Sky Survey Moon Exploration Ultimate - 2021 World Science and Technology Development Review · Space Technology

Science and Technology Daily International Department

Russia

Russia

Film history pioneered "space filming"

The space tourism business restarts

◎ Dong Yingbi, the newspaper's correspondent in Russia

In July 2021, the Proton-M carrier rocket was ignited from the Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan, sending the Russian multifunctional "Science" experimental module to the International Space Station. The "Science" experimental module is equipped with a differential pressure gate for extending scientific equipment outside the International Space Station, as well as a European robot arm, a system for recovering oxygen from water and a system for recovering water from urine, an experimental station for astronauts and a bed for rest.

Russia pioneered "space filming". On October 5, the "Soyuz MS-19" spacecraft carrying a Russian astronaut and two filmmakers successfully docked with the International Space Station after more than 3 hours of flight, and the two filmmakers stayed on the International Space Station for 12 days to shoot the feature film "Challenge", which was that an astronaut needed to undergo surgical operations, but due to physical condition, he could not return to The Earth by spacecraft, and finally could only send a female doctor to space for treatment. Nowitzki, who has been living on the International Space Station for more than 6 months, reportedly played a sick astronaut, and other astronauts such as Shkaprerov also made cameo roles in the film. This is the first time in the history of cinema that a professional actor has been filmed in space. The official website of the Russian National Space Corporation broadcast the whole process.

On December 8, Russian astronaut Alexander Misulkin and two Japanese space tourists boarded the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft, after about 6 hours of flight, successfully flew to and docked with the International Space Station, where they met two Russian astronauts on the International Space Station, an American astronaut and four astronauts who arrived on the manned Dragon spacecraft not long ago. According to the plan, the two Japanese tourists will stay in space for 12 days and return to Earth on the 20th. This is Russia's resumption of space tourism business after a 12-year hiatus, and seven self-funded space tourists visited the International Space Station in 2001-2009 aboard the Soyuz spacecraft.

France

France

Discover the closest supermassive black hole to Earth

Launch a new space program to compete with the United States

◎ Li Hongce, the newspaper's correspondent in France

French scientists measured for the first time the inner density of a very young exoplanet orbiting a newly formed and active star that bears a striking resemblance to Neptune. This is the first time astronomers have achieved exoplanet densities of less than 200 million years.

In order to find out how much interstellar dust earth receives each year, an international research project carried out by French scientists for nearly 20 years has finally determined that 5200 tons of micrometeorites arrive on the earth's ground every year. This dust is the most important extraterrestrial material imported from Earth, and research will help better understand the role that interplanetary dust once played in supplying water and carbon molecules to young Earth.

French astronomers have discovered the closest pair of supermassive black holes to Earth to date, about 89 million light-years away. Larger black holes have a mass equivalent to 154 million times that of the Sun, while the accompanying black holes have about 6.3 million times the mass of the Sun. The distance between the pair is only 1600 light-years, and it will eventually merge into a giant black hole.

In terms of space, in order to compete with SpaceX in the United States, Ariane Group launched makey at the end of the year. a space project to develop reusable mini launch vehicles.

The Team at The French company ThustMe reported the successful operation of a small satellite using an iodine-based propulsion system. Using iodine in electric propulsion systems instead of the more expensive and harder-to-store xenon may improve the performance of spacecraft. The findings highlight the advantages of iodine as an alternative propellant for the space industry.

The French military held its first space military exercise in March, which is also the first space exercise in Europe. The exercise is designed to test space command capabilities and defensive satellite capabilities, simulating the surveillance of a potentially dangerous space object, and the threats facing the satellite.

The United States

The US

The new fusion rocket is ten times faster

The Webb Space Telescope was launched into orbit

◎ Reporter Liu Xia

American scientists have designed a new fusion rocket that will make humans travel to Mars 10 times faster than the rocket thrusters currently used to push particles through electric fields.

Witty made its first successful flight on Mars, with a flight time of 39.1 seconds, which is expected to usher in a new era of unmanned aerial vehicle planetary exploration; Perseverance obtained 5.4 grams of oxygen from the Martian atmosphere for the first time, paving the way for future exploration of Mars; Curiosity found that evidence of ancient life in parts of Mars may have been cleared by salt water, and previously unknown organic molecules were found on Mars; "Insight" revealed the internal structure of Mars for the first time. A new study by NASA and German scientists has found that certain microbes on Earth can temporarily survive on the surface of Mars.

