From the launch of China’s first artificial earth satellite “Dongfanghong-1” in 1970, to the successful launch of China’s first manned spacecraft “Shenzhou-5” in 2003, to the Mars exploration of the “Tianwen-1” probe During the journey, until the successful return of the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft, my country’s aerospace industry started from scratch, and with unremitting efforts of self-reliance, gradually mastered the ability to enter space, and became a world-recognized aerospace power. What is it that makes us so obsessed with spaceflight? What can the vast space offer us? How far is China from a space power?
How to use space resources?
The development of aerospace science and technology is inseparable from the strong investment of the state. There is only one manned spaceflight project. From the establishment of the project in 1992 to the completion of the “Shenzhou 10” mission, the state allocated 39 billion yuan of funds. Some people may ask, is such a huge investment worth it? In fact, in addition to the strategic needs of national security , aerospace technology has already penetrated into all aspects of our lives. Television, communications, navigation, and the changes in life brought by aerospace have been everywhere; resource censuses, meteorological data, emergency rescue , etc., It is inseparable from aerospace technology. According to incomplete statistics, there are currently more than 2,000 aerospace technology achievements in various fields, and the research and development of more than 1,100 new materials benefits from aerospace technology, which directly drives the development of materials, electronics, machinery, and chemicals. . So, how did aerospace technology “land”? What profound changes will it bring to our economic life?
First, China has the ability to enter space. On April 24, 1970, my country successfully launched the first artificial earth satellite – “Dongfanghong No. 1”. The orbit of the satellite is 439 kilometers from the closest point to the earth and 2384 kilometers from the farthest point. The angle between the orbital plane and the earth’s equatorial plane is 68.5 degrees, and it circles the earth in 114 minutes. The satellite weighs 173 kilograms. The successful launch of “Dongfanghong-1” has made my country the fifth country in the world to independently develop and launch artificial earth satellites, marking my country’s historic breakthrough in aerospace technology research. Second, we have the ability to use space. The launch vehicle completes the mission by sending the spacecraft to orbit, without entering orbit. How to use the resources in the sky depends on the spacecraft. The scope of spacecraft is very large, and the specific classification and functions mainly include the following three aspects.
Various applications of satellite service society and economy. When China had no communication satellites, CCTV’s programs could not cover the whole country, and they had to rely on microwave relays, with a relay station every 50 kilometers. Sending from one station to another station, after receiving it, strengthen it and continue to send it for 50 kilometers. It is very difficult to transmit signals to the whole country, and the quality is also very poor, so communication satellites are too important. In 1975, China was determined to develop communications satellites. After 9 years of battle, on April 8, 1984, the “Dongfanghong-2” test satellite was launched by the Long March 3 rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. A communication satellite in geostationary orbit, which can carry out all-weather communication, China began the history of using its own communication satellite. On May 12, 1997, the “Dongfanghong-3” satellite was launched by the Long March 3A carrier rocket developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This is China’s first-generation geosynchronous satellite with three-axis stabilization technology. After that, the “Dongfanghong” series gradually developed into a large satellite platform. At present, not only China is using it, but Belarus, Laos, and Pakistan all use Chinese communication satellites, which have become a big industry. Now we still have relay satellites. On July 11, 2011 and July 25, 2012, my country successfully launched the “Tianlian-1” 02 satellite and the “Tianlian-1” 03 satellite, realizing the “Tianlian-1” satellite. The “Samsung Global Network” marks the official completion of my country’s first-generation data relay satellite system, ushering in a new era of my country’s space-based measurement and control and data transmission. The coverage rate of my country’s manned spaceflight measurement and control communication has increased from less than 20% to more than 98%. Earth’s space is open, and satellites in the sky, whether Chinese or foreign, are getting information every day. This is indispensable to social and economic development and national security. In particular, our meteorological satellite typhoon forecast is very accurate. From this point of view, it has brought great social and economic benefits.
