will be the jettisoning of the payload fairing.
04:15 Okay.
04:16 It's jettisoned.
04:17 Already done.
04:18 Now they can see the sightseeing from the window.
04:23 They can see the outside.
04:24 So, are they out of the atmosphere right now?
04:28 Exactly.
04:29 So, can we say they're already in outer space?
04:31 Yes.
04:33 You're watching live footage from inside the Shenzhou-16 spacecraft.
04:38 The three taikonauts are now in outer space, heading towards the China Space Station.
04:44 On the left side of the screen, we can see the camera mounted still on the...
04:52 Core stage.
04:55 Core stage.
04:56 Outside the core stage.
04:58 So, this is the working of the second stage of the Long March-2F rocket vehicle.
05:04 Still, on the left of the screen is the infrared videos.
05:07 Right.
05:08 And the second stage of the Long March-2F works much longer than the first stage.
05:15 Because it only has one main engine.
05:17 Right.
05:18 With a thrust above 80 tons.
05:20 This is an image of the second stage engine.
05:25 The main engine of the second stage is fixed.
05:28 And you can see that the small engine on the left, on the left corner,
05:32 the small warning engine can change its direction to control the trajectory.
05:36 Okay.
05:37 But the main engine is fixed its angle for propulsion purpose.
05:41 Yeah.
05:42 Right.
05:43 And usually, it separates the payload fairing at the altitude of about 100 kilometers.
05:48 So, at this moment, according to the definition...
05:53 Now, we can see again live streaming from inside the China Space Station.
05:58 They are watching the live coverage.
06:00 They are getting closer.
06:01 They are getting closer and closer to their colleagues at this moment.
06:04 And also, on the right bottom of the screen, we can see the 3D animation.
06:09 And also, you can see the filter link between the ground stations and the launch vehicle.
06:13 Okay.
06:14 So, three of them.
06:15 Three ground stations.
06:17 Three ground stations.
06:18 At this moment, they are constantly changing.
06:21 Right.
06:22 So, they are experiencing the differences.
06:24 It's also a relay race between different ground stations.
06:27 They have a relay.
06:28 Yes.
06:29 And this is a video on the rear part of the second stage.
06:34 It's still working at this moment, right?
06:37 It's still working.
06:38 And the next critical step will be the shutdown of the main engine.
06:42 We can see the Earth, right?
06:44 Yes.
06:45 It's very bright.
06:47 So, they are now in outer space and the second stage engine is still at work.
06:52 What's the next stage aim?
06:55 They are adjusting the position angles or something like that?
07:00 Yes.
07:01 Adjusting its trajectory.
07:02 Trajectory.
07:03 You can see, although it is in daytime, but the sky is black because they are already in outer space.
07:08 Yes.
07:09 In a vacuum condition.
07:10 So, the rocket engine will take them to the right velocity and right altitude and right orbit
07:16 before there is a separation between the engine and the capsule itself.
07:20 And then the final success will be indicated by the solar array.
07:26 Right.
07:27 Wow.
07:33 They are very relaxed.
07:34 The Shenzhou 15 crew are relaxed.
07:39 They are happily waiting for their colleagues.
07:41 But we can also see that the three taikonauts in Shenzhou 16 spacecraft,
07:46 they are also relaxed because they are well trained for this process.
07:51 And so far, it's been a smooth process.
07:54 Dr. Zhu Yangzhu and Dr. Gui Haichao, at this moment,
08:00 they are already qualified to be astronauts because they are already above the common line.
08:06 Common line?
08:07 Common line, yes.
08:09 The altitude is 100 kilometers.
08:12 So, that is the artificial definition of the border of the outer space.
08:17 Right. The final frontier, right?
08:19 Yes.
08:20 Named after Feng Karman, the renowned scientist.
08:23 So, what about staying time?
08:24 What if someone just cuts out Mars and re-enters?
08:28 I think it's a shutdown.
08:32 The main engine is shut down.
08:33 Second stage engine is now shut down.
08:36 The four vernier engines are working.
08:39 The main engine?
08:41 Main engine is already shut down.
08:42 Which means they have reached the velocity and the altitude already.
08:46 And the vernier engine will do some very precise adjustment of the trajectory.
08:51 Still we are watching live footage from the camera mounted on the second stage.
09:00 This is live stream from outer space.
09:04 After shutdown of the vernier engines,
09:07 next will be the separation of the launch vehicle and the Shenzhou spaceship.
09:12 On the left, you can see the folded solar array.
09:15 This is the stack of the solar array that has been folded on the Shenzhou spaceship.
09:21 So, at this moment, the cabin is still powered by batteries or what?
09:26 Yes, batteries.
09:27 Storage batteries.
09:28 Storage batteries.
09:29 And once the solar panel is opened, then it can generate power by itself.
09:34 You can see on the 3D animation.
09:38 The ground stations are still tracking the flights.
09:42 From the 3D animation at the bottom,
09:45 you can see still that the four vernier engines are still working to adjust the trajectory.
09:51 So, when Professor Yang mentioned the vernier engine,
09:54 this is the process that takes full advantage of the launch vehicle.
09:57 Because the Shenzhou itself has its own adjustment system.
10:01 But it's to take full advantage of the launch vehicle competence.
10:05 And then after separation, the Shenzhou is on itself for adjustment.
10:09 They are still definitely watching in the same position.
10:14 So, yes, they are relaxed, but they are still anxious to see the success of the launch at least, right?
10:21 Yes.
10:22 We are also still anxiously waiting for that moment.
10:25 OK, shut down.
10:27 Separation.
10:29 Now, the engine has left the spacecraft.
10:38 Yes.
10:39 So, the spacecraft is on its own now.
10:40 And the next step will be unfolding of the solar panels.
10:43 Right.
10:44 That means the launch vehicle has done its job.
10:47 It has now completely left the spacecraft.
10:51 The job is done.
10:52 The Mars 2F is done.