In terms of Jupiter exploration, NASA's Juno probe made the "closest contact" with Ganymede to date — only 1,038 kilometers.

Three years after its launch, the Parker Solar Probe reached the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere (the corona) on April 28, 2021, and stayed there for 5 hours, becoming the first spacecraft to "touch the sun".

In addition, American scientists have for the first time mapped the boundary of the sun's heliosphere, helping to better understand the interaction between the sun and the interstellar wind.

In terms of black hole research, scientists have discovered the smallest black hole to date and the one closest to Earth. Scientists from MIT and other units used gravitational wave detectors to confirm Hawking's black hole area theorem for the first time through observations.

In May, the large-scale international scientific cooperation project Dark Energy Spectrometer (DESI) was officially launched to begin a five-year journey of cosmic exploration, aiming to create the largest and most detailed three-dimensional map of galaxies to date to reveal the mysteries of dark energy and deepen our understanding of the universe.

In September, spaceX Falcon 9 carrier rockets put four ordinary passengers into orbit, the first space mission consisting of a national crew. Blue Origin has also unveiled plans for a private space station called Orbital Reef, which is expected to be completed and deployed in the late 2020s.

In terms of revealing the secrets of the universe, scientists have re-observed the oldest light in the universe and calculated that the latest age of the universe is 13.77 billion years old (the error does not exceed 40 million years). An international team of astronomers led by the University of Arizona has discovered J0313-1806, the oldest known quasar, which is located 13.03 billion light-years from Earth and has a mass of about 1.6 billion times the mass of the Sun.

On December 25, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched on the 25th and successfully entered orbit, helping scientists to explore the history of various stages of the universe and understand the origin of many celestial systems.

Israel

Israel

Breakthroughs in satellite technology have been made

Unique environment simulates Mars

◎ Hu Dingkun, our correspondent in Israel

In 2021, Israel launched several new satellite technologies. In March, three "nanosatellites" developed by technion-Israel Institute of Technology were launched, each weighing only 17.5 pounds, equipped with measuring instruments, antennas, computer systems, control systems, navigation equipment and unique propulsion systems. It is reported that the new propulsion system is based on krypton gas, which is the first time in the world to be equipped on nanosatellites, and each satellite consumes less than one gram of propellant per day.

In May, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) launched the SatGuard system. The system receives satellite telemetry information, and uses artificial intelligence machine learning technology to identify anomalies and detect possible faults in advance based on satellite navigation accuracy, temperature, current and voltage, communication system and other data.

In October, IAI launched a synchronous orbit mini communication satellite at the International Astronautical Congress, which weighs only 700 kilograms but can be equipped with flexible communication payloads and applications, has high communication performance, and has a life expectancy of up to 14 years.

Six "simulated astronauts" from Israel, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain gathered in the Negev Desert in Israel for a month-long Martian survival experiment, where the "simulated astronauts" conducted dozens of scientific experiments and experienced the physical and psychological challenges of surviving on Mars.

Germany

Germany

Build a Hub for European Space Operations

The smallest metallic planet to date was discovered

◎ Li Shan, the newspaper's correspondent in Germany

In terms of space technology, the successful launch of the 27th and 28th European Galileo satellite marks the beginning of the full operation of the Galileo navigation satellite. The german Aerospace Center (DLR) successfully launched the small satellite PIXL-1, developed in cooperation with the telecommunications company TESAT, and is equipped with the world's smallest laser communication terminal, with data transmission speeds up to 100 times faster than traditional wireless links.

The Common Core (EGS-CC) control system, a European ground system led by DLR, successfully monitored and controlled a small satellite with a side length of about 30 cm. The system is expected to be the "brain" of all future European space operations. DLR has developed a correction method for radar satellites that can improve the geometric measurement accuracy of the Sentinel Europe 1 satellite image data from the current few meters to at least 20 centimeters. DLR successfully tested two advanced "green" fuels that are expected to replace hydrazine-based fuels as the next generation of fuels for space applications.

In addition, payload testing and software changes to euclid satellites were successfully completed, scheduled for launch in 2022, observing more than 1.5 billion galaxies in a six-year mission. The European-Japanese Mercury exploration spacecraft BepiColombo flew over Mercury for the first time and captured a high-definition image of Mercury. Testing of a prototype of a nutrient mixing system jointly developed by Germany and the Netherlands for future lunar and Martian greenhouses begins, with plans to build a lunar greenhouse demonstration system by 2025.

