Main information source: Long March 3B carrier rocket launched Indonesia's PALAPA-N1 satellite failed - Beijing News
Preface
In the 21 st century, the mainland's aerospace program has begun to catch up with the United States and the West at a rapid pace.
However, nothing can be smooth sailing, and the same is true for the mainland's second-generation space program.
Although the results are very impressive now, we have also experienced quite painful failures in the past......
Difficult development
Since the 50s of the last century, the mainland's aerospace industry has gone through decades of arduous struggle and has also made many major achievements and breakthroughs.
In 1950, the mainland had just been devastated by the war, and the whole country was in ruins and was in the process of reconstruction.
At this time, the mainland also began to prepare for the development of its own aerospace industry, but during this period, compared with the United States and the former Soviet Union, we were already in a very backward position.
However, this cannot stop mainland scientists from moving forward.
After many hardships, they finally established the first aerospace research institute in the mainland, the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 1956.
It was at this time that the mainland began its own pace of space research.
In 1970, the mainland's Dongfanghong-1 satellite was officially launched, and the mainland became the third country after the Soviet Union and the United States to be able to independently launch artificial satellites.
After that, the mainland seemed to have "opened up" all the way, and launched a series of satellites one after another, including meteorological satellites, communications satellites, resource satellites, and so on.
Without exception, these satellites have played a strong role in supporting the construction of the mainland!
In order to adapt to the mission construction of China's space station, the 149 Factory of the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has carried out the work of "products" and "personnel".
It can effectively solve the working state of "human staring" and "human staring products", and also release more production capacity to ensure the circular production of model tasks.
However, no matter how careful you are, it will happen because of some small mistakes, or things that we engineers can't even think of.
And these things are also very likely to lead to "losing all the games"!
The mainland has also experienced two consecutive spacecraft explosions in less than 30 days.
So, what was going on at the time?
Failure after failure
The development of science and technology has never been smooth sailing, and the mainland has made some remarkable achievements in the speed of development in aerospace engineering.
But we must also admit that there are some problems and mistakes that we have in the process.
The Long March-3B is a "three-stage liquid bundle rocket" developed by the mainland in 1996.
Its main purpose is also for launching satellites, and in the field of mainland aerospace, the Long March 3B can be regarded as an "old employee".
On February 15, 1996, after seven years of research, the Long March-3B finally met with people.
For the first time, in anticipation, the Long March 3B ignited and flew into space.
However, less than two seconds after the rocket took off, the Long March-3B shifted in its flight direction.
After 22 seconds, he flew in the wrong direction, and eventually, the LM-3B crashed into the mountain and exploded.
The mainland's aerospace engineers were obviously unacceptable to this situation, and they regained their strength and finally succeeded in sending the Long March 3B into the sky after more than a year.
However, on April 9, 2020, after many years of service, he "failed" again, and after the rocket ignited, he had an accident while preparing for the third stage flight.
The Long March 3 quickly derailed, almost recreating the scene more than 20 years ago.
Coincidentally, less than 20 days before this happened, on March 16, the Long March 7 also failed after several successful test flights.
In the test flight record, the Long March 7 can be said to be very perfect, but I didn't expect him to lose in the first flight.
162 seconds after the Long March 7 took off, he suddenly went out of orbit and finally exploded.
"Eat a trench and grow a wisdom", our aerospace engineers did not indulge in such sadness and began to study the inside story of one failure after another......
So, what are the reasons for the failure of the LM-3B and LM-7?
Reasons for failure
In just one month, there have been two explosions in rockets on the mainland, and wherever this kind of thing is placed, it is a "scar" that dare not be revealed.
At that time, there were still a lot of foreign media to gloat.
In the face of these ridicules, we researchers did not pay much attention to them, because it is more important to look for the root cause of failure than to immerse in sadness.
After discovering the problem, our R&D staff took action almost as best they could.
After research, they found that the cause of the failure of the Long March 3B in 1996 was actually the failure of an electronic component.
The reason for the failure in 2020 is speculated to be due to the American satellite jammer, but it has not been verified so far!
So far, the Long March 3B and Long March 7 have not failed again in their subsequent missions.
Such a result is also the joint efforts of all scientific research personnel in the mainland, and it is they who have achieved the glory of China's aerospace industry!
Momentary failures are nothing, and it is important to learn valuable lessons from these failures.
Nothing can be "perfect", and the same is true of aerospace engineering, and what we aerospace engineers can do is to reason as much as possible about the possible accidents.
However, it can only be said that you do your best.
However, it is gratifying that after the launch of the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft on October 26, it also ushered in the 20th anniversary of the mainland's manned project.
The mainland has also realized the good news of the manned project "30 battles and 30 victories"!
30 battles and 30 victories
On October 26, 2023, the Shenzhou 17 crew successfully "settled" in Tiangong.
The launch of Shenzhou-17 is a milestone for China's aerospace industry.
Because the day of the launch happened to be the 20th anniversary of China's manned space program.
Not only is it a commemorative day, but the successful launch of Shenzhou 17 is also a "30 battles and 30 victories" since the mainland's manned space project!
In 2003, Yang Liwei, the first astronaut in the mainland, entered space, and CNN also said that China has become an emerging "space power".
Now, 21 years have passed since the mainland first sent astronauts into space.
In the past 21 years, the continent has become an important presence in the field of space.
According to foreign media reports, the mainland now has a complete near-Earth manned space station and a manned space-to-earth transportation system.
Not only that, but we also have a mature astronaut selection, training and support system.
From the original manned mission once every three years to the current manned mission twice a year, the mainland has already made a lot of breakthroughs.
Regarding the future planning and development of the mainland's aerospace, AFP said that China's "space dream" has long been in the era of full acceleration.
In 2030, the mainland plans to carry out a "manned landing on the moon", and by that time, the mainland will also achieve the grand goal of "being able to go to the moon in nine days".
It can only be said that China's aerospace has a great future!
Sources of information:
Observer.com - Long 7 Modification Launch Failure: The Price That Must Be Paid for Growth
Baidu Encyclopedia - 1996 Xichang Long March 3 launch vehicle accident
Global Times - China's manned space flight has won 30 battles and 30 victories
Wenhui - Ambition is hidden in carefulness, and Shanghai astronauts grasp the pulse of the times and bravely climb the peak