According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, after the manned spacecraft and the space station assembly successfully achieved autonomous and rapid rendezvous and docking, the Shenzhou-18 astronaut crew entered the orbital module from the spacecraft return module. At 5:04 on April 26, 2024, Beijing time, the Shenzhou 17 astronaut crew on the mission in orbit successfully opened the "door" to welcome the Shenzhou 18 astronaut crew from afar to settle in the "Tiangong". Subsequently, the two astronaut crews took a "family photo" and jointly reported safety to the people of the whole country who were concerned about them.
Subsequently, the two astronaut crews will rotate in orbit on the space station. During this period, the six astronauts will work and live together on the space station for about five days to complete various scheduled tasks.
This is a "family photo" of the Shenzhou-17 astronaut crew and the Shenzhou-18 astronaut crew taken at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center on April 26. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jin Liangkuai
In addition to the new good news on the "Space Family Portrait", in fact, astronauts can also be liberal arts students!
Let's take a look at the flight crew astronauts who carried out this mission: Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu 👇
Swipe left and right to view the resume of the Shenzhou 18 crew
Among them, astronaut Li Guangsu is a new face in the Shenzhou 18 astronaut crew, and he is the only liberal arts student in the third batch of 18 astronauts. After more than three years of hard training, he completed his transition from pilot to astronaut.
Let's take a look at the story of this "liberal arts student" astronaut~
Liberal arts students are also "in heaven"!
Pilots → astronauts
"I was surprised!
Li Guangsu, 36, was born in Pei County, Jiangsu Province. When he was in high school, he dreamed of becoming an Air Force pilot and flying a warhawk in the skies to defend his country. After strict selection, Li Guangsu was admitted to the Air Force Aviation University and joined the team of flight cadets.
After officially starting his career as a pilot, Li Guangsu achieved relatively good results in the team of liberal arts students during the theoretical study stage, and did not encounter much difficulty; the first time he was led by a flight instructor in the rear cabin to fly into the blue sky, he encountered unexpected problems.
His teammates, who took to the skies first, told him that flying was exciting and fun. When it was Li Guangsu's turn, he realized that the smell of gasoline in the cockpit of the first teaching plane and the turbulence of air currents in the sky were not always exciting and pleasant.
Astronaut Li Guangsu: I slowly began to feel uncomfortable, and even felt a little nauseous and vomiting. But I knew that if I vomited in the sky, I could face grounding, so I put up with it.
Later, in the training day after day, Li Guangsu constantly overcame, endured, and adjusted his state. It wasn't until he became a fighter pilot and began flying fighter planes on his own that he regained his self-confidence.
In May 2018, the mainland launched the selection of the third batch of reserve astronauts, which made Li Guangsu, who met the selection conditions, very excited.
In September 2020, after layers of selection, Li Guangsu stood out from many pilots who signed up for the election and became one of the third batch of astronauts in the mainland.
△ Li Guangsu (left), Ye Guangfu (middle), Li Cong (right)
Li Guangsu said that he was surprised when he heard the news, and felt a little unreal, and repeatedly confirmed, "I finally got my wish and joined the glorious team."
The only liberal arts student in the third batch of astronauts
"I feel the pressure to prepare for the college entrance examination"
As the only liberal arts student in the third batch of 18 astronauts, the basic theory course of aerospace made Li Guangsu feel the pressure comparable to "re-preparing for the college entrance examination".
Li Guangsu said that it was difficult to study science at the beginning, so he chose liberal arts, but he didn't expect that many years later, he still couldn't escape the fate of studying science.
Astronaut Li Guangsu: I'm more anxious, because when the teacher talks about a lot of things, my comrades-in-arms nod their heads frequently, but I really don't understand. I often ask my comrades-in-arms and teachers privately, starting from the most basic knowledge, including advanced mathematics, who would have thought that after so many years, I would turn it out and learn it again?
Li Guangsu introduced that during that time, he and his teammates spent many sleepless nights. "When learning the theory of modified models, the theory has a passing line, but no one has ever said how much more is a passing grade, everyone is rushing to 100 points, and 100 points can be tested resolutely not 99 points. ”
In addition to the basic theoretical learning, the training of vestibular function is also a challenge for Li Guangsu, "endure, through repeated rotation, circle after circle, let yourself adapt, and finally completed it very calmly." ”
According to the astronaut training program, the third batch of astronauts carried out more than 100 training items in eight categories. From the tempering of the body to the will, from the endurance to the improvement of professional knowledge, these are the necessary ways to become an astronaut. In the past three years, Li Guangsu has completed systematic study and training, and was selected for the Shenzhou 18 crew.
