The safe return of the Shenzhou 13 flight crew on April 16 marks the perfect conclusion of the key technology verification phase of the Chinese space station. On April 17, at a press conference held by the State Council's new office, Hao Chun, director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, said that the three astronauts are currently in good physical condition and are recovering after flight at the China Astronaut Scientific Research and Training Center. The on-orbit construction of the Chinese space station will be completed in 2022, and a total of 6 missions are planned.
According to the mission arrangement, the Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft was launched in May; the Shenzhou-14 manned spacecraft was launched in June, and the Crew of the Shenzhou-14 manned spacecraft was also composed of three astronauts who would stay in orbit for 6 months; in July, the space station "Qingtian" experimental module was launched, and in October the space station "Dream" experimental module was launched. The three modules of the space station will form the basic configuration of the "T" character, complete the on-orbit construction of the Chinese space station, and then carry out the launch mission of the Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft and the Shenzhou 15 manned spacecraft. Among them, the flight crew of the Shenzhou 15 manned spacecraft is also composed of three astronauts, who will work and live in orbit for 6 months after the astronauts of Shenzhou 14 complete the rotation.
On March 27, 2022, the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft completed all the tasks set in the space station assembly phase and withdrew from the space station core module assembly at 15:59 Beijing time on March 27. Figure/IC photo
Hao Chun introduced that the construction of China's space station is divided into two stages of key technology verification and construction, and 6 flight missions are planned, of which the main task goal of the key technology verification stage is to fully break through and master the key technologies related to the construction and operation of the space station. Since 2020, it has successfully implemented the first flight of the Long March 5B carrier rocket, the space station Tianhe core module, the Shenzhou XII and Shenzhou XIII manned spacecraft, and the Tianzhou II and Tianzhou III cargo spacecraft, all of which have achieved complete success, successfully completed the mission objectives of the key technology verification stage, and laid a solid foundation for the implementation of the mission in the construction stage of the space station.
Hao Chun said that since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in 2020, in accordance with the unified deployment of the country, the space station project has overcome many difficulties and taken many targeted and effective measures, and in the process, it has also received strong support and cooperation from relevant departments and local governments at all levels. At present, the overall progress of project development is controlled and will not affect the space station construction plan. ”
Follow 1
What are the results of the space station's key technology verification?
Hao Chun introduced that through the implementation of six tasks, the relevant key technologies have been comprehensively breakthroughs.
For example, the life and work support technology of astronauts staying in orbit for a long time has been fully verified and broken, from the previous maximum month, to three months, and then to six months; there are also regenerative environmental control and life support technology, large flexible battery wing drive mechanism technology, robotic arm auxiliary module transposition technology, astronaut remote operation rendezvous and docking and a series of technologies have been breakthroughs, for the construction of subsequent space stations to overcome technical difficulties.
Hao Chun, director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office. Beijing News reporter Chen Lin photographed
It has improved the organization and command system of the mission, established the emergency launch mechanism of the manned spacecraft and the emergency search and rescue mechanism of the astronauts, which can ensure the efficient and smooth implementation of each launch mission, and ensure the safety of astronauts in orbit and the stable operation of the space station.
A manned space operation and management system with Chinese characteristics has been initially established. Unlike the previous intermittent launches and short-term orbital operations, after entering the space station stage, the aircraft runs continuously for a long time, and the astronauts work and live in orbit for a long time, which requires the ground to fully monitor the whole process and the whole state and deal with emergency situations.
Using the space science experimental facilities on the core module, scientific experiments with containerless and high-microgravity experiments as the main content have been carried out, and a large number of world-class results have been achieved. In addition, taking advantage of the flight opportunity of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft, a large number of experimental samples such as various aerospace seeds, microorganisms and electronic components were carried, as well as a large number of experimental facilities and equipment aimed at the development of future aerospace technology. It has organized a series of science popularization and educational activities such as the "Tiangong Classroom" space teaching activities, and it can be said that a "double harvest" has been achieved in space science research and comprehensive benefits.
Follow 2
The space station's core module complex has been operating in orbit for nearly a year, what is the current status?
Yang Hong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, chief designer of the space station system of China Manned Space Engineering, and researcher of the China Academy of Space Technology, introduced that after the smooth return of the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft, the combination of the Tianhe core module and the Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft in orbit is currently in operation, the state is normal, and the operating parameters on orbit are stable.
Yang Hong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, chief designer of the space station system of China Manned Space Engineering, and researcher of the China Academy of Space Technology. Beijing News reporter Chen Lin photographed
During the nearly one-year period in orbit of the core module, all the tasks were successfully carried out according to the plan, and the rendezvous and docking with the two manned spacecraft and the two cargo ships were completed, as well as the 3-month stay of the Shenzhou XII crew and the 6-month residency of the Shenzhou 13 crew. At the same time, a number of special tasks such as out-of-cabin activities, robotic arm transposition cargo spacecraft and hand-controlled remote operation have also been carried out.
