Xinhua News Agency, Jiuquan, October 16 Title: What are the astronauts' "space business trip" missions?
Xinhua News Agency reporters Hu Zhe and Li Guoli
According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, after the study and decision of the General Command of the Space Station Phase Mission, Zhai Zhigang (center), Wang Yaping (right), and Ye Guangfu (left) will carry out the Shenzhou 13 manned mission, with Zhai Zhigang as the commander. Xinhua News Agency
On October 16, the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft was successfully launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and Three astronauts, Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu, carried out the Shenzhou 13 manned mission, with Zhai Zhigang as the commander. They will fly in orbit in space for 6 months and will spend the Spring Festival in space. What is the highlight of this mission? What kind of "agreement" will the "space travel" trio in the starry sky have?
Astronaut Zhai Zhigang participates in the ergonomics experiment (photographed on March 31). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Kong Fangzhou)
The commander-in-chief is the astronaut who has flown by
For the astronaut system, the astronauts in the key technology verification and construction stage of the space station have a flight time of up to 3 to 6 months, and the task is extremely arduous and complex, which puts forward extremely high requirements for the physical and mental quality, knowledge and skills, emergency decision-making and disposal capabilities, and psychological adjustment capabilities of astronauts, and the challenges faced by astronauts are unprecedented.
According to the overall plan of manned spaceflight engineering, there are 4 manned space missions during the verification and construction phase of the space station's key technologies. On the basis of summarizing the previous selection experience, the astronaut system adjusted the selection strategy according to the characteristics of these four missions, and in accordance with the principles of "overall planning, new and old collocation, inheritance and development", in December 2019, 4 flight crews were selected, each flight crew consisted of 3 astronauts, and the commander was served by the astronauts who flew by.
Huang Weifen, chief designer of the astronaut system, said that the selection of flight crews is still comprehensively examined and evaluated from the aspects of ideological and political quality, physical condition, psychological quality, knowledge and skill mastery, etc. On the basis of determining that individual astronauts meet the requirements of the mission, the flight experience, the requirements of the outgoing activities, the matching with each mission, the age, the old and new, the psychological compatibility and other factors are comprehensively analyzed and determined.
Astronaut Wang Yaping participates in the man-ship joint test (photographed on March 14). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Kong Fangzhou)
After 6 months of orbit flight, the physical and mental fitness of astronauts will be subjected to greater challenges
Beginning in March 2017, astronaut training was fully shifted to the preparation phase for the space station mission.
Huang Weifen said: In line with the principle of "being strict and difficult, proceeding from actual combat, and integrating trial training," the astronaut system has planned, designed, and implemented more than 200 trainings in 8 major categories, including: basic theoretical training, physical training, psychological training, training for adaptability to the aerospace environment, lifesaving and survival training, aerospace professional and technical training, flight procedures and mission simulation training, and large-scale joint exercises.
Huang Weifen introduced that the Shenzhou 13 flight crew will stay in orbit for 6 months and need to manage the combination formed by the Tianhe cabin, the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft, the Tianzhou 2 and the Tianzhou 3 at the same time. It will participate in the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 module as planned, carry out the hand-controlled remote operation docking test, the on-orbit maintenance and verification test of regenerative life protection, complete a large number of on-orbit data collection and human factors engineering technology research, aerospace medical experiments, space application system experiments, science popularization education activities, etc., complete the space station station management, material inventory, daily maintenance and other work, and will perform 2 to 3 outgoing cabin activity tasks, further verify the space station out of the cabin activity technology and long-term residence support technology of China's space station, and lay the foundation for the construction of the space station.
"Shenzhou 13 has been in orbit for 6 months, and the physical and mental fitness of astronauts will undergo greater challenges." Huang Weifen said that in response to the requirements of the 6-month long-term flight challenge, the astronaut system has conducted full research and preparation in the selection of training, health, work, life and other residency support technologies, and has carried out preliminary verification in the Shenzhou 12 mission and will be fully verified in the Shenzhou 13 mission.
Astronaut Ye Guangfu tests the call system before underwater training (photo taken on August 9). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Kong Fangzhou)
The Shenzhou 12th group taught the experience to the Shenzhou 13th group
Compared with the Shenzhou 12 mission, although the overall ideas, measures, and means of selection and training and astronaut support technology are the same, the key points have been further highlighted and strengthened in view of the longer-term characteristics.
It is reported that for the half-year flight mission, further strengthen the standard work rhythm and work system, including the weekly duty system, the Saturday station management and material management day system, the Sunday rest day system, the monthly heaven and earth communication system, etc., at the same time, for the relatively solidified work plan module formed for the outgoing activities, compared with the Shenzhou XII mission, the work rhythm is more distinct, and the work mode and system of the integration of heaven and earth are more mature.
On the basis of completing the established training plan, on September 6, the Shenzhou 13 crew had a heaven-and-earth call with the Shenzhou 12 crew at the flight control site to understand the status of materials before the evacuation, and the precautions for work and life on orbit. Before the astronauts returned, the Shenzhou 12 crew conducted a comprehensive inspection and shooting of the materials and product status of the whole station, conducted special discussions and exchanges with the Shenzhou 13 crew and the backup astronauts, and comprehensively introduced the main points of operation, the difference between heaven and earth, the precautions and other contents, especially for the outgoing activities, the crew fully exchanged experience, laying a foundation for the Shenzhou 13 crew to enter the state in advance and successfully perform the task.
In order to make full use of long-term space flight opportunities, popularize aerospace science knowledge and scientific spirit, and serve the major policies of the country, in the Shenzhou 13 mission, a series of science popularization and public welfare activities have been specially planned, and plans such as the daily life of space station astronauts, special technologies for space station, special scientific knowledge, scientific experiments and a series of theme activities have been designed to spread the great significance of manned spaceflight and actively communicate with the public, combined with traditional festival opportunities to promote China's traditional culture.