Tianzhou 9

Tianzhou 9

A Tianzhou 3D rendering
Mission type	Tiangong space station resupply
Operator	China National Space Administration
COSPAR ID	2025-149A
SATCAT no.	64786
Mission duration	296 days, 2 hours and 15 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Tianzhou-9
Spacecraft type	Tianzhou
Manufacturer	China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch mass	14,000 kg (31,000 lb)
Payload mass	7,400 kg (16,300 lb)
Dimensions	10.6 × 3.35 m (34.8 × 11.0 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date	14 July 2025, 21:34 UTC
Rocket	Long March 7 (Y10)
Launch site	Wenchang, LC-201
Contractor	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
End of mission
Disposal	Deorbited
Decay date	6 May 2026, 23:49 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Inclination	41.5°
Docking with Tiangong
Docking port	Tianhe aft
Docking date	15 July 2025, 00:52 UTC
Undocking date	6 May 2026, 08:34 UTC
Time docked	295 days, 7 hours and 42 minutes
Mission patch Tianzhou program

Tianzhou 9 (Chinese: 天舟九号) was the ninth mission of a Tianzhou uncrewed cargo spacecraft and the eighth resupply mission to the Tiangong space station. Like previous Tianzhou missions, the spacecraft was launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan, China, aboard a Long March 7 rocket. The spacecraft carried nearly 6,500 kilograms (14,300 lb) of cargo to the space station.

Mission history

Tianzhou 9 launched on 14 July 2025 at 21:34 UTC and docked with the Tiangong space station about three hours later, on 15 July 2025 at 00:52 UTC. The spacecraft delivered supplies for the Shenzhou 20 mission, which returned to Earth in November 2025.

Tianzhou 9 undocked from Tiangong on 6 May 2026 and re-entered the atmosphere later that day, disintegrating over the ocean.

Payload

The spacecraft delivered nearly 6,500 kilograms (14,300 lb) of supplies, including propellant, more than 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) of scientific experiments, crew supplies, and two upgraded spacesuits.