At the end of 2023, "reusable spacecraft" has become the focus of attention in the international aerospace community, and it has frequently topped the hot search list.
According to reports, on the evening of December 28, local time, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the American X-37B "Orbital Experimental Vehicle" successfully entered space on the "Falcon Heavy" launch vehicle. This is the X-37B's seventh flight since 2010, and this time it will be in high orbit for the first time.
The X-37B, shrouded in mystery, is a reusable spacecraft known as a "spaceplane" that can fly in orbit around the Earth's satellite, glide into the atmosphere, and automatically return to the ground after the mission.
Previously, on December 14, the mainland successfully launched a reusable test spacecraft using the Long March-2F carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. After a period of orbit operation, the test spacecraft will return to the scheduled landing site in China, during which it will carry out reusable technology verification and space science experiments as planned to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space.
Since the advent of the Space Shuttle 40 years ago, "reusable spacecraft" has been a goal of the global space community. In the new round of commercial space boom, through the recycling and reuse of spacecraft, efforts will be made to reduce the cost of going to space to a level unimaginable in the past, thus opening the door for human beings to enter space on a large scale. Chao News will take a plate of "reusable spacecraft" for you.
What kind of "artifact" is a reusable spacecraft?According to popular science China, reusable spacecraft refers to reusable spacecraft that can quickly pass through the atmosphere and freely travel between the earth's surface and space to transport crew and payload; it can also refer to spacecraft that stay and maneuver in orbit for a long time and complete various tasks, including manned spacecraft, cargo spacecraft, propulsion vehicles, planetary landers, space shuttles, etc.
China reportedly launched reusable spacecraft on September 4, 2020, and August 5, 2022 (returning in May this year), respectively. It is expected that China's reusable spacecraft will be in orbit for longer and will do more scientific experiments.
China's launch of the reusable spacecraft comes after SpaceX announced that it would launch the X-37B on a Falcon Heavy rocket. However, the launch was postponed three times in a week, and it was not launched until the evening of December 28.
Judging by previous missions, the X-37B has been in orbit for longer and longer periods. The first mission was in orbit for 224 days, and by the sixth mission had been completed and stayed in orbit for 908 days.
Some analysts believe that the X-37B's range of activity is 177 km to 800 km above the ground, and it can also realize space orbit change. The orbits of reconnaissance satellites, space stations, and spacecraft are about 400 kilometers above the ground, and the X-37B can basically cover them.
According to reference news reports, the outside world believes that the technical status of China's reusable spacecraft is also very stable, indicating that China, like the United States, has mastered the technology of repeatable space travel, and the technology has completely passed the key stages such as launch, orbit change control, and return.
The scene of the 2020 China Aerospace Conference. Photo by Xie Ruiqiang
"Flight-based" space transport is expected to be achieved in 2045According to reports, at the 2020 China Space Conference, Bao Weimin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Science and Technology Committee of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, made a report entitled "Development and Thinking of Flight-based Space Transportation System", saying that the mainland plans to achieve "flight-based" space transportation in 2045 and arrive around the world within one hour.
Bao Weimin believes that at this stage, whether it is a disposable carrier rocket, a partially reusable rocket, or a reusable space shuttle, they are far from meeting the requirements of the "flight-based" transportation system, and the preparation time for launch is long, and the price is relatively high.
To achieve "flight-oriented" space transportation, three conditions must be met: First, the number of "departures" is far greater than before, and the preparation time is greatly shortened; second, a fixed time and cycle are formed and repeated round trips; and third, prices have dropped sharply and are within the range that ordinary people can afford.
Bao Weimin said that by 2045, the mainland plans to achieve one-hour global arrival, "flight-based" space transportation between ground and orbit, and between orbits.
On how to concretely achieve this goal in terms of technical approach. Bao Weimin said that there are three main types: one is reusable launch vehicle + hypersonic technology; the second is the lift reusable launch vehicle + hypersonic technology; and the third is advanced combined power technology. These three technical paths range from relatively simple to relatively difficult.
Launch vehicle reuse will be rapidly promoted in the short termJin Zhonghe, director of the Microsatellite Research Center of Zhejiang University, told Chao News reporters that the rocket recycling and reuse led by Musk's SpaceX is the most popular spacecraft reusable mode at present. This is part of the simplest of the three technical approaches mentioned by Bao Weimin.
"Rocket multiplexing is different from the space shuttle and aerospace plane, and the purpose is also different. Kim Zhonghe said that the development cost and reuse maintenance cost of the space shuttle are too high, and they are far from meeting the original design goals of the United States. It cost about $10 billion to develop and produce, more than $500 million for a flight, and several months to prepare for launch. The most fatal thing was that there were two very serious accidents that killed 14 astronauts.
In contrast, the rocket is reused in segments, and the manufacturing and maintenance costs are much lower. "SpaceX has developed partially reusable launch vehicles, such as the reuse of the first stage, the second stage, and the fairing. At present, the mainland is also exploring ways to recycle and reuse rockets, and in this field, domestic private rocket companies are relatively fast. Kim Zhonghe said.
In addition to the Falcon series of rockets, SpaceX's more eye-catching is the giant multiplexing rocket "Starship". "The 'Starship' is different from the rocket in terms of system, and its second-class 'Starship Spaceship' can also be reused, and it will not necessarily be classified as a rocket in the future. Jin Zhonghe believes that on the whole, from the perspective of cost bearing, promotion and application, the repeated use of launch vehicles is a way to rapidly develop and promote application in the short term.
"The continental's reusable spacecraft has already made several verification flights, and there should be a lot of development in the future, so let's wait for that day to come. Kim Zhonghe said.
(Chao News)