"The universe is so big, we humans should go and see it." When humans who learn to walk upright look up at the stars, the universe becomes the direction of the journey. But whether it is the pride of "wanting to go to the blue sky and the bright moon" or the vastness of "lying down to see the morning glory Vega", they only stay in the imagination; but there is such a group of people, so that the brilliant imagination has become a reality, and even, they have gone farther than the dream.
From the young boy Lang who watched the oriental red satellite take off into the sky dream of the starry sky, to the young talent who stood on the three-foot podium to achieve a generation of famous teachers, to the "captain of the galaxy" who is at the helm of the aerospace front line today; Zhou Jianping's life experience is legendary and wonderful, but he himself is humble and determined, on the stage of "Readers", he told his great journey of accompanying China's aerospace industry from scratch, but his dream has never changed: Zhou Jianping, whose journey is the vast universe, only hopes to go further in the sea of stars.
From the three-foot podium, to the front line of aerospace
On April 24, 1970, China's first artificial satellite "Dongfanghong I" was launched. A teenager in WangchengShan Village in Xiangxi Looked up at the sky, the night sky was very bright, the sky was full of bright stars, but he persistently looked at the starry sky, looking for the reddish satellite. Zhou Jianping said it was his connection with aerospace, when he was 13 years old.
In 1992, the technical and economic feasibility demonstration of China's manned space project was held, and Zhou Jianping, who graduated with a doctorate for only two years, attended the meeting as a representative of the school. At that time, Both Russia and the United States had launched the space station, and the multinational cooperation international space station plan was also under discussion, but there was no Chinese figure in it. The whole world does not believe that Chinese can fly.
There was a lot of debate in the argument, and Zhou Jianping also benefited a lot. "The whole process embodies the scientific spirit of our astronauts." Recalling the process of argumentation, Zhou Jianping sighed that his space spirit of seeking truth had been laid down, "After so many years in the aerospace industry, we are always asking questions and discussing how to do things better. But at that time, Zhou Jianping felt that the argument was only a short work, and he did not expect that he would really intervene in the manned space industry in the future.
In 1999, Zhou Jianping was transferred to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, and more than a month later, he entered the field with the special train of the test team to participate in the Shenzhou-1 launch mission.
When he received the invitation, although Zhou Jianping hesitated in his heart, he decided to do it very easily: leave the three-foot podium, go north, and become an astronaut.
On the stage of "Readers", Zhou Jianping said that he rarely designed life, and he would focus on everything he would do, but there was not much design in life choices; 42-year-old Zhou Jianping, known as a young "old" professor of the National Defense Science and Technology University, had made him peach and plum all over the world with many years of experience, and scientific research, life and career were rooted in Changsha; but he chose to go north.
Zhou Jianping said that he did not know what he could do, and he also understood how big the challenge ahead was, but the touch of looking up at the stars as a child awakened him, "Such a great project, let me come, I will come." ”
Zhou Jianping, who regained his childhood dream, is brave but not reckless. From a university professor to an astronaut, it did not take Zhou Jianping too long, the launch of Shenzhou I, Zhou Jianping while groping and learning, the mission was completed, he has become a complete astronaut.
He said that he was able to transform in a short period of time, thanks to his years of concentration, when communicating and learning with experts in different fields, Zhou Jianping was hungry, he was like a sponge, absorbing the scientific knowledge of various professions. Soon, he was integrated into the space system and entered the core.
In 2006, seven years after joining the Manned Space Engineering Office, Zhou Jianping became the chief designer of China's manned space project. The first task he received was the launch of Shenzhou VII. Shenzhou 7 carried a number of experimental projects, including astronauts walking out of the capsule.
Behind the Blueprint for China's Spaceflight that he witnessed is the astronauts' insistence on standards
Every small step in the sky is the crystallization of major advances in space technology. But no matter how technologically advanced, manned spaceflight is fraught with risks. Stress is great, like walking on thin ice, and every time it challenges the impossible. But these are the daily routines that Zhou Jianping faces.
Zhou Jianping said that the complexity of the space system lies mainly in the fact that during the flight, there is no error correction time, and any tiny detail can lead to disaster.
In 1996, the French Ariane rocket failed to launch because the engine interface was half a millimeter long;
In 2003, Columbia disintegrated and exploded in the air due to foam fragments falling off, killing all astronauts;
……
Unknown risks, Zhou Jianping and Chinese astronauts, treated with a hundred times more carefully. Zhou Jianping said that China's aerospace industry has so far adhered to the principle of "never bringing problems to the sky" and has tried every means to improve reliability.
The experience of Shenzhou No. 3 makes Zhou Jianping still remember it vividly. He recalled that at that time, the entry test, the whole system had no problems, but only one point of the outer three-five plug was not turned on, and the redundant design was turned on. Although this can still fly smoothly in theory, after the experiment, the astronauts still withdrew from the field and re-developed the plug. Therefore, the launch of Shenzhou III was delayed by three months, and the plugs and plugs on it were all replaced.
Zhou Jianping said that at that time, some people still did not understand this persistence; but Zhou Jianping felt that the adherence to quality standards was far more meaningful than empty slogans. Step by step, China's aerospace industry has come to this day, relying on perseverance in adhering to standards and adhering to concepts.