In terms of space exploration, DLR has discovered the smallest metal-dominated planet to date (GJ 367b). The planet, which is mainly made of iron, is 31 light-years away from Earth, is 3/4 the size of Earth, and rotates around its star every 8 hours.

Scientists at the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) were involved in discovering the most powerful gamma-ray burst in the universe. A huge burst of gamma rays more than 1 billion light-years from Earth is the beginning of a star's death and its transformation into a black hole.

The Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics has found that massive stars produce twice as much carbon when they have companion stars; the Institute of Astronomy has for the first time measured isotopes in the atmospheres of exoplanets; and the first time a crystalline phase transition in carbon monoxide ice on the surface of interstellar dust has been detected.

Daybook

Japan

Large-capacity communication between satellites

Remove space junk with digital annealing technology

◎ Chen Chao, the newspaper's correspondent in Japan

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will begin operating a system that uses light to communicate between satellites in 2021. The data transmission speed of optical communication will reach more than 7 times that of traditional radio wave communication, close to the current 5G high-speed communication standard. If high-capacity optical communications can be popularized in space, the system is also expected to be used for new uses such as Internet connectivity and communication with bases in orbit around the moon.

Japan began developing a Martian aircraft with 33 times the lift capacity of Earth in July. Japan is advancing research and development projects to explore Mars with aircraft, with the aim of allowing aircraft to fly and probe in the Martian atmosphere.

Fujitsu uses "digital annealing" technology to remove space junk. Fujitsu is involved in a project by the Uk Space Agency (UKSA), working with amazon web services (AWS) and others to use the company's digital annealing technology to calculate the best route for a dedicated spacecraft to recycle space junk and burn it into the atmosphere for removal. The project confirmed that the planned route using digital annealing technology would reduce fuel costs by about 20% compared to manual planned routes.

In October, new progress was made in the verification of space elevator materials. The idea of the space elevator is to use 96,000 kilometers of cable to connect the earth and space, and use a car elevator with wheels to transport supplies and people along the cable through the atmosphere. Japanese builder Obayashi is currently validating technology that uses metal and silicon to protect CNT surfaces. If the confirmation is not damaged, it will be one step closer to the currently proposed goal of "getting it operational by 2050".

In November, space robots developed by start-up GITAI Japan were experimented with on the International Space Station (ISS) to replace astronauts with part of the work, with the aim of reducing the burden on astronauts by handing over simple tasks to robots. It is expected that in the future, such robots will also be used in the moon and artificial satellites.

Bashi

Brazil

Space activities are prioritized

Expand international partners in multiple fields

◎ Deng Guoqing, the newspaper's correspondent in Brazil

Brazil has satellites, rockets, spacecraft and launch sites, and the government has ranked space activities at the top of the list of priority development areas, hoping to rank among the space powers in the future. The research projects proposed by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Science and Atmospheric Sciences cover the disciplines of aeronautics, astrophysics and space geophysics, and the research of these projects has promoted Brazilian space activities. The space research developed by the Brazilian Space Agency mainly focuses on Earth observation, communications and meteorology, and will also strengthen infrastructure construction and human resource training.

China is an important partner of Brazil in the field of aerospace, and the China-Brazil Cooperation on Earth Resources Satellites, which has been carried out since 1988, is one of the most successful scientific and technological cooperation projects among developing countries. In 2021, the space departments of China and Pakistan will actively implement the "2013-2022 Space Cooperation Plan between the China National Space Administration and the Brazilian Space Agency", continue to expand cooperation in satellite exploration, manned spaceflight, including space education, and build a new cooperation platform in space technology, space applications, space science and ground equipment, personnel training, measurement and control support, launch services and other fields.

In terms of international cooperation, in August last year, the heads of the BRICS space agencies held a video conference and signed the Agreement on Cooperation on the Constellation of Remote Sensing Satellites of the BRICS Countries, laying the foundation for follow-up cooperation. Carlos Moura, director of the Brazilian Space Agency, said that the establishment of a "virtual constellation of remote sensing satellites" and a data sharing mechanism between the SPACE AGENCIES of the BRICS countries will help to cope with the challenges facing mankind such as global climate change, major disasters and environmental protection.

