One of the tasks for the three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, who will be at the country's space station for about three months, is to unbox packages shipped to the station's core module earlier by the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft.
Tianzhou-2 took propellants and over 160 bags, totaling about seven tonnes, to support the work and dietary needs of the orbiting crew, including living materials, two extravehicular spacesuits and payloads.
With so much packaging to be removed and sorted out, the astronauts are being aided by an intelligent cargo management system.
Chinese astronaut Tang Hongbo shows the information of the package he is working on, which is displayed on his mobile device. /China Media Group
Each item has a QR code. After scanning, it will show operating guidelines on the mobile terminal, including what the goods are, their functions, where they should be put or installed, and how to use them.
Next time they need an item, the astronauts can type in the code to find it.
Also, the data on how much cargo is left and the location can be transmitted simultaneously to ground control, according to Li Zhihui, deputy commander-in-chief of the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft system with the China Academy of Space Technology.
"The intelligent system enables both the astronauts and the ground crew to know clearly where the materials are in the space station, ensuring an efficient cargo management," Li said.