This persistence was also brought into the launch of Shenzhou VII. Zhou Jianping said that the outgoing activity is a very important technology in manned spaceflight, and it is also a support to ensure the level of the space station. But at that time, the astronaut's extravehicular suit made Zhou Jianping difficult.
The development of China's aerospace industry has always followed the road of independent innovation and independence; the aerospace industry has entered the world's leading position from scratch, and has also witnessed the development of China's scientific and technological progress and the development of seiko industry. However, china lacks relevant experience in the space suit. Time was tight, and the Shenzhou VII at that time had already booked Russia's extravehicular service out of the cabin.
However, Zhou Jianping led the team to repeated arguments, and finally made up his mind to let Chinese wear Chinese cabin jackets to complete China's first departure.
For three years, Zhou Jianping convened experts from all walks of life to design. Cabin clothing is very complex, hard Bangbang's sealed aluminum alloy structure is an inflatable clothing, limited space to ensure life, communication and effective work and other functions, Zhou Jianping said, the design is very difficult, but finally successfully completed.
According to the construction period, it takes two years for russia with mature technology to manufacture cabin clothes, but China started from scratch and took three years to achieve it. Zhou Jianping said that this determination has completed a major breakthrough in the space station's capsule technology. When Zhai Zhigang left the cabin, wearing a Chinese-made extravehicular suit with the word "Feitian" written on it, Zhou Jianping, in the Beijing General Control Room, was already excited under his calm appearance.
Towards the sea of stars, he opened a new journey with a reading dedicated to space
The name "Feitian" is the common hope of astronauts. Zhou Jianping said that the name has been collected for a long time, but after the name appeared, everyone unanimously supported it. "Flying in the sky is a dream of Chinese since ancient times. Our astronauts are wearing flying out of the capsule, isn't it exactly the dream of flying? ”
Zhai Zhigang's historical moment is not a period.
On October 16, 2021, the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft and the space station assembly completed an autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking. Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu entered the Tianhe core module, and the Chinese space station opened the era of long-term presence. China has entered the era of the space station.
Among them, the figure of chief designer Zhou Jianping is indispensable.
But for Zhou Jianping, exploring space is not only the exploration of science and technology and the satisfaction of curiosity, but also the embodiment of a country's hard power. The space station itself is complex, and many fields such as space construction, carrying capacity, and aircraft design capabilities are extremely challenging. As the International Space Station is about to retire, China is expected to become the only country in the world with an active space station.
Behind the take-off of China's aerospace industry, there is an unknown bitter history:
As early as the 1990s, when the International Space Station program was launched, China's application to join was rejected by the dominant United States;
In 2011, because of the unwarranted "espionage incident", the United States even introduced a Wolf Act to restrict space cooperation with China;
Under the condition of not being optimistic and full of difficulties, Chinese astronauts have relied on their own efforts and wisdom to complete the leap from scratch and from existence to strength in just 28 years.
As a witness for 28 years, Zhou Jianping also has a lot of feelings.
At the scene of "Readers", Zhou Jianping especially shared the story between European journalists and him when participating in the International Astronautical Year Conference. After praising China's achievements, European journalists bluntly expressed their envy for China's independent development path. "This path has made us more respected."
The Chinese astronauts who are heading towards the sea of stars will not stop.
Zhou Jianping introduced that the scale of the next space station will continue to expand, and after two years, it is expected to build a national space laboratory, and the sky survey telescope will also be expected to be launched to maintain common orbit flight with the space station.
Up to now, many countries' experimental projects have been selected for the Chinese space station science experiment project, and China, which upholds an open and cooperative attitude, will continue to explore the universe with more countries.
From unmanned flight to manned flight, from one person a day to many days, from cabin experiments to out-of-cabin walking, from single flight to combined stable operation. In the past 28 years, The world has witnessed China's achievements in aerospace.
In the three seasons, "Readers" has also been paying attention to the development of China's aerospace industry, Yang Liwei, Deng Qingming, Wang Yaping... Astronauts share the bittersweet and sour behind the flying dream on "Readers", and "Readers" are also paying attention to the spread of wings and high flights in the development of the aerospace industry.
The rapid development of the aerospace industry is also inseparable from the strong support of all sectors of society. In the "Reading for Space" activity launched by the "Readers" column group of the Central Radio and Television Corporation, Yang Yuanxi, deputy chief designer of the Beidou satellite navigation system and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qi Faxuan, the first chief designer of the Shenzhou spaceship, Tie Ning, chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and chairman of the China Writers Association, Wu Tianyi, winner of the "July 1st Medal", Xue Qikun, physicist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fan Jinshi, archaeologist and honorary president of the Dunhuang Research Institute, Ye Xiaogang, chairman of the Chinese Musicians Association, and Shi Yigong, a structural biologist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang Haidi, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, and other guests from all walks of life dedicated their voices to the "God Thirteen" astronaut crew with a touching and profound reading, hoping to accompany them through 183 days of space time, which is not only the original intention of "Readers", but also contains a good blessing for China's manned space industry.
As Zhou Jianping, reading Carl Sagan's Cosmos, put it, "We believe that the future of humanity depends on how well we know about the universe." ”
This is our vision and our expectation.
Source: Readers Season 3
Editor-in-charge: Wang Zimo
Editor: Zhang Yongqun Wang Yuanfang