(Interview between the two sessions) The chief engineer of China's lunar exploration project explained in detail how to build a lunar research station? How to carry out manned moon landing?
China News Service, Beijing, March 11th, title: The chief engineer of China Lunar Exploration Project explained in detail how to build a lunar research station?
How to carry out manned moon landing?
Author Guo Chaokai
The news that China and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of an international lunar research station on the 9th has aroused widespread concern.
How will the lunar research station be built in the future?
What scientific research goals are expected to be accomplished?
How will the manned moon landing be carried out?
During the National Two Sessions, Wu Weiren, member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and chief designer of China's lunar exploration project, sorted out relevant ideas in detail.
On March 9, Wu Weiren, member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was interviewed in the online video interview room of the Press Center of the Fourth Session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Wang Chao
Jointly build an international lunar research station
On December 17, 2020, the Chang'e-5 returner successfully landed on Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia with about 1,731 grams of lunar samples, marking the successful conclusion of the three-step "returning" of China's lunar exploration project.
According to the plan, three missions are planned for the fourth phase of China's lunar exploration project in the future: Chang'e 6 plans to sample and return to the lunar south pole, Chang'e 7 plans to carry out detailed investigations of lunar south pole resources, and Chang'e 8 continues to deepen the scientific exploration and application of the moon, and carry out Lunar surface test of related key technologies is a preliminary exploration for the construction of a lunar scientific research station.
Wu Weiren revealed: "At present, China has completed the demonstration of the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project, and it is expected to establish an international lunar research station in the lunar south pole in the future.
The International Lunar Research Station is a comprehensive scientific experiment facility built on the lunar surface or on the lunar orbit that can carry out multi-disciplinary and multi-objective scientific research activities such as the moon's own exploration and utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiment and technical verification, and long-term autonomous operation.
Prior to this, China, Russia, and ESA had all put forward relevant ideas for building a lunar research station.
This time, China and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the construction of an international lunar research station, which has taken a big step forward in the construction of the lunar research station.
Within the framework of the construction of an international lunar scientific research station project, China and Russia will use their accumulated experience in space science, research and development and use of space equipment and space technology to jointly develop a road map for the construction of an international lunar scientific research station, and to build an international lunar scientific research station. The planning, demonstration, design, development, implementation and operation of scientific research station projects are closely coordinated.
Regarding the cooperation between China and Russia, the China National Space Administration pointed out that exploring the vast universe is the common dream of mankind. China is willing to work with other countries in the world to jointly build an international lunar research station and work together to expand the frontier of human cognition.
Why does China want to build a scientific research station on the lunar south pole?
What is the role of the lunar research station?
Wu Weiren explained that the reason for choosing the south pole of the moon is that there may be polar day or night phenomena like the south and north poles of the earth. The rotation period of the moon is equal to its revolution period, that is, a cycle of 28 days.
As a result, the south pole of the moon may have light for more than 180 consecutive days. This is a great convenience for astronauts to carry out scientific research missions on the moon. The natural resources of the moon must be fully utilized.
Manned moon landing on the agenda
"If the lunar scientific research station can be successfully implemented, China's manned moon landing will not be far away. At present, China's manned moon landing is also on the agenda, and Chinese scientists and engineers are demonstrating how to realize the manned moon landing." Wu Weiren said.
Since Armstrong took the first human step on the moon, the United States has sent 12 astronauts to the moon through 6 missions, but they have basically stayed in the area near the equator north and south latitudes on the front of the moon.
Wu Weiren said that in the future, China's manned moon landing will consider landing in the south pole of the moon. Although it is more difficult, the environmental conditions are better.
Once the landing is successful, the construction of the lunar research station can begin gradually.
This will be a long-term stay on the moon, not a short-term stay.
"Compared with American astronauts who can only stay for a few dozen hours after landing on the moon, Chinese astronauts will stay on the moon for a longer period of time. Astronauts are expected to carry out some scientific research on the moon. We stay longer and do There are more things, and the scale may be bigger. We are still confident about this." Wu Weiren said.
The key to manned moon landing is the astronauts.
Wu Weiren said that the astronauts involved in the manned landing on the moon are not much different from the astronauts involved in the mission of the Chinese space station.
In addition to traditional pilots, the astronaut team will also have scientists and engineers who will carry out a series of scientific and engineering related experiments.
To successfully implement manned landing on the moon, we must first ensure that the probe and astronauts can safely and accurately land on the moon.
Currently, China's active rockets do not yet have the ability to send astronauts to the moon, and the development of a carrier rocket with greater thrust is "on the string."
What is gratifying is that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China will continue to promote the development of heavy-duty launch vehicles, breaking through the size of existing rockets and engine thrust, so as to support longer-range deep space exploration.
For China’s subsequent lunar exploration missions, Wu Weiren is full of expectations: “Some people have proposed 3D printing on the moon and building a house on the moon. I think this is not impossible. Over time, technological progress and national economic development These ideas are expected to become reality in the next few decades." (End)