China's manned space flight has embarked on a new journey
The Northwest Desert in April ushered in an exciting moment. Accompanied by mighty flames and billowing smoke, the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft Aragun soared into the sky, opening a new milestone in China's manned space industry. This is China's 13th manned space mission, and it is also a new start for China to explore the vast universe.
The Shenzhou-18 crew consists of three astronauts, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, who will spend about six months in space. After about six and a half hours of flight, Shenzhou-18 successfully docked with the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station, making full preparations for future space activities.
This mission is of great significance, marking another solid step forward in China's space industry. It will not only lay the foundation for Chinese astronauts to carry out longer-term and more complex space missions, but also make technical reserves for future manned lunar exploration missions. The Shenzhou 18 journey is an important journey for Chinese people to deep space, and will contribute Chinese wisdom to mankind's exploration of the vast universe.
The life of an astronaut in space is varied
Spending nearly half a year in space is no easy task for astronauts. They will carry out their work in a small space station, facing a series of challenges such as lack of gravity, radiation, and limited resources. But it is precisely these challenges that make astronauts' life in space more colorful and scientifically valuable.
Out-of-cabin activities are a "daily routine" for astronauts
Out-of-cabin activities are known as "astronauts' daily routine" and are one of the most common and important tasks they do in space. The Shenzhou-18 crew will carry out multiple out-of-cabin activities to complete the construction, maintenance and upgrade of the space station.
Before each exit, astronauts need to make adequate preparations, including wearing spacesuits and decompression. During the exit, they will carefully operate in the darkness of space to complete the scheduled tasks. After the recovery of the capsule, a series of procedures such as repressurization are also required. This high-risk work requires a high level of physical and mental fitness for astronauts.
Space science experiments explore uncharted territory
Carrying out scientific experiments in space is the top priority of astronauts' work. The Shenzhou-18 crew will carry out a number of space science experiments, involving physics, biology, materials and other fields.
For example, they will use the microgravity environment of the space station to study the flow behavior of liquids and the preparation of materials, which are difficult to replicate on Earth, and these conditions will provide scientists with new perspectives. The astronauts will also carry out biological breeding experiments and explore the possibility of breeding organisms in space.
Aerospace medical experiments ensure the health of astronauts
The human body will undergo a series of physiological changes in the space environment, such as bone loss, muscle atrophy, and decreased immunity. Conducting space medicine experiments is essential to ensure the health of astronauts.
The Shenzhou-18 crew will cooperate with ground researchers to monitor and collect their own physiological data, and try various new protective measures. These valuable data will provide an important reference for long-term deep space exploration.
China's aerospace dream set sail again
The work of the Shenzhou-18 crew in space is just a microcosm of the development process of China's space industry. China's aerospace dream will be even grander, and China's aerospace footsteps will go farther and farther.
China's lunar exploration program is poised to launch
The moon has always been a dream place for human exploration. As early as 2019, Chang'e-4 successfully achieved the first soft landing on the far side of the moon, opening up a new path for exploring the mysteries of the moon.
According to reports, China has formulated a lunar exploration project plan for the next 10 years, and plans to establish a permanent scientific research base on the moon by 2035 for lunar scientific experiments and resource development. At that time, China will become the first country after the United States to establish a permanent base on the moon.
In order to achieve this grand goal, China will launch Chang'e-6 and Chang'e-7 probes successively to advance the tasks of various stages of the lunar exploration project in a planned manner. The relevant experiments carried out by the Shenzhou-18 crew during their orbit will also make technical reserves for future lunar exploration missions.
China's manned deep space exploration is just around the corner
The Moon is just one step in human exploration of the universe. China will set its sights on more distant deep-space targets, such as Mars and asteroid belts.
Manned deep space exploration is undoubtedly an arduous system project, which needs to solve a series of technical problems such as the long-term stay of astronauts, the reliability of spacecraft, and the re-entry of the return capsule. However, based on the existing accumulation of space technology, China is fully capable of realizing this dream.
Some experts predict that China is expected to achieve manned exploration of Mars around 2040 and manned exploration of the asteroid belt around 2060. These will be milestones in the history of human spaceflight, and will also bring new discoveries to mankind's understanding of the universe.
China's aerospace industry has been passed down from generation to generation
Throughout the development of China's aerospace industry, we can see the figures of aerospace heroes. From the first launch of an artificial earth satellite in 1970, to the first manned space flight in 2003, to the full completion and operation of China's space station in 2021, Chinese astronauts have written brilliant stories with perseverance and wisdom.
The Shenzhou-18 crew is a new generation of aerospace heroes who continue this glorious tradition. They will pass on the flame of the aerospace industry from generation to generation and make unremitting efforts for the Chinese nation's aerospace dream.