During this period, a number of key technology verification work was carried out, including physical and chemical regeneration bio-protection, large-scale combination control, and large-scale flexible solar cell wing and drive technology, etc., after evaluation, the results met expectations, and the current functional performance is better than design.
For example, during the residency of Shenzhou 12 and Shenzhou 13, the regenerative biosecurity system of the Tianhe core module provides a good manned environment for astronauts to meet the material metabolism needs of astronauts in orbit. Among them, the astronauts discharged moisture collected into condensate, urine recovery and reprocessing into drinking water and electrolytic oxygen production, the recovery efficiency of the entire water is better than 95%, the water utilization efficiency is better than 83%, all meet the requirements of the indicators, through this technology, greatly reducing the need for drinking water and oxygen for astronauts to carry astronauts through the cargo spacecraft.
Follow 3
What tests did the Shenzhou 13 flight crew withstand during its time in orbit?
Huang Weifen, chief designer of the astronaut system of China's manned space project and researcher of the China Astronaut Scientific Research and Training Center, introduced that the Shenzhou 13 flight crew flew for 183 days, successfully completed various tasks, and created a number of records More than 80 on-orbit data collection and analysis work, etc., also completed a large number of space station assembly platform inspection and testing, equipment maintenance and care, and material and station management work, and the implementation of health monitoring, on-orbit protection exercises and on-orbit training and drills, completed a large number of popular science education and other public welfare video recordings, took a large number of pictures and video materials, and obtained valuable and rich information.
In general, the three astronauts had a good physical and psychological state during the orbital flight, coordinated tacit understanding, intense and orderly work, colorful life, excellent mission completion, and they withstood the physical and mental test and the ability to complete the task in all aspects. At present, they have returned to Beijing Space City and are carrying out post-return recovery work as planned.
Follow 4
How to ensure the safe and stable operation of the space station?
Shenzhou 13 set a new record for the length of time Chinese astronauts spent in orbit, and the Chinese space station and astronauts will continue to fly in orbit for a long time in the future. How to ensure the safe and stable operation of the space station?
In response to a question from a reporter from the Beijing News, Sun Jun, chief mission division of the space station of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, introduced that since last year, after the practice and technical accumulation of 5 missions in the key technology verification stage of the space station, a series of flight control technologies such as rapid rendezvous and docking and evacuation return, automatic mission planning, precision orbit determination and forecasting of complex configuration spacecraft, and remote operation control of robotic arms have been built, and a flight control system platform for the stable operation of the national production and chemical has been built, and a set of space station orbit flight control management systems with Chinese characteristics have been built. It can be said that the core key flight control technologies in the assembly and construction stage of the space station have been mastered and preliminarily verified, which will provide a solid guarantee for the smooth implementation of the space station orbital assembly and construction this year.
Sun Jun, chief mission division of the space station at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center. Beijing News reporter Chen Lin photographed
According to the engineering mission planning and scientific experiment needs, the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center is responsible for the organization, management and implementation of the long-term operation control of the space station, and has taken various measures to ensure the safe and stable operation of the space station and astronauts in orbit.
A complete ground verification system has been constructed. It has carefully designed the key flight control implementation plan for the assembly and construction of the space station and on-orbit management, formulated more than 3,000 fault plans, and built a ground verification environment for the space-earth loop that includes the interconnection between the spacecraft, the measurement and control network, and the measurement and control center before the mission launch. In the major critical control stage, organize experts from all walks of life to provide professional technical support at the flight control site, and organize multiple systems to closely coordinate and cooperate during the period of robotic arm control, astronaut out-of-cabin activities and some complex space science experiments, closely monitor the research and judgment status, and carry out on-site scientific decision-making and disposal of the implementation of major control tasks to ensure that various tasks can be carried out smoothly.
The flight control center deploys a continental land- sea space-based measurement and control network based on relay satellites to cover the space station in a wide range, and effectively monitors the space station every lap. The automatic flight control system can automatically plan and execute on-orbit flight events, can intelligently diagnose the fault situation, regularly conduct "physical examination" of the space station, and effectively dispose of abnormal situations in a timely manner; at the same time, full-time monitoring of the status of space station platform equipment and astronaut health, strengthen monitoring and early warning of the space environment, space target collisions, etc., and take necessary evasive measures. Since February this year, the orbit of the space station has been announced to the world for collision warning calculations by various space entities in the world.
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What are the characteristics of the two experimental modules of "Qingtian" and "Dream"?
