Recently, a major event happened in China, Shenzhou 12 manned spacecraft launched successfully, into space, three astronauts will complete a series of complex tasks, will enter the core module for three months, which is unprecedented in China's aerospace history, but also represents the rapid development of China's aerospace technology, the country's space station will also be formally put into use after.
Shenzhou 12 liftoff success in the world's attention
China's manned spaceflight program has once again shocked the world, and unlike previous manned spaceflights, this time the amount of tasks and the time spent in space is much longer than before. After entering the core module, the astronauts are required to conduct a series of scientific and technological experiments, as well as out-of-cabin activities. The spacecraft docked with the core module about 6.5 hours after launch, and Shenzhou XII, China's most advanced and versatile spacecraft to date, has achieved its initial goal.
The successful launch of Shenzhou XII was definitely not a coincidence, just like China's space industry, behind which are the silent contributions of countless people. In order to ensure the safety of the astronauts, this time there are two spaceships approaching the site, one of which serves as a backup, so that the astronauts can be searched and rescued as soon as possible if there is an accident. After the successful launch of the spacecraft, the other spacecraft is still on standby, which can take off at any time during the next 8.5 days for rescue.
India eyeing China throws out the Gaganjan program
Seeing China's space business is becoming more and more dazzling, India, which is known as the Asian powerhouse, is ready to take a shot. In India's thinking, as long as China can do it, they can do it. Just as the world was focusing on China, news came from Indian Aerospace. So far, only three countries in the world have achieved manned spaceflight, which is why India's plan to put a manned program on the agenda is led by the Indian Space Research Organization.
India's manned program is called Gaganjan, and since India had no prior experience, the country's astronauts were sent to Russia for a year of training and learning. These astronauts trained in conditions that simulated the old Soyuz spacecraft and now that they have completed the program they have returned to India to continue familiarizing themselves with the Garganyan. To make sure, India has also entered into a special collaboration with relevant French practitioners to provide professors in space medicine.
In addition, India has also considered the issue of food, developed a unique Indian food, so that the astronauts can also enjoy their own food after going into space. Although India's ambitions are not small, this time the program is relying on the help of other countries, and is not really independent at all, which is in line with India's usual style of universal creation.
Despite India's ambitions, Gaganjan was originally scheduled to launch for the first time in December 2020, with a second launch scheduled for 2022, though that plan seems difficult to realize. As planned, astronauts will also be in space during the third launch. Many Indian officials hope to achieve this goal around August 2022, the 75th anniversary of India's independence. However, experts estimate that this goal is unlikely to be achieved.
New Crown Pneumonia Continues to Worsen, Interrupting India's Space Dream
Because of the severity of the epidemic in India, the space program has also been severely impacted, and although the situation in India is slowly improving, the Indian Space Research Organization is even combining liquid nitrogen with the medical equipment needed by astronauts to provide for hospital use, due to the shortage of medical supplies. This has also made it difficult for the training program to make progress. Now that the new coronavirus is raging in India and a large number of people are out of work, those involved in the Indian space program can only stay at home and wait for the epidemic to get better so that everything can get back on the right track, which has led to a lot of work that can only be postponed indefinitely.
In order to ensure timely contact with the spacecraft, the Indian Space Research Organization also needs to launch a set of data relay satellites, so that there can be a connecting signal anywhere on Earth. But with the current fuel supply program stalled, it looks like another headache for India. Also, India's Moon Ship 3 program was originally hoped to be completed by 2021, but now it looks like it will be delayed again. Regardless of the success of India's space program, the technological loopholes still remain, and the suspension of various missions due to the epidemic is really India's own fault.
It is also a country with a large population, China was once affected by the epidemic and was the first country to have a massive outbreak, but China got it under control quickly. After the first wave of the epidemic, India has not remembered at all and is still treating the epidemic with the wrong attitude, which has led to a new wave of the epidemic and India's healthcare system has been completely defeated. If India had corrected its mindset from the beginning and dealt with the epidemic positively, it would not be where it is today. When it comes to spaceflight, we also need to approach it with rigor and not rush into it because of comparisons.