China's Tiangong-1 target vehicle, which will serve as a small space laboratory, is a "small man" compared with the space stations once launched by the United States and the Soviet Union. "Tiangong 1" weighs 8.5 tons, while the U.S. launched in 1973 "Skylab" weighs 80 tons, the Soviet Union launched in 1986 "Peace" space station core module also weighs 20 tons. The Soviet Union in 1986 launched the "Mir" space station core module also has 20 tons, not to mention the current 450 tons of the International Space Station. However, this "small head" is rich in meaning and far-reaching, so it is no wonder that it has attracted global attention and heated debate.
The "Tiangong-1", which is ready to go, is tasked with laying the technological foundation for China to build a space station around 2020. The program is being developed by George Washington University professor John Kennedy, a leading U.S. space policy expert. University of Washington professor John Logsdon said. Logsdon said: "This is the first step toward China's plan to build a larger space station in 10 years."
For the Chinese, "Tiangong 1" is even more significant, as it continues to extend and expand the Chinese dream of flying into space. It represents China's increasingly ambitious national ambitions and technological ideals, according to an article in Britain's Daily Telegraph.
The "Tiangong-1" will undoubtedly create many firsts for China, which is of far-reaching significance, and it is not difficult to understand why people are eagerly awaiting the launch of the "Tiangong-1".
The common **** knowledge of space-faring nations is that the space station is a must for the development of human spaceflight. The difference between human spaceflight and the construction of a space station and non-human spaceflight is huge. In order to ensure human safety, all factors have to be considered comprehensively, and the technical requirements are much higher. In the manned spaceflight project, the construction of a space station is the embodiment of a higher level and a higher level of technology.
What needs to be recognized is that China's space station technology is still in its infancy compared with that of the United States, Russia and other countries. "The launch of Tiangong-1 is just the beginning of China's efforts to narrow the gap. The British news agency Reuters reported that, from a technical point of view, the "Tiangong-1" as a technology test platform, even if successful, it and the "Shenzhou-8" rendezvous and docking is only a copy of what the United States and the Soviet Union did 40 years ago and technology.
Tiangong-1 has become another symbol of China's increased national power through the accumulation of wealth from decades of economic prosperity, and its ability to focus on space development and begin to close the gap in a field of technology once mastered by only a handful of countries. George? University of Washington professor Logsdon that the "Tiangong 1" launch is the result of China's manned space flight program step by step steady progress; Japan's "Sankei Shimbun" pointed out that China hopes to master the spacecraft rendezvous and docking technology, if successful, China's aerospace industry will move to a new level.
"Where do we come from and where are we going?" The construction of the space station is not only a manifestation of national pride, it carries the mission of all mankind to explore the unknown space. Many things that cannot be done on Earth need to be done on the space station. In addition to serving as a target vehicle to train for space docking, "Tiangong 1" will also be used as a space laboratory to carry out scientific research activities. "Tiangong-1 and its successors will also need to find good scientific projects that will contribute to mankind's understanding of the world and new discoveries.
The boundless space is the same wealth of mankind, and space exploration is the same pursuit of mankind. China deserves to make its own contribution to mankind's exploration of space. The further development of Chinese space technology will benefit the whole world.
Tiangong-1 has become another symbol of China's increased national strength through the accumulation of wealth from decades of economic prosperity, and its ability to focus on space development and begin to close the gap in a field of technology once mastered by only a handful of countries. George? University of Washington professor Logsdon that the "Tiangong 1" launch is the result of China's manned space flight program step by step steady progress; Japan's "Sankei Shimbun" pointed out that China hopes to master the spacecraft rendezvous and docking technology, if successful, China's aerospace industry will move to a new level.
"Where do we come from and where are we going?" The construction of the space station is not only a manifestation of national pride, it carries the mission of all mankind to explore the unknown space. Many things that cannot be done on Earth need to be done on the space station. In addition to serving as a target vehicle to train for space docking, "Tiangong 1" will also be used as a space laboratory to carry out scientific research activities. "Tiangong-1 and its successors will also need to find good scientific projects that will contribute to mankind's understanding of the world and new discoveries.