Human spaceflight moves the laboratory to space. In 1986, the introduction of the 863 plan included one of the next steps for China’s manned spaceflight. After argumentation, three conclusions were drawn: first, it must be done quickly, otherwise it will be too late; second, if the Chinese want to go to the sky, they can only use a spaceship, not a space shuttle; third, to get a spaceship, they must be fully prepared. It is not the purpose for people to go to heaven and come back again. It is necessary to build a space station, and let scientists do some research on this platform to serve the common people. According to these three conclusions, the three-step strategy of China’s manned spaceflight project has been established: the first step is the stage of manned spacecraft, which is to send people to the sky, run in the sky for a period of time and then return to the ground. The second step is the space laboratory stage. At this stage, four key issues need to be solved: people can get out of the cabin; rendezvous and docking; supplementation; regenerative life support. These four key issues in the space laboratory stage have been resolved so far. The third step is to build China’s space station. In 2022, China’s manned space station project will enter the space station construction stage, and will complete the “Wentian” experimental module, “Mengtian” experimental module, “Shenzhou” manned spacecraft and “Tianzhou” 6 major tasks such as cargo spacecraft, and the space station will be fully built.
Deep space exploration helps us understand the universe. We start from the moon in deep space exploration. The start of the moon is also divided into three steps: the first step is to orbit, “Chang’e 1” successfully orbited the moon, and finally hit the predetermined location on the lunar surface, and the first step was successfully completed. The second step is to fall. “Shenzhou-3” brought the “Jade Rabbit” lunar rover to the moon, and scientists got some data directly tested on the moon. What’s even more amazing is that we sent the “Chang’e 4” to the back of the moon, which has a great impact. The third step is to take it. On December 1, 2020, the “Chang’e 5” probe successfully landed on the moon. On December 17, 2020, the “Chang’e 5” return module landed safely and brought back nearly 2 kilograms of lunar samples. , for the first time to achieve the return of Chinese extraterrestrial celestial body sampling. Lunar samples are mainly lunar soil, the “soil” that covers the lunar surface. “Chang’e 5” lunar soil is of great significance. Through the study of lunar soil, experts can understand the geological evolution history of the moon, and can also seek new energy. In terms of deep space exploration, we have figured out the moon, the satellite of the earth, and now we are going to the planet. It should be said that great achievements have been made in the above three aspects.
How far is it from the aerospace powerhouse?
my country’s aerospace field continues to create one amazing miracle after another. Manned spaceflight, Beidou navigation, Chang’e lunar exploration, and Tianwen fire exploration have made historic leaps one after another, constantly setting new heights in spaceflight. Our country proposes to strive to increase the aerospace technology index for our country to reach the international first-class level from 30% to 60% by 2030, and become one of the world’s aerospace powerhouses. By 2045, China will be a world power in spaceflight in an all-round way. It is an unavoidable fact that compared with the world’s aerospace powers, there are still gaps in the basic theoretical research of aerospace, advanced materials and advanced technology, test facilities and test methods, space science and space applications, and some high-performance materials. , components, can not be self-manufactured, can only rely on imports, these have become obstacles to the aerospace power.
China is a big space country, what is the gap to become a space power? To become an aerospace power, it is necessary to develop synchronously and evenly in three fields: the first field is aerospace technology. Building satellites, building rockets, launching satellites, and launching spaceships, we should say that we have made great achievements in this field, and the gap between some powerful countries is not very big. The second field is space science . We need to explore the vast universe and find out about the planets, asteroids, and satellites in the entire solar system. We have just arrived on Mars, and there is still a gap between us and abroad. The third area is aerospace applications . There is no doubt about the social benefits of developing the aerospace industry, and it also has a great driving effect on scientific research. National defense security is indispensable to the contribution of the aerospace field, but to bring economic benefits, it is still necessary to form an industry. Where the aerospace industry really makes money is in ground applications. Commercial aerospace and space economy should be a relatively new field for China. In order to play this role well, the country and state-owned enterprises cannot complete this task. Private enterprises need to participate and enter the market. In this way, it can become a big industry, so that it can produce great economic benefits. All of us astronauts should have a dream of becoming a powerful country and contribute aerospace power to China’s early emergence as a scientific and technological power.
(Qi Fazhen, from Fuxian County, Liaoning Province. A well-known space technology expert in China, the first chief designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and an academician of the International Academy of Astronautics. At the same time, he has served as the chief designer of several types of satellites and spacecraft. Vice President and President of the China Academy of Space Technology. He is a key figure in China’s manned space project. He has won the National Science and Technology Progress Award twice, the first prize and the third prize once. He is a model worker of the Ministry of Aeronautics and Astronautics. National “May 1st” Labor Medal. In 2000, he won the China Engineering Science and Technology Award. In 2001, he was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering)
Source: Learning Times
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