Following the successful landing of Tianwen-1 on Mars
Launch cargo ships
Provide cargo transportation for China's "Tiangong" space station
It's also worth noting
Construction of the Chinese space station
It is the third step in China's three-step strategy for manned spaceflight
Since the project was established in 2010
After 11 years of hard work
The Chinese space station has been realized
On-orbit assembly construction is in full swing
As China's first space station
How hard is it to build it?
Why did we build this space station?
Is this really something worth doing?
Technical limitations, only catch-up
Manned spaceflight requires not only a manned spacecraft, but also the support of seven major systems such as astronauts, spacecraft applications, launch vehicles, launch sites, measurement and control communications, and landing sites. And either way, we had to start from scratch.
In 1961, the Soviet Union successfully sent astronauts into space, and in 1969, the United States "Apollo 11" represented the first human landing on the moon, and China has not even successfully launched its own artificial satellite. The gap is so huge that there is only one way for Chinese scientists to catch up.
National strength has increased
China's aerospace industry is gradually entering a better situation
Until the 1970s, China's first artificial earth satellite - "Dongfanghong I" was successfully sent into space, which made the Chinese people happy, and the older generation of aerospace scientists could look at the "next mountain" through the light of "Dongfanghong I".
An important turning point occurred in 1992, when China's space manned project was officially launched and a three-step strategy was established: The first step was to launch a manned spacecraft, build a preliminary supporting experimental manned spacecraft project, and carry out space application experiments; the second step was to break through the astronaut out-of-the-cabin activity technology and the rendezvous and docking technology of space vehicles, launch a space laboratory, and solve the problem of space applications with a certain scale and short-term manned care; the third step, the construction of a space station, to solve the problem of large-scale, Long-term care of space applications.
In the new century, as China's national strength has been increasing day by day, China has gained a stronger economic, scientific and technological force in developing manned space projects. The manned spaceflight project is fully advanced, and every mission has received great attention from the Chinese people:
From 1999 to 2002, China's Shenzhou spacecraft successfully conducted 4 unmanned flight tests;
In 2003, the "Shenzhou V" spacecraft carrying astronaut Yang Liwei successfully completed China's first manned space flight;
In 2005, the "Shenzhou VI" spacecraft successfully realized the "multi-person multi-day" manned space flight, and astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng returned safely after flying for 5 days, which marked China's breakthrough and mastery of the basic technology of manned space and land round-trip, becoming the third country in the world to independently carry out manned space activities.
Evolutionary history of the "Heavenly Palace"
On September 29, 2011, China's first space laboratory, Tiangong-1, successfully entered space. It has successfully completed the docking of various ways such as automatic and manual with the Shenzhou spacecraft, making China the third country in the world to fully master the space rendezvous and docking technology.
However, "Tiangong-1" can not let the astronauts stay for a long time, because its only port can only dock manned spacecraft, it is difficult to replenish materials and propellant.
This difficulty was solved in the hands of "Tiangong-2", and the docking and replenishment with the cargo spacecraft made the astronaut's single stay time jump to as much as 30 days, and successfully achieved a medium-term stay. The docking cargo spacecraft is composed of cargo compartment and propulsion module, which can transport material equipment weighing 6.5 tons, carry 2 tons of propellant, refuel the space station in the air, and destroy 6 tons of waste on the return journey, and the transportation efficiency can be at the forefront of the world, which is a veritable "boat in the sky".
At this point, China's aerospace industry started from scratch, lasted more than 50 years, and finally completed the comprehensive verification of manned space technology step by step, and a more complete, more comprehensive, and more advanced "Tiangong" space station is only one step away from us.
"Tiangong" space station
What does it look like?
The "Tiangong" space station is centered on the core module of "Tianhe", the rear end is docked with the cargo spacecraft, the front end is set up with a node module, and the two experimental modules of Mengtian and Qingtian are docked on the left and right sides of the node module through the mechanical arm, and the front and bottom of the node module can be connected to the manned spacecraft, and the top is used for astronauts to leave the capsule, and finally form a "T" shaped structure like building blocks.
Schematic diagram of the orbital operation of the "Tianhe" core module Source: The Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
The exterior of the space station is protected by an aluminum alloy buffer screen and various fibers to reduce the damage caused by the impactor, while its internal oxygen, carbon dioxide, drinking water, urine and propellant can achieve more cycle conversion, providing a safe and long-term living environment for astronauts.
Although its maximum weight is less than half that of the International Space Station, it has higher space utilization efficiency and power supply efficiency, and is more innovative to fly in common orbit with a space telescope-carrying Sky Survey optical capsule. The 2-meter telescope not only has a resolution comparable to hubble telescope, but also has a field of view of more than 300 times, which can survey the sky and the ground, and the combination with the space station also facilitates later maintenance and repair, and more importantly, the space station will be open to all Member States of the United Nations for cooperation.
The space station was eventually expanded into a massive "stem" structure by adding 1 core module and 2 experimental modules.
Editor: Obviously it is a "soil"??
If the International Space Station stops operating, China's Tiangong will become the only space station in space, and manned spaceflight for mankind will officially enter the Tiangong era.
Is it really worth building?
Although we feel that space is far away from us, it is difficult to imagine that the air cushion sneakers we wear, the juice we drink, the microwave oven we usually use, the barcodes that can be seen everywhere, and even the ICU ward that can save people's lives, all came from the transformation of manned space technology. The seemingly dangerous vacuum, radiation, and microgravity environment in space are extremely rare experimental conditions for scientific research such as material purification, metal smelting, and pharmaceutical breeding.
Just as the United States spent about $25 billion in the 11 years of the Apollo program, it used about $25 billion to drive the civilian market in various fields such as medicine, energy, communications, materials, computers, and consumer goods.
According to 2016 data, China can get the equivalent of 7 yuan in output in the vast market by investing an average of 1 yuan in the aerospace field.
In 1986, Wang Daheng, Wang Ganchang, Yang Jiaqi, Chen Fangyun, and four other two-bomb and one-star founders said in a letter to Deng Xiaoping that "true high technology cannot be bought with money." "Therefore, China has never stopped using its own strength to chase this dream of flying sky, a dream that the Chinese nation has struggled for 30 years, laid out for 50 years, and imagined for thousands of years."
Today we finally have our own astronauts, manned spacecraft, launch vehicles, our own spacecraft applications and measurement and control technology, and we have also built our own launch sites and landing sites, and the seven major systems are ready to go. Most of the scientists, engineers, and astronauts who have struggled all their lives behind them are white-haired, but it is the succession of generations of people that finally brings us closer to the dream that once seemed unattainable on this long and arduous road.
Orkovsky, the father of spaceflight, once said
"The earth is the cradle of mankind
But human beings cannot stay in the cradle forever."
Maybe one day in the future
Humanity will truly usher in the era of interstellar voyages
By then
The story of the Chinese Tiangong
It will certainly be a milestone in the history of human spaceflight
Forever remembered
Source: Central Committee of the Communist Youth League