According to the agency, ground control guided the robotic craft, which reentered at 9:25 pm, leading to most of the vehicle disintegrating, with only minor debris landing in designated sea zones.
Tianzhou 7 had separated from the Tiangong space station on November 10, initiating a weeklong solo mission before its controlled descent. During this period, the spacecraft completed its final assignment: deploying a small educational satellite into orbit.
Launched in January from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, Tianzhou 7's mission concluded as its successor, Tianzhou 8, embarked on its own journey. Launched from the same spaceport on Friday night, Tianzhou 8 successfully docked with Tiangong's Tianhe core module after a three-hour flight, marking the final scheduled docking for the station this year.
Tianzhou 8, the 15th spacecraft to connect with Tiangong, is responsible for refueling and delivering essential supplies for the Shenzhou XIX astronauts, who reached the station on October 30. The cargo includes provisions sufficient for a three-member crew for nine months, as confirmed by the China Academy of Space Technology.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported that Tianzhou 8 holds over 80 packages weighing a combined 458 kilograms for 36 onboard experiments. The Shenzhou XIX astronauts began unpacking and sorting these supplies on Saturday.
Tiangong, positioned approximately 400 kilometers above Earth, consists of a core module and two scientific capsules. It regularly accommodates visiting crewed and uncrewed spacecraft.
Shenzhou XIX crew receives Tianzhou 8 supplies
The Shenzhou XIX astronauts on Tiangong welcomed the supplies delivered by Tianzhou 8 on Saturday morning. At 8:26 am, astronaut Cai Xuzhe accessed the cargo vessel to commence unloading.
Tianzhou 8 transported around six tonnes of cargo, including crew consumables, propellant, scientific instruments, and 458 kilograms of experimental materials. These resources will support studies spanning space life sciences, biotechnology, material science, fluid physics in microgravity, and new space technologies.
China will investigate the impact of sub-magnetic microgravity on the genetic and behavioral traits of fruit flies for the first time. Additional research will delve into the 3D growth of human pluripotent stem cells and mammalian embryo development post-implantation.
"These projects aim to deepen our understanding of how microgravity, space radiation, and environmental conditions affect life processes," said Liu Wei, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization. Liu added that the findings are expected to yield theoretical insights and foster technological advancements for health and long-term space survival.
Other experiments include studies on space materials science and testing new space-use technologies. These efforts could inform the creation of superior spacecraft components and high-performance solar cell protection materials, as well as construction materials for lunar bases.
The Shenzhou XIX crew will continue cargo operations and other mission-related activities according to plan.