Taming the Fire, Keeping the Heavens and Asking the Sky-Ji Changwu B Rocket Launches the First "20,000 Kg" Spacecraft

　　China News Service, Beijing, May 5 Question: Taming the fire, grazing the heavens and asking the sky-Ji Changwu B rocket launches the "20,000 kilograms" spacecraft

　　Author Guo Chaokai

　　The sunset reflects the South China Sea, and the evening wind touches the coconut grove. In the evening of May 5th, China's Wenchang Aerospace Launch Site, the Long March 5B carrier rocket stood towering on the launch platform and was about to usher in its first show. On the white arrow body, the bright five-star red flag and the logo of the manned aerospace project are particularly eye-catching.

　　In the command hall of the launch site, people were eagerly waiting for the first launch of the Long March 5B rocket. "5,4,3,2,1, Ignite! Take off!" With the countdown of Commander 01, at 18 o'clock, the Long March 5B carrier rocket skyrocketed with the help of blazing flames, carrying a new generation of manned The spacecraft test ship and the flexible inflatable cargo return cabin test cabin fly into the vast universe.

　　After about 488 seconds, the load assembly successfully entered the predetermined orbit, and the first flight mission was a complete success. In the cheers, the curtain of the China Space Station's mission in the construction phase of the orbit was slowly opened.

　　In May 1958, Chairman Mao Zedong proposed at the second meeting of the Eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of China: "We must also engage in artificial satellites." He said humorously that if we do n’t put a satellite as big as an egg, we will put a 20,000 kg if we want to put it.

　　On April 24, 1970, China successfully launched the first artificial earth satellite "Dongfanghong-1" into space with the first carrier rocket "Long March One", which opened the prelude for the Chinese nation to enter space. At that time, the Dongfanghong-1 satellite was only 173 kg.

　　Fifty-year-old projectiles flew, and now the Long March 5B carrier rocket developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, successfully flew for the first time, and a new-generation manned spaceship test ship weighing nearly 22 tons Into space. This is the first time that a rocket from China or even Asia has launched a spacecraft over "20,000 kilograms", further establishing the status of the Long March V series rocket carrying capacity in the first echelon of active rockets in the world.

　　Over the past 50 years, the Chinese ’s ability to enter space has achieved multiple leaps. The Long March 5B rocket ’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) carrying capacity is greater than 22 tons, and it can send three space station cabins that are close to the weight of Tiangong-1. Into space.

　　From the Long March No. 1 rocket to the Long March No. 5 B rocket, from 173 kg to 22 tons, China's aerospace stage is larger and more confident, and it can be expected in the future. "The successful first flight of the Long March 5B rocket gave China Aerospace a greater stage of performance," said Wang Xiaojun, president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

　　Wang Jue, chief commander of the Long March 5B carrier rocket, told reporters that from the project to the first flight, the Long March 5B rocket has experienced nearly ten years of development. "As a new type of launch vehicle specially developed for the construction of manned spaceflight engineering space station, the successful first flight of the Long March V-5B rocket marks that the construction of the space station project has entered a substantial stage."

　　The Long March 5B launch vehicle and the Long March 5 launch vehicle belong to the "family" of the Long March V series rockets, and are currently the largest rocket series in China. Although the appearance is somewhat similar, there are many differences in the design and use of the two rockets.

　　As the main rocket for the construction of manned spaceflight engineering space station and deep space exploration such as lunar exploration and Mars exploration, the Long March V series rocket has the reputation of "Dreaming Arrow". In 2020, the Long March V series rocket will perform three launch missions. After the first flight of the Long March 5B rocket, in the second half of the year, the Long March 5 Yao-4 rocket will launch China ’s first Mars probe; at the end of 2020, the Long March 5 rocket will also ushered in the fifth launch, which will explore Chang'e 5 moon exploration The instrument sent to the moon to achieve sampling and return to the surface of the moon.

　　At ten miles of silver beach, a giant arrow stands up; As the golden flame of the Long March 5B rocket rises, there are also infinite expectations of the Chinese astronauts for the space station and more distant space. (Finish)