Astronaut Li Guangsu: After training in basic theory, professional theory, and all aspects, the foundation has been laid relatively firmly, and coupled with the running-in training of the entire crew, the confidence to carry out the mission has become more and more sufficient.
He said that he was a "snail" running towards the universe
"Steady and steady, every step of the way"
For Li Guangsu, from guarding the motherland's airspace to exploring the vast space, the pace of going out for the country is equally firm.
Li Guangsu said that whether they are pilots or astronauts, they are all contributing to the country in different positions. "I'm looking forward to seeing what the starry sky looks like when it's out of the atmosphere, and I'm even more excited when I get out of the capsule, and it should be wonderful to see the earth under our feet spinning in circles. ”
From a liberal arts student to a flight cadet, and then to being selected for the 18th Crew of God, Li Guangsu's career resume, in the eyes of outsiders, may be soaring and exceptionally smooth.
He said that he was like a "little snail" who was not so strong in comprehension, and in the online world, Li Guangsu named his WeChat "Running Snail". "On the road of personal growth and progress, we should take every step steadily and firmly take every step. Even if I am a snail, I will run wildly, to the universe, to space. ”
The astronauts were accompanied by these special members
The Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft was successfully launched, and the three astronauts set off with several special members - zebrafish.
This time, the astronaut crew will carry out the first in-orbit aquatic ecology research project in China. In layman's terms, astronauts are going to raise fish in space. In space, what to do with the excrement of small fish? Without oxygen in space, how can small fish breathe?
How does the "space fish tank" maintain ecological balance?
Zebrafish is a very beautiful ornamental fish, about 3-4 cm long, slender body, from head to tail with multiple dark blue lines, like zebra, so it is called zebrafish.
The space fish tank in the sky is equipped with 4 zebrafish and goldfish algae. How does this "space fishbowl" maintain ecological balance?
Cang Huaixing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Center for Space Application Engineering and Technology and a consultant for space science experiments, said that the "space fish tank" is an ecosystem that is "both beautiful and complex". Goldfish algae produce oxygen through photosynthesis to supply fish respiration, and fish excrement provides nutrients to the algae, and they are both producers and consumers of each other, forming a scientific experiment that looks simple, but is actually complex inside.
In the future, more in-depth research can continue to be carried out on a rolling basis, and the system will become more and more complex.
How does lighting work?
There is also a very important player in this ecosystem: sunshine. But in space, there is no regular day and night and light on Earth, how to solve this?
Experts told reporters that during the ascent of the manned spacecraft, the ascending aquatic support device will provide LED light source for goldfish algae to maintain normal photosynthesis and ensure that the oxygen content in the ecosystem meets the survival needs of zebrafish.
After entering orbit, the astronauts will transfer the experimental components to the small controlled life ecology experiment module of the life ecology experiment cabinet of the Wentian module to carry out on-orbit experiments.
How do you feed small fish in space?
The problem of sunlight is solved, and there is also the problem of water. In weightlessness, the water will be spherical and can even be held in the hand. Does this water allow small fish to swim in it? Will it not move because of weightlessness? And how can it be fed?
Wang Gaohong, a researcher at the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, "We designed a special fish food, like toothpaste, which is pushed with a syringe every day to let the fish eat as much as possible. The excrement produced by the fish after eating can be transported to the goldfish algae through pipes to encourage it to grow. ”
How long do small fish survive on the space station?
In keeping fish in space, the "fish tank" must be designed with great care, not only to seal well, but also to fill the water as much as possible. In addition to the "house" where he lives, the meal eaten by Xiaoyu is also a special "space meal". How long will these little fish survive on the space station?
Wang Gaohong said that the initial plan is to run stably for a month so that these zebrafish and goldfish algae can survive, and then obtain some experimental samples, such as fish eggs and water samples. Because of the constraints, it is not easy to cultivate in such a small space. As for whether it can be extended in the future, it depends on the actual situation in space.
In order to prevent the dead small fish and algae from rotting and deteriorating in the space station, the astronauts inactivated them after the experimental project. If the experiment goes well, the next generation of these small fish may be born on the ground.
Zhang Tao, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is looking forward to the small fish spawning in space, "Once we find that the fish are ovulating, we will activate a special ovulation device to collect the eggs." This is a tentative and exploratory work, and it is also the first time to do it in China, and it is the most distinctive part of this experiment. ”
Why are zebrafish in space?
Experts explain that zebrafish are vertebrates with vigorous vitality and strong reproductive ability, and they are also model experimental animals. Zebrafish have more than 70% similarity to the human genome, and this is the first vertebrate animal to be welcomed by China's space station other than astronauts. Xinhuanet, CCTV News
For the first time, a confined space tank of zebrafish and goldfish algae will allow a continent to cultivate and reproduce vertebrates in space.