United Kingdom

The UK

Establish a space command to cooperate

Private companies realize their space travel dreams

◎ Intern reporter Zhang Jiaxin

On 5 April 2021, the UK officially established Space Command, which is composed of key personnel from the Royal Navy, THE BRITISH Army, THE ROYAL Air Force, civilian staff and commercial establishments, led by a two-star military commander, and mainly performs three functions: space operations, training and development of space talent, and space capacity building (development and implementation of space equipment projects). Space Command will work with the Defense Space Agency, which is responsible for defense space policy, strategy, and cross-governmental and international coordination.

On 28 September, the UK released its first National Space Strategy report, combing through the UK's current strengths in science and technology, defence, regulation and diplomacy. The report points out the UK's vision for the future development of space: one is to become one of the world's most innovative and attractive space economies, so that the UK can develop into a space power; the second is to protect and defend the UK's space interests, reshape the space environment, and use space capabilities to help and solve domestic and foreign challenges; and the third is to maintain the UK's competitive advantage in space science and technology through cutting-edge technology research.

In terms of exploration of the universe, on July 12, Richard Branson, the founder of the British Virgin Group, flew to the edge of space for the first time on the "Spaceship II" vehicle, successfully realizing the dream of space travel.

British scientists say that the Milky Way has a rod rotation structure composed of billions of stars, and data and analysis have found that since the birth of this rod rotation structure, its rotation speed has dropped by 1/4. This is the first time that humans have confirmed that the Milky Way is "stepping on the brakes" through measurements, and the results provide a new understanding for dark matter research.

Ukraine

Ukraine

Designed engines for European rockets

The aerospace industry should be raised to a new level

◎ Zhang Hao, the newspaper's correspondent in Ukraine

On April 29, August 17, and November 16, 2021, the European Vega carrier rocket was successfully launched for three consecutive times at the Kourou Cosmodrome in French Guiana. The RD-843 engine of the 4th stage of the launch vehicle was designed by the Southern Design Bureau of Ukraine and produced by the Southern Machinery Plant of Ukraine.

In 2021, Ukraine also manufactured the first domestic remote sensing device in nearly 10 years, named the "Sich-2-30" Earth photoelectric observation satellite to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. On December 8, the satellite departed Ukraine for shipment to the United States.

On January 11, at a meeting of the National Security and Defense and Strategic Industry Committee of the Government of Ukraine, the country's 2021-2025 Nationally Designated Space Science and Technology Plan was approved. In this plan, Ukraine has formulated its objectives for the space industry: to ensure that the capacity to carry out national strategic tasks is raised to a new level in the field of national security and defence;

Korea

South Korea

Publish a series of large projects

Actively support private enterprises

◎ Tai Ju, a reporter of this newspaper in South Korea

In mid-2021, South Korea passed the "Amendment to the Third Basic Plan for space development and revitalization", adding support for promoting the development of solid-fuel small rockets by private enterprises in 2024, providing funds and launch sites, and launching 100 ultra-small satellites (including 14 6G communication experimental satellites, more than 50 Earth observation satellites, 22 space observation satellites and 13 space technology verification satellites) by 2031.

Released the Korean version of the Satellite Navigation System (KPS) plan, which is expected to launch 8 KPS special satellites by 2035, with positioning accuracy of centimeters and a project budget of 4 trillion won, becoming the largest number of science and technology projects in South Korea.

New progress has been made in the development of South Korean launch vehicles. The comprehensive combustion test of the nuri emitter's primary booster was successful. In the launch experiment, the Nuri primary and secondary boosters worked normally.

South Korea plans to launch its first "lunar reconnaissance spacecraft" in 2022, and a new geostationary public composite communications satellite ,Clairvoyance-3 has also been successfully developed.

South Korea's "Next Generation Medium Satellite No. 1" developed on the 500 kg satellite "Standard Platform" was successfully launched.

The Korean Astronomical Research Institute and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States have carried out a joint development project of the SPHEREx Space Infrared Telescope.

The Ministry of Science, Technology, Information and Communications of the Republic of Korea announced projects such as "Training New Space Leaders" and "On-site Training for College Students" to cultivate aerospace engineering talents.

The South Korean government also plans to improve industrial competitiveness in related fields such as urban air transportation (UAM), intelligent maritime logistics and in-flight connectivity.

Source: Science and Technology Daily