China News Service, Shanghai, May 10th: How to "kiss" dozens of tons of "fat people"?
Space "matchmaker lock" welcomes "multiple exams" this year
Author Zheng Yingying Ma Shuaisha
In the early morning of May 10, Beijing time, the "Little Express" Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft set off.
A few hours later, it arrived at its destination for a quick rendezvous and docking with the orbiting Chinese space station complex.
From "delivery" to "successful receipt", "Tianzhou-4" only took about 6.5 hours.
"From the video, we feel that the docking process is completed in an instant. In fact, the whole process includes a series of actions such as contact, capture, pulling back, locking, and sealing, from the issuance of the docking preparation command to the docking locking. Completed, more than 10 actions were completed in one go." said Gu Sidefeng, deputy commander of the manned spacecraft and cargo spacecraft system of the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
China is the third country in the world to independently master the technology of rendezvous and docking after the United States and Russia.
Only by breaking through the rendezvous and docking technology, can the assembly and construction of the space station be carried out, providing material transportation and docking, and personnel round-tripping.
Rendezvous and docking is a technology in which two spacecraft meet in space orbit and are structurally connected to form a whole, which is called "space kiss", and the docking mechanism used for rendezvous and docking is called "matchmaker lock".
Since the "first kiss in space" between "Shenzhou-8" and "Tiangong-1" in 2011, China has successfully achieved 19 precise dockings, laying a technical foundation for the construction of China's space station.
How do dozens of tons of "fat people" "kiss"?
As the research and development unit of the docking agency, the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation stated that in 2022, the docking agency will usher in a "big test".
After the successful rendezvous and docking of "Tianzhou-4" with the space station assembly, the Chinese space station will also welcome Shenzhou 14, two experimental modules such as Wentian and Mengtian, especially the two experimental modules and Tianhe. The docking process of the core module will be the heavyweight "space kissing test" for the docking agency.
Facing the experimental cabin of dozens of tons, the docking mechanism needs to ensure accurate and stable alignment.
In fact, as early as the beginning of the design of the docking mechanism, the sub-system designers of the docking mechanism of the 805 Institute of the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation fully considered the needs of the future space station construction: the docking mechanism needs to adapt to various types between 8 tons and 180 tons. Tonnage docking, and docking in various ways, including eccentric docking.
In order to make the two heavyweight spacecraft light and elegant when they "kiss in space", the designers systematically put forward a control idea of controllable damping, which can effectively buffer the huge impact energy generated by the docking mechanism.
"Matchmaker Lock" becomes "Space Corridor"
After the launch of the Wentian and Mengtian experimental modules, after state adjustment and relocation, they will be "parked" at the Chinese space station for a long time, becoming the main place for astronauts to work and live on the space station.
At this time, the docking mechanism is an important passage for astronauts to and from work and living areas.
In order to fix the three cabin sections (Wentian and Mengtian experimental cabins and Tianhe core cabin) together for a long time and tightly, the docking mechanism must be locked firmly and tightly.
At this time, the 12 docking locks on the docking mechanism play a key role.
According to reports, in the subsequent docking task of the experimental cabin, the 12 docking locks on the docking mechanism will complete the locking work together with the docking mechanism of the Tianhe core cabin, and keep it in a self-locking state to prevent the undesired effect of external force. Unlock normally.
At the same time, during the locking process, the sealing ring on the docking frame of the docking mechanism will be compressed to form a sealed connection channel, providing a safe environment for astronauts to work and live on the space station.
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