The boundless space is the same wealth of mankind, and space exploration is the same pursuit of mankind. China deserves to make its own contribution to mankind's exploration of space. The further development of Chinese space technology will benefit the whole world. (Xinhua Yang Jun)
Aerospace experts explain Tiangong 1
Tiangong 1 effect diagram.
Readers have a lot of questions about Tiangong-1, which is about to lift off. In this regard, a number of experts have interpreted.
How fast and how far can it fly?
-- 20 times the speed of sound
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Dr. Xu Ming, senior engineer of space mission and control, explained that the spacecraft flight speed of roughly more than 7,000 meters per second, while the speed of sound is 340 meters per second, that is to say, as a spacecraft, the Tiangong 1 speed is roughly 20 times the speed of sound. That is to say, as a spacecraft, Tiangong-1's speed is roughly 20 times faster than the speed of sound. However, it cannot fly too far. From the perspective of its current fuel, it will probably have to stay close to Earth.
How different is it from a space station?
--Mainly different in scale
Pang Zhihao, deputy editor-in-chief of Space International magazine, said that strictly speaking, Tiangong-1 is just a simple space laboratory. The difference between it and the space station is not only the scale, but also the life span. Its life expectancy is only two years, astronauts can only be stationed for a short period of time, while the life expectancy of other space stations can reach 5 to 10 years, or even longer, with astronauts in orbit for more than a hundred days at a time. Secondly, the space laboratory has little space, few docking ports and no expansion capability. Moreover, the required fuel and sustenance should be brought at one time, whereas other space stations can be replenished by cargo spacecraft on a regular basis. "The main purpose of Tiangong-1 is to break through the rendezvous and docking technology and conduct technical experiments for the construction of future space stations.
Why is its lifespan only two years?
-No need to increase costs
Pang Zhihao said there are many factors that determine the life of a space station, mainly funding and material technology. Secondly, the components that make up a space station have a limited lifespan under harsh environmental conditions such as high radiation and high temperature differences in outer space. "The life of Tiangong-1 was designed on the basis of experimental missions. China can complete the unmanned and manned rendezvous and docking experimental mission within two years, so there is no need to launch an experimental vehicle with a longer lifespan in order not to increase costs. After two years, it could crash into the sea under command-and-control.
How difficult is rendezvous and docking?
--The equivalent of a 7.8 kilometers-per-second dash in a precise "kiss"
Jiao Weixin, a professor at Peking University's School of Earth and Space, said the rendezvous and docking should break through three major hurdles: one is the control of the position, the second is the control of the speed, and the third is the control of the attitude, and the third is the control of the speed. The third is attitude control. However, the two spacecraft are more than 300 kilometers away from the ground, running at a very high speed, basically the first cosmic velocity (7.8 kilometers per second), it is very difficult to realize the precise control with a very small error.
Will it be affected by space junk?
-Only through the forecast in time to avoid
Jiao Weixin said the current space debris has been very much, the threat to the spacecraft is very big, but there is no effective management method. The "Tiangong 1" has no specialized anti-collision measures, which requires monitoring the distribution of large debris and forecasting the movement of large debris in order to avoid it in time.
The Tiangong 1 is designed to have a life span of two years and to accomplish four major tasks
The Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 8 will be launched one after another in the near future, and the first space rendezvous and docking will be carried out. In an interview with a People's Daily Online reporter, Bai Mingsheng, deputy chief designer of the Space Experiment System, gave an introduction to Tiangong-1 and its main tasks, pointing out that Tiangong-1 is a brand-new manned spaceflight system that will fly in orbit for a long time.
Bai Mingsheng said Tiangong-1 is a brand new manned spaceflight system in China. The original spacecraft is a short-term flight, after a few days of flight to return to Earth, Tiangong 1 is a long-term in-orbit flight, and to complete a number of rendezvous and docking tasks, with a number of spaceships to carry out rendezvous and docking, docking will also be completed after the relevant experimental tasks. Now the plan is the Tiangong 1 flight two years, respectively, with Shenzhou 8, Shenzhou 9, Shenzhou 10 for rendezvous and docking, to complete the entire rendezvous and docking task.
