Tiangong Space Station Completed, China Issues Gold-Silver Coins
- People's Bank of China
VIVA – China has completed the construction of its Tiangong space station, to celebrate this moment, The People’s Bank of China issued gold and silver coins on January 9, 2023. The orbital complex, which was first proposed in 1992, was finished last year with the addition of two science laboratories to an earlier launched core module.
The 0.1-oz (3 grams) gold commemorative coin features the T-shaped Tiangong ("Heavenly Palace") on its reverse. The space station is shown with both Shenzhou crew spacecraft and Tianzhou cargo vehicles docked at either end of the Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens") core module, as reported from the Space site.
The engraved rendering also captures the large solar arrays extending from the Wentian and Mengtian laboratory cabin modules and a Chinese taikonaut wearing a Feitian spacesuit at the end of the space station's robotic arm.
Ilustrasi stasiun antariksa Tiangong-1 di orbit
- ww.gbtimes.com
The reverse design is completed with the logo of the Chinese Manned Spaceflight Project (CMS), the words "China Space Station" (in Chinese), and the denomination, of 50 yuan (about $7.40 U.S.). The 0.7-inch (18 millimeters) 24-karat gold coin is limited to 20,000 pieces.
The 1-oz (30 grams) silver coin depicts two taikonauts working outside of the space station. One of the spacewalkers is mounted to the end of the robotic arm, while the other is half out of an airlock.
Unlike the gold coin, the silver commemorative is partially colored, with the backdrop of space being rendered in luminescent purple, pink, blue and green colors.
To the left of the extravehicular scene are small representations of the "three-step" development strategy, or phases, that China's space program went through to bring its human spaceflight program to where it is now. The three steps shown are the launch of crewed spacecraft, the deployment of single-module laboratories, and finally, the multi-module space station as it exists today.
Like the gold coin, the silver's reverse also displays the CMS logo, "China Space Station" (in Chinese), and denomination, 10 yuan (about $1.50 U.S.). The 1.5-inch (40 mm) commemorative is limited to a maximum circulation of 50,000 pieces.
The golf and silver coins have the same observe and reverse design, featuring the emblem of the People’s Republic of China as well as the country and year of issue.
Although the coin is released in 2023, the inscribed year is 2022, or the year the Tiangong Space Station was declared completed.
The Tiangong Space Station gold and silver commemorative coins are minted by Shenzhen Guobao Mint Co., Ltd. and will be distributed by China Gold Coin Corporation. Sales details, including prices for both coins, are scheduled to be released today on the China Gold Coin Network website.
The People's Bank of China last issued a similar set of gold and silver coins in 2021 to mark the success of Tianwen-1, China's first mission to orbit Mars.
