Continue to write about China's entry into new heights in space

  A few days ago, the National Space Administration held the unveiling ceremony of the first batch of scientific image maps of the Tianwen-1 rover landing on Mars, marking the successful realization of Tianwen-1's goal of "circumnavigating, landing, and patrol" in one step.

On June 12, when my country’s first Mars exploration mission was a complete success, the National Space Administration held a press conference in Beijing, inviting heavyweight engineering experts to introduce the Mars exploration mission and respond to the public’s concerns.

Exploration mission achieves "six firsts"

  "In the world's space history, Tianwen-1 not only left Chinese marks on Mars for the first time, but also successfully achieved the three major goals of circling, landing and patrolling Mars in a single mission, fully demonstrating the wisdom of Chinese astronauts. China has entered the world’s advanced ranks in the field of planetary exploration." Xu Hongliang, secretary general of the National Space Administration, introduced that in the history of China’s space development, the Tianwen-1 mission has achieved "six firsts": First, it has achieved ground-fire transfer orbit detection for the first time. The second is the first realization of interplanetary flight; the third is the first realization of the soft landing of an extraterrestrial planet; the fourth is the first realization of the patrol and detection of the outer planet’s surface; the fifth is the first realization of measurement and control communication at a distance of 400 million kilometers; the sixth is the first acquisition of the first Mars scientific data in hand.

  Xu Hongliang said that as a landmark achievement of independent innovation and leapfrog development in my country’s aerospace industry, the success of the Tianwen-1 mission is inseparable from the hard work and hard work of all the participants. “They inherit and carry forward the aerospace spirit. In the implementation of the mission, the excellent product quality and pragmatic work style vividly interpret the aerospace spirit of chasing dreams and having the courage to explore."

What do you rely on to achieve "circumnavigation"

  The realization of "circumnavigation, patrol, and patrol" in one step means that task development is more difficult and the possibility of failure increases.

"Looking back, the choice of this technical route is very correct, and it saves money on the whole, especially in terms of technology that can achieve leapfrog development, and in a relatively short period of time, my country has entered the world's advanced ranks in the field of planetary exploration." Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of my country's first Mars exploration mission project, emphasized.

  What did my country rely on for the complete success of the first Mars exploration mission?

In Zhang Rongqiao's view, first, people work hard and heaven helps.

"Eight years of research and development, construction, design, research, production, and testing are striving for excellence and meticulousness. This is a human effort; there are many domestic and international examples of delayed launch due to weather, and there have been sandstorms during landing. But when we launched and landed, the weather conditions were all expected. This is God's help."

  The second is to seek truth from facts.

"It's gratifying to realize a round tour in one step, but it is the first time that we have gone. Compared with the world's advanced level and compared with countries that have succeeded many times, how can there be no gap?" Zhang Rongqiao emphasized, the more it is When succeeding, the more you have to face your own level, "compared with yourself at all times, make progress every time, maintain concentration, and accumulate small achievements to achieve success."

What are the scientific expectations for the exploration mission

  In order to carry out scientific exploration, the Zhurong rover is equipped with six instruments, namely, the rover radar, magnetic field detector, composition detector, meteorological measuring instrument, multispectral camera and terrain camera.

Among them, the surface magnetic field detector is the first mobile magnetic field measurement on the surface of Mars in the world, and can obtain fine-scale Martian magnetic field information; the international advanced Mars rover radar and surface composition detector can obtain the shallow structure and surface rock of Mars. The composition of the chemical elements is to detect the possible distribution of groundwater/ice; the multi-spectral camera, terrain camera and meteorological measuring instrument are used to perceive the Martian surface environment and measure the surface temperature, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction and sound of Mars.

  According to Liu Jianjun, chief designer of the ground application system for my country’s first Mars exploration mission, six scientific instruments have been turned on for testing to obtain detection data, and scientific exploration is under way. “We will focus on key scientific issues such as water/ice and volcanic activity to gain an in-depth understanding of ancient Mars. Environmental characteristics and evolution, to study the livable environment of ancient Mars".

  In addition, the seven scientific instruments on the surround are also very characteristic.

"For example, there are dual-polarization radars, sub-meter resolution high-resolution cameras, more than 500 spectrum analyzers and medium-resolution cameras, etc., all of which are at the same level as the highest international Mars detection capability. There is also a magnetic field. Strong meters, ion and neutral particle analyzers, and energy analyzers are mainly combined to detect the magnetic field and the particle space environment, and obtain first-hand data for the study of the Martian space environment and atmospheric escape mechanism." Liu Jianjun added.

The pace of entering space will not stop

  It is reported that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" and a period in the future, China Aerospace will accelerate the overall development of space science, space technology, and space applications, focusing on the promotion of planetary exploration, lunar exploration, manned spaceflight, heavy launch vehicles, and reusable space and earth transportation System, national satellite Internet and other major projects.

  In terms of planetary exploration, my country has made it clear that by 2030, focusing on Mars exploration and the main line, it will proceed in accordance with the route of "achieving a round trip in one step and completing the sampling back in two steps".

"The first Mars exploration mission has successfully completed the set goals of'orbiting, landing, and patrol'. The next step is to implement the Mars sampling and return mission in 2028; at the same time, the near-Earth asteroid sampling and return and the main belt comet will be implemented around 2025. In 2029, the Jupiter system and interplanetary crossing detection mission will be implemented.” Xu Hongliang introduced.

  In terms of lunar exploration, my country will launch the Chang'e-6 and Chang'e-7 probes to carry out missions such as environmental and resource exploration of the moon's polar regions, and sampling and return of the moon's polar regions. In the future, Chang'e-8 will be developed and launched together with Chang'e-7. Basic type of scientific research station.

  In terms of manned spaceflight, in 2022, my country will build a manned space station with long-term care, carry out long-term astronauts, space scientific experiments, space station platform maintenance and other work, and promote follow-up missions to deepen the demonstration and key technology research.

Let the results of space exploration benefit all mankind

  During the implementation of the Tianwen-1 mission, my country and ESA, as well as the space agencies of Argentina, France, Austria and other countries, carried out fruitful cooperation in measurement and control support, load carrying, scientific research, etc., and jointly promoted the mystery of the universe by mankind. The cognition contributes wisdom and strength.

  In the field of lunar and deep space exploration, the China National Space Administration has always advocated extensive international cooperation based on equality and mutual benefit.

"We have provided international partners with the opportunity to carry payloads during the Chang'e-6 and asteroid exploration missions; we have announced to the international community the management measures for cooperation on the Chang'e-5 lunar samples; and we issued a joint statement with the Russian Aerospace Corporation to jointly invite International partners cooperate in the planning, demonstration, design, development, implementation, and operation of the international lunar research station, and will announce the roadmap and partner guidelines of the international lunar research station in the near future to guide international partners in choosing areas to join And projects." Xu Hongliang introduced.

  It is reported that the National Space Administration will also successively announce international cooperation plans for subsequent lunar and deep space exploration missions, as well as Mars sampling and return, Jupiter exploration and other planetary exploration missions.

"Outer space is the common wealth of mankind. The exploration, development, and peaceful use of outer space is the common pursuit of mankind. We will always adhere to the principles of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use, and inclusive development, strengthen extensive cooperation with the international community, and organize implementation. The follow-up scientific exploration mission of Haotianwen No.1 strives to obtain more new discoveries and new results, maximize scientific output, and let the aerospace exploration results contribute more to the creation of a better future for mankind." Xu Hongliang said.

  (Our newspaper reporter Zhang Lei, Beijing, June 12)