Tiangong-1 (Chinese: 天宫一号; pinyin: Tiāngōng yīhào; literally "Heavenly Palace 1") is China's first space station, an experimental testbed to demonstrate orbital rendezvous and docking capabilities. Launched unmanned aboard a Long March 2F/G rocket on 29 September 2011, it is the first operational component of the Tiangong program, which aims to place a larger, modular station into orbit by 2020. Tiangong-1 will be deorbited in 2013, and replaced over the following decade by the larger Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 modules.

Tiangong-1 will be visited by a series of Shenzhou spacecraft during its two-year operational lifetime. The first of these, the unmanned Shenzhou 8, successfully docked with the module in November 2011, while the manned Shenzhou 9 mission docked in June 2012. A third and final mission, Shenzhou 10, is scheduled to launch in 2013.

From what I have seen, this is GWH's second kit and is a part of their first kit in a stand alone version. Specifically, this is the space lab module when the first offering was the module and the space ship itself. One of the nice things about many new real space kits is not only the detail level, but the lack of a mass of fiddly bits.

This 1/48 kit is basically the two hull halves, the two solar panels, and the bits that fit on the fore and aft section of the hull. This includes the thruster nozzles as well as the various antennas that you find on these modules. There is a photo etch part, but it is a name plate that fits on the stand that is supplied.

Kit instructions are very large and well drawn. An addendum page was included in mine as apparently there were some issues with numbering of parts, though most of us would have been able to figure out what went where. Color information is also supplied and I dare say that a goodly portion of the time will be spent in painting. Two identical decal sheets are supplied with these providing the name and Chinese flag.

Another fine addition to the growing number of real space kits. This one is a larger scale than many we have seen in the past and will be very nice when it is completed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiangong-1

November 2012

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. You can find this one at your favorite hobby shop or on-line retailer.

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