CSS (WENTIAN)

Its transfer and docking sequence makes it a useful story for rendezvous mathematics: two objects moving thousands of meters per second must match orbital plane, altitude, phase and relative velocity with extraordinary precision.

Its transfer and docking sequence makes it a useful story for rendezvous mathematics: two objects moving thousands of meters per second must match orbital plane, altitude, phase and relative velocity with extraordinary precision.

Objects in this category may be crewed stations, modules, cargo vehicles, or other spacecraft directly connected with human activity in orbit. The exact role depends on the individual object.

• Its transfer and docking sequence makes it a useful story for rendezvous mathematics: two objects moving thousands of meters per second must match orbital plane, altitude, phase and relative velocity with extraordinary precision.

Its transfer and docking sequence makes it a useful story for rendezvous mathematics: two objects moving thousands of meters per second must match orbital plane, altitude, phase and relative velocity with extraordinary precision.

The current two-line element set reports approximately 15.5998 revolutions per day. Dividing 1,440 minutes by that value gives an estimated orbital period of 92.3 minutes.

Wentian launched on 24 July 2022 aboard a Long March 5B from Wenchang and docked with Tiangong later the same day.

Low Earth orbit is the region closest to Earth used by most crewed spacecraft, many science missions, Earth-observation satellites, and large constellations. Objects move quickly and commonly complete an orbit in roughly 90 to 130 minutes.

LEO can provide detailed Earth views, lower communications delay, and easier access than higher orbits, but it covers less area per spacecraft and is more affected by atmospheric drag.

• Why do low-orbiting stations circle Earth many times per day?
• How do crews receive power, supplies, and communications in orbit?

Current identity and orbital elements come from CelesTrak’s public GP data. Calculated orbit values are derived from the current TLE and may change after catalog updates. Mission-history claims are added separately and require authoritative sources.

• CelesTrak NORAD GP Element Sets