What do "Ask Tian" and "Dream Tian" look like?

How do "God 14" and "God 15" work?

　　These highlights of the construction of China's space station are worth looking forward to (Building a Dream of "Space Home" - Notes on the Construction of China's Space Station ⑰)

　　Our reporter Liu Yao "People's Daily Overseas Edition" (Page 09, April 21, 2022)

　　With the smooth return of the Shenzhou 13 astronaut crew, the construction of China's space station has shifted from the key technology verification stage to the construction stage.

The "complete body" of the "Tiangong" space station that the world is concerned about will be unveiled this year.

　　What other launch missions are there in the construction phase of the Chinese space station?

After the "feel good" crew, what surprises will the next astronauts bring?

What will be the results of space science research?

　　6 missions to build a space station

　　"Since 2020, my country has successfully implemented the first flight of the Long March 5B carrier rocket, the Tianhe core module of the space station, the Shenzhou 12 and Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft, and the Tianzhou 2 and Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft. 6 missions have successfully completed the mission objectives of the key technology verification stage." said Hao Chun, director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office.

　　Beginning in May this year, the construction of China's space station will enter a stage of intense and colorful launches.

According to the task arrangement, China will complete the on-orbit construction of the space station in 2022, and plans to carry out 6 flight missions - the launch of the Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft in May; the launch of the Shenzhou-14 manned spacecraft in June; the launch of the space station in July Tian experimental module; the space station Mengtian experimental module will be launched in October.

　　"The three modules of the space station (Tianhe core module, Wentian experimental module, and Mengtian experimental module) will form a T-shaped basic configuration to complete the on-orbit construction of China's space station." Hao Chun said, it will be implemented after this. Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft and Shenzhou-15 manned spacecraft launch missions.

　　An aerospace expert once likened the Chinese space station to a "mansion" with three rooms, two halls and a storage room.

The "three rooms" refer to the Tianhe core module and the Wentian and Mengtian experimental modules, while the "two halls" refer to the Shenzhou manned spacecraft and the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft.

　　After the Wentian and Mengtian experimental modules are in orbit and docked with the core module, they will expand the working and living space of astronauts in orbit.

According to Yang Hong, chief designer of the China Manned Space Engineering Space Station System and a researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology, the Wentian experimental cabin is equipped with the same astronaut living facilities as the core cabin, including 3 sleeping areas, 1 sanitary area and kitchen, etc. A facility that, together with the core module, can support the lives of six astronauts during the rotation of the two manned spacecraft.

In addition, the Wentian experimental module is also equipped with a small robotic arm, which can be used alone or in combination with the large robotic arm in the core module to jointly complete tasks such as astronauts leaving the cabin, taking care of extravehicular facilities, and patrolling.

　　The Mengtian experimental cabin is equipped with a cargo airlock and an outboard deployment test platform.

The scientific test equipment installed outside the cabin can be transported to the space station by a cargo spacecraft, and then the load is sent to the outside of the cabin through the cargo airlock, and the robotic arm or astronauts can install it on the platform outside the cabin to realize the continuous update of the extravehicular test project. .

　　"After the construction of the space station is completed, the two experimental modules will be the main working places for astronauts in orbit, and can carry out experiments in various fields such as space science, space materials, space medicine and space exploration." Yang Hong said.

　　According to Yang Hong, the development of the Wentian experimental cabin and the Mengtian experimental cabin on the ground is progressing smoothly.

The Wentian experimental cabin has completed the integrated assembly, testing and large-scale testing of the entire cabin, and is ready to go; the Mengtian experimental cabin has completed the corresponding integrated assembly and test work, and is progressing as planned.

　　6 astronauts will stay in orbit together

　　With the "expansion" of the space station, the six astronauts of the Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 crews will have the opportunity to stay in orbit together.

The scene of 6 Chinese astronauts "meeting together" in space will create a historic moment in China's aerospace industry.

　　Huang Weifen, chief designer of the astronaut system of China's manned space project and researcher of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, said that according to the task arrangement during the construction phase of the space station, the astronaut crews for two manned missions have been selected.

"Currently, the Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 flight crews are in very good physical and mental condition, and are actively carrying out relevant training and mission preparations," said Huang Weifen.

　　According to reports, just like the crew of Shenzhou 13, the two crews of Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 will be on business trips for half a year, and will be on-orbit crew rotation for the first time, so as to realize uninterrupted presence of people on the space station. Each crew of six astronauts will stay in orbit for 5-10 days.

