Three keywords to unlock the scientific pose of watching the rocket launch

"Before launch, how did the rocket start to emit white smoke?"

"The countdown is over, why can't the rocket get up?"

On April 29, the launch of the Chinese space station Tianhe core module attracted attention, but through some details of the live broadcast screen, many people raised questions of one kind or another. Today, experts from the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation interpreted the scientific posture of watching the rocket launch.

Keyword one: rocket value

Early to the viewing position, at this time there are still a few hours before the launch, the distant launch tower arm is opened in turn, the long five B Haruka two rocket gradually shows its face, then you can see the whole body of the white rocket arrow, it is "fat", large, and has a unique oblique head cone design.

At this time, if you are careful, you will also find white smoke on the rocket's body: "Wow, the rocket is still smoking!" ”

This is because the Changwu B rocket is a new generation of carrier rockets, which uses refrigerated liquid hydrogen liquid oxygen low-temperature fuel, liquid hydrogen temperature is minus 253 degrees Celsius, liquid oxygen is minus 183 degrees Celsius. These fuels make the inside of the rocket far below freezing ultra-low temperatures, and when in contact with the outside air, it is as if a piece of ice has been put in the house in the summer. Although the rocket shell has a vacuum barrier layer for insulation, "white smoke" will also appear on the sidewalls of the rocket while waiting for take-off on the tower.

Keyword two: launch countdown

"One minute to prepare!" “5！ 4！ 3！ 2！ 1！ ignition! As the countdown to the scene sounded, the audience's hearts began to count down. At this time, you can hold up your mobile phone and wait for the beautiful picture of the rocket igniting and taking off.

After the "ignition" password was issued, the flames at the tail of the rocket were like a dragon spewing flames, at this time, the rocket was still standing on the launch tower, and some viewers could not help but ask: "Why can't you get up?" ”

Don't worry, this is the "charge" before the rocket launches. After a few seconds, the "Fat Five" B, which is tall, 53.7 meters high and weighs more than 800 tons, will rise from the ground, and a feeling of shaking the mountain will come to the face, and the scene is particularly spectacular.

Keyword three: rocket liftoff

"Get up!" With the roar, the shutter, the cheers, the screams, today's stars bid farewell to the sea in flames. From a distance, the rocket rose from the smoke like a tail-dragging fireball, as if to tear the sky apart... At this time, the tail of the rocket can be found to be a long and shiny blue-white tail flame.

The color of liquid oxygen and kerosene combustion is a bright white of bluish color. The Long Five B Yao'er rocket uses a high-thrust liquid oxygen kerosene engine, the tail flame temperature is higher, the flow rate is faster, so at launch, not only can you see the bright white flame of pan blue, but also the tail flame is bright and long.

Soon, after the rocket turned over, it flew out of view, allowing too many words and reactions. There was only a loud roar and white smoke billowing from the launch pad, showing the magnificence of what it once was.

The flight time of the Long Five B Yao'er rocket is about 490 seconds, the exciting launch scene is fleeting, for this day, thousands of astronauts have fought for countless days and nights, and the hardships and sweat behind them are difficult for ordinary people to understand, pay tribute to them!

In the eyes of the general audience, the rocket flight looks easy and smooth, and the most shocking thing is the second that it takes off, and all they can see is the side of the successful launch.

But for the Chinese astronauts on the spot, they look at the launch and pay more attention to every point in time. Every second of the rocket launch process moves the nerves of the rocket designer.

For example, when a rocket launch enters minus 3 hours, designers pay special attention to the state of the engine. At this time, the high-thrust hydrogen-oxygen engine will start the circulation pump, and the designers will stare at whether the system can be pre-cooled to ensure that the engine has the conditions for subsequent ignition; at minus 6 minutes, the liquid hydrogen liquid oxygen of the rocket cryogenic propellant has been filled completely, and the power system will have a series of key actions, which are also the most varied parts of the operation process, if there is a problem in a certain link, it may affect the launch time.

Of course, when the "complete success" was announced at the end, whether it was astronauts or ordinary spectators watching the launch through various means, their mentality was synchronized, or they cheered, or laughed and laughed and cried, extremely excited, and proud and proud of the fact that China's spaceflight had taken another step.

Wenchang, Hainan, April 29 (Xinhua) --

China Youth Daily, China Youth Network reporter Qiu Chenhui Correspondent Wang Hailu Source: China Youth Daily

Source: China Youth Daily