The main task of Tiangong 1 has four major items: first is to cooperate with the spacecraft to complete the rendezvous and docking, which is the main task of Tiangong 1. Secondly, Tiangong One should complete the control and management of the combination of spaceship and Tiangong One, after docking, the combination will be controlled by Tiangong One in a comprehensive manner, including attitude, orbit control, and unified control of the atmospheric environment in the cabin, including temperature, humidity, cabin pressure, oxygen, that is, the manned environment is controlled by Tiangong One in a unified manner. The third is to carry out related experiments, mainly including several categories: the first category is the space science experiments, there are space physical force detection, there are earth observation experiments; the second category is the space medical experiments, in order to build the space station in the future, the astronauts stay for a long time, if the space medical experiments; the third is the regeneration of the experiments of the life insurance, which is for the future space station, such as the waste of the reusable experiments, is the foundation for the space station, but also for the space station. It is also for the space station to lay the foundation; the fourth category is for the space station to carry out technical verification. Now the space station has been set up, the later to establish a space laboratory and space station, Tiangong 1 shoulders the mission is for the future of the space laboratory, space station to lay the foundation for technical verification. (Baimingsheng)
What kind of home has Tiangong-1 created for the astronauts
With the Tiangong-1 target vehicle flying into the vast space, the astronauts will have a new home in space. Tiangong-1 has been operating in space for two years and is ready to welcome astronauts to move in aboard the spacecraft. Astronauts will have to work, live and carry out scientific experiments in it, so the home will have a lot of "furniture" and rich functions.
Space exercise equipment
The astronauts will have to stay in Tiangong 1 for a significantly longer period of time. The long flight in weightless environment will cause muscle atrophy, bone loss and other symptoms, requiring astronauts to space exercise for health maintenance. Therefore, for the first time, Tiangong-1 brought with it space exercise equipment, such as a special bicycle for exercising the muscles of the lower limbs and a tensioner for exercising the muscles of the shoulders and back. The lower body negative pressure cylinder is responsible for applying negative pressure to the lower body of astronauts, prompting the flow of blood to the lower body and changing the transfer of blood towards the head in the weightless environment. These are all the weightlessness protection exercise equipment currently common to the ISS.
Space medical experiment equipment
The Tiangong-1 is loaded with a lot of space medical experiment equipment in order to explore the change rule of medicine and protection measures for astronauts staying in space for a long time. For example, the Mass Measuring Instrument (MMI) can weigh the human body under weightlessness conditions, reflecting the change of astronauts' body weight during the flight; the Bone Loss Countermeasure Instrument (BLCI) studies how to counteract the bone loss caused by spaceflight by applying external stimulation to the astronauts. At the same time, there are also some devices used to study the law of cellular changes under weightlessness environment, the law of change of human psychology, as well as to analyze the sampling of gases in the cabin, etc. These research equipments are all designed for the special space flight conditions. These research devices are specially developed for the special environment of space, involving many disciplines such as aerospace medicine, biology, physics, electronics and engineering. Compared with the Shenzhou series of missions, Tiangong 1's experimental equipment and programs have increased greatly, and the astronauts' workload has also increased accordingly.
Artificial "Earth" environment
Human beings who want to stay in space for a long time must try to create a small environment suitable for human survival. In addition to maintaining a suitable temperature, humidity, pressure, oxygen and other conventional environment, "Tiangong" also on the control of micro-organisms and trace harmful gases equipped with specialized "weapons". The human body is the source of microorganisms, metabolic dander in the air with floating dust, microbial control devices can be efficiently filtered and purified in a short period of time. In addition, the equipment and non-metallic materials in the cabin will release trace amounts of harmful gases, which are unfavorable to the health of astronauts. The harmful gas purification device can strongly remove dozens of harmful gases, and it is turned on and operated before astronauts enter Tiangong-1. In addition, the water vapor generated by the astronauts' breathing and sweating is automatically collected by a condensation collection device at regular intervals.
Regeneration equipment for waste recycling
Shenzhou spacecraft used to carry expendable resources, and astronauts carried the materials they needed for food, clothing, housing and transportation from the ground, while Tiangong 1 carried waste recycling equipment for the first time, ready to verify regeneration technology. The electrolysis oxygen device can make oxygen from pure water, and the dynamic water and gas separation device can separate water and gas from astronauts' urine. The future space station urine into water, oxygen regeneration and other technologies, are closely related to this. When these technologies reach maturity, they will greatly reduce the ground supply and realize the recycling of resources such as urine, body fluids and harmful gases.
