China News Service, Jiuquan, June 17th, title: "Shen Arrow" sent "Shenzhou" to start the first manned flight of the Chinese Space Station during the orbital construction phase
China News Service reporter Guo Chaokai
On June 17, the Long March 2 F-Yao-12 launch vehicle pierced the sky and sent the Shenzhou XII spacecraft carrying three astronauts into space.
The first manned launch of the China Manned Space Station in the orbit construction stage was a complete success, laying a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of subsequent missions.
In the vast space, three Chinese astronauts will be stationed in the Chinese own space station.
"Shen Arrow" and "Shenzhou" hold hands again
The Long March-2 F carrier rocket (hereinafter referred to as the Chang-2 F rocket) is a two-stage carrier vehicle developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and specially used for manned spaceflight. It is also the most complex rocket of all carrier rockets in China. , Known as the "sacred arrow".
Since the successful launch of the Shenzhou 11 manned spacecraft in 2016, this mission is the first time that the Chang-2F rocket has performed a manned space mission again after 5 years.
Although the launch success rate of the Chang-2F rocket was 100% before, in order to successfully complete the high-density launch mission of the space station during the orbit construction phase, the developers made a number of technical improvements to this type of astronaut "special train", and its reliability and safety Sex to a new level.
According to Jing Muchun, the first director of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the second F rocket commander in chief, the Chang two F and Yao 12 rockets have undergone 109 technical status changes, of which more than 70 are related to reliability improvement.
These improvements do not involve major changes in the state of technology, and are mainly to eliminate weak links.
After hard work, researchers have increased the reliability of the Changer F rocket from 0.97 as required by the index to 0.9894, which has set its own record again and is in the forefront of the world.
Emergency rescue launch within 10 days as soon as possible
During the construction and operation stage of the space station orbit, if the space station or the spacecraft is in serious danger or malfunction, the ground must quickly launch a rescue spacecraft to retrieve the astronauts.
Therefore, starting from the Yao 13 rocket, the Chang 2 F rocket has been on emergency rescue duty, and the launch can be carried out within 10 days at the earliest.
According to the space station plan, China will complete the space station orbit construction through 11 missions this year and next, including 4 Shenzhou spacecraft missions.
The life safety of the astronauts is a matter of concern, and the Changer F rocket has "not a small burden."
Starting from the Yao 12 and Yao 13 rockets, the Chang 2 F rocket has adopted the "rolling backup" launch mode of "1 launch and 1 backup".
Take the Chang 2 F Yao 12 and Yao 13 rockets as an example. The two rockets approach the site at the same time. The final assembly test of the Yao 13 rocket will be carried out first, and then the final assembly test and launch of the Yao 12 rocket.
There is a crossover between the two rockets, and the model teams work in parallel.
If the accident does come, after receiving an emergency rescue order, the Changer-2 F rocket's basic stage, fairing (half dome) and escape tower can immediately carry out work synchronously and efficiently.
According to Chang Wuquan, Chief Designer of the First Director of the Second F rocket of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, according to the specific needs of the space station’s emergency rescue mission, the second F rocket has the emergency launch capability within 10 days and 20 days, and can quickly launch the spacecraft. The astronauts retrieved it safely.
100% success rate of astronaut "special train"
Although "Shenjian" and its good brother "Shenzhou" have not cooperated for 5 years, they return to the familiar launch site, and they still have a tacit understanding.
This time, the Chang-2F rocket successfully completed the first manned launch mission of the space station during the orbit construction phase, escorting three astronauts to space safely, creating magic again on the vast Gobi Desert.
Next, the astronauts will stay in orbit for three months to carry out a series of operations such as extravehicular maintenance, equipment replacement, and scientific application loads.
The project was established in 1992 and first flew in 1999. In the past 30 years, the Chang-2F rocket has participated in every step of the "three-step" strategy of China's manned space project, performing more than ten missions.
Up to now, the Chang-2F rocket has launched a total of 5 unmanned spacecraft, 1 target vehicle, 1 space laboratory and 7 manned spacecraft, all of which have achieved complete success, sending 12 and 17 astronauts into space successively. It has left a strong mark in the history of China's manned space project.
2021 is the first year of the construction mission of China's manned space station orbit. The Chang-2F rocket has also ushered in a high-density launch year. Four launch missions are planned for this year and next, with unprecedented launch density.
In the next few years, the Chang-2F rocket will continue to perform launch missions at a high frequency of 2 rounds per year, and will play an important role in the construction and operation of the Chinese space station.
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