Yang Hong introduced that after the completion of the construction of the space station, the two experimental modules will be the main workplaces for astronauts in orbit, and space science experiments and technical experiments inside and outside the sealed cabin can be carried out in both experimental modules. The "Ask The Sky" experimental module is equipped with the same astronaut living facilities as the core module, including 3 sleeping areas, 1 sanitary area and kitchen facilities, which can ensure the life of astronauts. It can also be used with the core module to support the lives of 6 astronauts during the rotation of two manned spacecraft; it is also equipped with a small robotic arm, which can be used alone or in combination with the large robotic arm of the core module to jointly complete the tasks of astronauts' out of the cabin, extravehicular facility care, inspection and other tasks.
The "Dream" experimental module is equipped with a cargo airlock module and an extravehicular development test platform. In the future, the scientific test equipment that needs to be installed outside the cabin can be transported to the space station through the cargo spacecraft, and then the load is sent to the outside of the cabin through the cargo airlock module, and it is installed on the platform outside the cabin by the robot arm or the astronaut, so that the extravehicular test project can be continuously updated.
At present, the development of the "Qingtian" experimental module and the "Dream" experimental module on the ground is progressing smoothly. Among them, the "Qingtian" experimental module has completed the integrated assembly, testing and large-scale test work of the whole cabin in Tianjin, and is ready to go; the "Mengtian" experimental module has completed the corresponding integrated assembly and test work in Tianjin, and is carrying out ground tests, and the follow-up will also complete the test work such as the thermal test and the regression test of the whole cabin, which is advancing as planned.
Follow 6
What are the plans for the completion of the space station's orbital construction?
Hao Chun introduced that after the completion of the orbit construction of the space station this year, the project will enter the application and development stage of more than ten years.
The initial plan is to launch two manned spacecraft and two cargo spacecraft per year. Astronauts should stay in orbit for a long time, carry out space science experiments and technical experiments, and take care of and maintain the space station. In order to further enhance the comprehensive capability and technical level of the project, a new generation of manned launch vehicles and a new generation of manned spacecraft will also be developed, of which the return modules of a new generation of manned launch vehicles and a new generation of manned spacecraft can be reused.
The comprehensive capability of the new generation of manned spacecraft has also been greatly improved, and it can carry 7 astronauts, and its upward and downward payload capabilities have also been greatly improved. At the same time, consider the development of an extended module of the space station to create better conditions for further supporting scientific experiments in orbit and for the work and life of astronauts.
The application and development phase of the space station for more than ten years will also use the scientific experiment cabinet and large-scale payload facilities outside the space station module to carry out larger-scale space research experiments and new technology experiments. It mainly involves space life sciences and human body research, microgravity physical sciences, space astronomy and earth sciences, new aerospace technologies and many other fields.
It is worth noting that next year, it is planned to launch the continent's first large-scale space survey telescope, carry out wide-area sky survey observations, and carry out cutting-edge scientific research on the formation and evolution of cosmic structure, dark matter and dark energy, exoplanets and solar system objects, and is expected to achieve a number of major innovative achievements.
Follow 7
How are preparations for this year's manned mission progressing?
Huang Weifen introduced that according to the mission arrangement in the construction stage of the space station, the astronaut crew to carry out the two manned missions has been selected. At present, the physical and mental state of the Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 flight crews is very good, and they are actively carrying out relevant training and task preparation.
Both Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 will fly in orbit for 6 months, and will realize the rotation of on-orbit crews for the first time to achieve uninterrupted manned presence. The two crews of 6 astronauts will stay in orbit together for 5-10 days, and the astronaut system will face more severe challenges.
Shenzhou 14 crew will cooperate with the ground to complete the assembly and construction of the space station, from the single-cabin assembly flight gradually built a three-cabin composite flight state, during which they will experience 9 combination configurations, 5 rendezvous and docking, 3 separation and evacuation and 2 transposition tasks; they will be stationed in the "Qingtian" experimental module and the "Mengtian" experimental module for the first time to establish a manned environment; the first use of the airlock module to implement the outgoing activities; and the completion of the "Qingtian" experimental module and the "Mengtian" experimental module 14 cabinets unlocking and installation work.
Shenzhou 15 flight crew also plans to implement several out-of-cabin activity tasks, assemble, test and debug the load equipment in the cabin, control the robot arm to implement the installation of extravehicular loads, and carry out operation management and maintenance of the maximum configuration combination of the three cabins and three ships. The two flight crews will also carry out science education and other public welfare activities, carry out dozens of on-orbit scientific research experiments and engineering technology tests, and collect and shoot flight mission data as planned; carry out on-orbit health monitoring, protective exercises, on-orbit training and drills, as well as a large number of space station platform inspection and testing, equipment maintenance and care, station maintenance and material management.
Beijing News reporter Chen Lin
Edited by Zhang Lei, Proofreader Wu Xingfa