Clothing for male and female astronauts
The blue sleeping bags prepared for the astronauts this time are embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns. Compared with the sleeping bag of Shenzhou 7, it is significantly lighter, and the material is characterized by flame retardant, anti-static, light weight and adjustable elasticity. Tiangong 1 also prepared thermal underwear, thermal pants, sports socks, sportswear and shorts for the astronauts. The designs of these clothes are special, mainly considering the special needs of space work experiments, for example, some clothes are equipped with cable ports, some pockets for radiation measuring instruments, and so on. As Tiangong No. 1 has been in an unmanned low-pressure operation for a long time, which will accelerate the aging of clothing materials, the researchers made a lot of low-pressure storage tests on the ground, and used professional equipment to pull the clothes to ensure that their tensile strength and tear strength are qualified.
Aerospace food
Now, part of the aerospace food has gone into space with the Tiangong 1, including vegetables, meat, fruits and rehydrated soups, etc., but these can not be eaten, and are still just experiments. The real space food can eat to wait for the astronauts with the spacecraft to bring up the sky. And experiments with these space food, in the future to follow the docked manned spacecraft to return to earth, the researchers want to observe them in the sky after a long period of time to stay what changes will happen. These food packages contain both finished dishes and precipitated proteins, fats, starches and other ingredients.
According to spaceflight food expert Chen Bin, factors such as space radiation and temperature changes inside the capsule could have an impact on the food. They stored the same batch of spaceflight food on the ground for comparative study. The space food that will accompany astronauts to Tiangong-1 in the future will be very rich in variety and more in line with the astronauts' tastes.
Medical health monitoring equipment
Astronauts' breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and other indicators in the sky touch the nerves of flight controllers on the ground. Tiangong-1 carries more innovative and abundant medical monitoring equipment for collecting astronauts' physiological data and providing technical support for astronauts' medical health maintenance. For example, the electrocardiographic device carried by astronauts can continuously record electrocardiographic data for 24 hours and is not subject to the limitations of the measurement and control arc segment. When astronauts pedal their bicycles for exercise, they wear a special mask that collects and records exhaled and inhaled gas flow, oxygen concentration, etc., and transmits them to the ground for analysis. Blood pressure measurement equipment and ground cuff-type different, in the chest connected to the cardiac electrodes, in the fingers wear blood oxygen, pulse wave sensor, the cardiac signal and pulse wave signal analysis and processing, calculate the heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation and other physiological parameters.
Fire extinguishing device
Tiangong 1 is equipped with a fire extinguishing device. If the fire is small, you can use fire extinguishing wipes, glove-like, to grip the fire anywhere. It's not only heat-resistant, but also well insulated, since most space fires are caused by cables.
Fire extinguishers are used only in larger fires. To use it, astronauts put on gas masks and press a button on the extinguisher, and the jet of extinguishing agent will isolate the fire spot from the surrounding oxygen. (Sun Hairong)
Female astronauts are expected to ride Shenzhou 10 into space and live in Tiangong 1
Female pilots dream of the blue sky.
China's female astronauts are expected to ride the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft into space, participate in space rendezvous and docking missions, and live in Tiangong-1. This means that in the next two years, Chinese female astronauts will appear in space.
It is reportedly from Yantai, Shandong Province
In the second batch of China's astronauts identified last year, there are "two golden flowers" have been attracting attention, but so far have not shown up. It is understood that the two selected female astronauts are from the Air Force Transportation Aviation Force, the average flight time of thousands of hours.
It is reported that a female astronaut from Yantai, Shandong Province, will fly with "Shenyang 10". According to previous media reports, the person's name is Wang Yaping, a "post-80s" female pilot who has flown in the Wenchuan earthquake relief efforts, the Beijing Olympic Games to eliminate clouds and rain, and a number of war drills.
The former deputy commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, Zhang Jianqi, said in an interview with the media that men and women astronauts are treated equally in terms of training standards, and will not lower them because they are women. He said: "The manned rendezvous and docking mission of China's space laboratory is likely to involve female astronauts. At that time, we will realize the real "Chang'e Flying" dream."
The "Tiangong" will welcome three spacecraft during its two-year lifespan, carry out rendezvous and docking, and welcome two to three astronauts to move in.