　　Among them, the Shenzhou 14 crew will participate in and witness the flight status of the Chinese space station from a single-cabin assembly to a three-cabin assembly.

"During this period, we have to go through 9 combination configurations, 5 rendezvous and docking, 3 separation and evacuation and 2 transposition missions." Huang Weifen said that the Shenzhou No. 14 crew will also complete the first entry into the Wentian experimental cabin and Mengtian for the first time. Experiment cabin to establish a manned environment; for the first time, the airlock cabin is used to carry out activities such as exiting the cabin.

The crew of Shenzhou No. 15 also plans to carry out several out-of-vehicle activities to conduct operation management and maintenance of the largest configuration of the three-cabin and three-vessel combination.

　　"The two flight crews will also carry out popular science education and other public welfare activities, and carry out dozens of on-orbit scientific research experiments and engineering technology tests, as well as flight mission data collection and photography, as planned; on-orbit health monitoring, protective exercise, On-orbit training and drills, as well as a large number of space station platform inspections, equipment maintenance and care, station services and material management." Huang Weifen said.

　　At the National Two Sessions this year, Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned spaceflight project, looked forward to the moment when China's space station was built - "At that time, a total mass consisting of 3 compartments, 2 manned spacecraft and 1 cargo spacecraft will be nearly 100 The Chinese space station, carrying 6 astronauts and a large number of advanced experimental devices such as space life and biological science, material science, etc., will be presented to the world."

　　In the future, will astronauts from other countries visit the Chinese space station?

Hao Chun said that the development of China's manned spaceflight has always adhered to the principles of peaceful utilization, equality and mutual benefit, and common development.

China has signed cooperation agreements with many countries and organizations in the world, carried out a series of cooperation and exchanges, implemented a series of cooperation projects, and achieved a large number of research results.

　　"We are willing to build the Chinese space station into a platform to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Together with astronauts and aerospace science and technology teams from various countries, we will continue to explore the vast universe and benefit mankind." Hao Chun said.

　'Flagship' facility to help space science research

　　2022 is the decisive year for the construction of China's space station, and it is also the 30th anniversary of the implementation of China's manned space project.

Hao Chun said that the construction of China's space station and the national space laboratory are important goals for realizing the "three-step" strategy of manned spaceflight engineering, and are also important symbols of building a strong country in space and science and technology.

　　Hao Chun introduced that after the completion of the orbital construction of the space station this year, the project will be transferred to the application and development stage of more than 10 years.

The initial plan is to launch two manned spacecraft and two cargo spacecraft each year.

Astronauts stay in orbit for a long time, carry out space science experiments and technical experiments, and take care and maintain the space station.

　　In order to further improve the comprehensive capability and technical level of the project, China will also develop a new generation of manned launch vehicles and a new generation of manned spaceships, and the return capsules can be reused.

Among them, the new generation of manned spacecraft can carry seven astronauts, and the load capacity will also be greatly improved.

　　"At the same time, we are considering developing the space station expansion module to further support on-orbit scientific experiments and create better conditions for the astronauts' work and life." Hao Chun said.

　　In the application and development stage of the space station, China will also use the scientific experiment cabinets arranged in the space station cabins and large-scale external load facilities to carry out larger-scale space research experiments and new technology experiments.

　　Zhong Hongen, deputy chief designer of the space application system of China's manned space project and researcher of the Center for Space Application Engineering and Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced that the space application system has arranged 14 high-level scientific experimental cabinets in the space station cabin, and each experimental cabinet is a Small space laboratory; "flagship" research facilities such as 3 large load hanging points, two exposure experimental platforms, and the sky survey space telescope that co-orbit with the space station are arranged outside the space station.

　　"These facilities will support scientific research in many fields such as space life science, microgravity physical science, space astronomy and earth science, space new technology and application, and promote my country's space science research and application to reach the world's leading level." Zhong Hongen said.

　　In 2023, China plans to launch the first large-scale space survey telescope to conduct wide-area survey observations. It will carry out cutting-edge scientific research in the formation and evolution of cosmic structures, dark matter and dark energy, exoplanets and solar system celestial bodies. results.

　　"We will also actively explore the commercial development model of manned spaceflight, absorb social forces to participate in the construction, operation and maintenance of the space station, continuously improve the comprehensive benefits of the space station, and promote the high-quality development of manned spaceflight," Hao Chun said.