Presumably "one at most"
Shenzhou 10 will reportedly take two female astronauts into space. But space expert Pang Zhihao, executive editor of Space International magazine, said in an interview with this reporter yesterday that "in general, female astronauts flying for the first time, up to one, because the mission is still in the process of exploration, and all activities should be safety-oriented.
Pang Zhihao believes that the training of female astronauts is conducive to the development of China's future manned spaceflight, and the development of aerospace medical research. Female astronauts have their own advantages, more patient, more detailed work, more adapted to the microgravity environment in space, and in space flight, there will be a sense of loneliness, loneliness, female astronauts can play a role in regulating the atmosphere, "men and women match, work is not tired.
He introduced, female astronauts are suitable for doing some detailed scientific experiments, such as observing plant growth, in addition to dexterity of their hands, they can manipulate the space space robot arm and other work, do a very good job in the rendezvous and docking tasks.
Female astronauts are "perfect" without any flaws
The astronauts are generally divided into drivers, mission specialists and load specialists. Pang Zhihao pointed out that in addition to flight specialists, there will be mission specialists up there in the future. With the development of our national spacecraft, after accumulating some experience in manned spaceflight, the requirements for astronauts will become wider and wider, and in the future, there is a possibility that female scientists can also go up. Now, our astronauts do not just "walk around" in space, there are many tasks to be accomplished. In the future, after China establishes its own space station, there will be a large number of scientific tasks, and the tasks will be divided into many kinds. For example, there will be assembly tasks, including spacewalks and maintenance of some spacecraft. In addition, there will be scientific research missions, and to carry out scientific research missions can let non-professional astronauts go up. This is currently the case in the United States, professional astronauts are NASA; and non-professional astronauts, they belong to various scientific research institutions and universities, many of whom are women scientists.
Manned spaceflight on the astronauts of the physical quality requirements are very high, such as chronic pharyngitis, rhinitis, drug allergies, lipoma, dental caries, gray nails, etc., the majority of people will have these small "defects", can be selected astronauts, but not, even if the skin has a scar, oral odor, rotten feet can not. Because the body has a bad smell in the small spacecraft space will affect colleagues; and if the skin has a scar, in the acceleration, the scar site may bleed. On the ground seems to be a small "flaw", to the space may cause a big trouble.
The two female astronauts selected for the program have apparently undergone a rigorous comprehensive examination of physiological functions and psychological aspects, and can be said to be "perfect" without any flaws. A staff member of Nanjing Air Force 454 Hospital told Beijing Science and Technology Daily that at present, China's astronauts are selected from the best pilots in the Air Force. They not only have to be physically very good, can not have any history of disease, can not have any minor problems, and the family up three generations can not have a serious history of disease. In addition to ruling out all kinds of diseases and abnormalities that affect function, they must also have a good ability to adapt to the special environment of spaceflight and psychological quality.
"The selected female astronauts this time obviously have to go through all the above hurdles, in addition to the gynecological aspect of the examination." The staff said.
Two female astronauts are mothers
There was speculation that China's first female astronauts would be selected from the first batch of female fighter pilots of the Air Force who took part in the National Day parade, but in fact, the first batch of female fighter pilots of the Air Force didn't make it to the shortlist of candidates at all. The two female astronauts currently selected are both from the air force transport pilots, both of whom are married and have given birth.
Why is being married a condition of selection? According to Pang Zhihao, astronaut selection, the requirement to drive the aircraft flight time basically to be more than 1,000 hours, at least more than 800 hours, and to complete this flight time, the pilot itself is not too young. And to be married and give birth as a selection condition, obviously to circumvent the space flight on female astronauts to give birth to the impact.
Svetlana Savitskaya, the first female Soviet cosmonaut to spacewalk, had no trouble giving birth at 38 after spacewalking at 36. But for safety and insurance, our female astronauts are selected by requiring that they be married and have given birth.
"Plant seeds are genetically altered in weightless conditions in space, and it has not yet been discovered whether genes mutate in people in weightless conditions. But it cannot be proved that there is no effect." Pang Zhihao said. Since the reproduction cycle of plant genes is very short after a mutation, it may be found within a few generations. However, human genes, if mutated under weightless conditions, can only be discovered after a few generations, which takes a long time to observe. (Source Huasheng Online)