China's ＂Temple＂ try to build a space station

August 18, "the fair hand of God eight Dream" public solicitation to start. Stakeholders at the event said: the end of August, China's first space laboratory "One Temple" will be launched, and within two years after launch Shenzhou VIII, Shenzhou 九号, 10 completed the Shenzhou docking mission, which establish China's first space laboratory, but also for the construction of China's space station in preparation.

China to achieve the establishment of the space station, the two most critical technologies must be addressed, one is walking astronauts emerged from the capsule, was completed in 2008; the other is the capsule rendezvous and docking. "One Temple" is a prototype of China's future space station, to test the maturity of key technologies, especially with the "Shenzhou" 八号 will conduct rendezvous and docking mission, it is China's manned space program an unprecedented challenge. According to the plan, around the year 2020, China will start construction of a formal space station.

"One Temple" What

People for the "One Temple" like no stranger to the space laboratory, which has long been a model not only public display, but in fact the body frame has been exposed on the network. 2009 "Temple One" model as a mysterious gift debut Year of the Ox Spring Festival, people across the country have been so startled. "One Temple" two-compartment structure, respectively, and resources for the JEM module. JEM ensure cabin pressure, temperature and humidity, gas composition, and the astronauts living conditions, can be used for astronauts in orbit and during the presence of life. Resources to power compartment to maneuver, and provide energy for the flight, cabin with solar panels resources. From external observation, though transient, was rectangular, the astronauts of the space of 15 cubic meters, while three people floating in it will not crowded. In addition, the color of the cabin has also been the mix of science and humanity. Experts have pointed out, and Yang Liwei's Shenzhou V than the ride, "Temple" to be more comfortable cabin environment.

In late June, "Temple One" by special train transported by train from Beijing to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Although the old train car Green Paper, the speed is very slow, but steady to protect the safety of transport, which is "One Temple" is the most important. During transport, "Temple One" with the China Academy of Space Technology used to date the largest box, the advanced shock absorption, temperature performance is the "Temple" to ensure the smooth arrival of the launch site. Described the relevant professionals, "'Temple One' into the box, than the baby into the incubator but also safe and comfortable."

Jiuquan launch center covers an area of ​​50,000 km2, but only tens of thousands of resident population, revealing a little desolate desert bare sense. There is almost parallel to the road and rail, as sand is often buried the tracks, so the staff stationed here also responsible for cleaning up railroad work. Arrived at Sky City, the "Temple" of the JEM and resource recovery tank assembly work carried out and successfully completed the test. Completed the final assembly of the the "One Temple" means the entire vehicle system is basically up and running.

Will achieve space docking

Many people also issued a doubt, the "One Temple" God what to do? Manned space flight, the space shuttles spacecraft Shenzhou space vehicle, or the U.S. space shuttle (now grounded), but space shuttles transport does not work in orbit for long-term, long-term work to be completed by the space station. Larger space station, equipment and more comprehensive, more scientific research ability. But people want to enter the space station or space station supplies, we need manned spacecraft and cargo spacecraft to provide support.

China's manned space program is divided into three steps: First, the astronauts into space; two days is more than the flight, astronauts, to achieve spacecraft rendezvous and docking with the space capsule and fired short-term manned space laboratory; three is to establish a permanent space station. Prior to this, the Shenzhou V spacecraft to achieve manned space flight, space shuttles breaking the first task; Shenzhou VII astronaut extravehicular second step is to complete the first part of the task. The "Temple" will test the launch of the "air rendezvous and docking" technology, the launch was the second step in the completion of follow-up tasks and goals for the completion of the third step, which lay the foundation for building a space station.

In fact, the "Temple" was aerospace industry as "target vehicle", which is China's first space laboratory prototype weighs 8 tons, the design life cycle of only 2 years. "One Temple" after the launch Shenzhou VIII, Shenzhou 九号, Shenzhou 10 will dock with them. Docking of unmanned Shenzhou VIII in which the other two Shenzhou VIII according to the specific circumstances of the rendezvous and docking, and then consider the state manned docking.

China unique docking technology

Rendezvous and docking technology is a very complex and difficult techniques, but also the key technology building a space station. The principle is coordinated through the orbital parameters, so that two or more spacecraft to reach space at the same time, same place, and then through a special docking mechanism to connect as a whole. Specific approach is generally the first "target vehicle" into orbit, and precise determination of its orbit, when it flies over the outgoing vehicle at the launch site, the latter by choose the launch with the former running on the same track, and control the distance within a certain range, and then to rely on the mobility vehicle itself gradually as a single entity for both

Some analysts pointed out that the Shenzhou VIII weight and "One Temple" is similar to two 8-ton objects in space to the first cosmic speed (equivalent to 28,440 kilometers per hour) flight, and complete the seamless, difficulty can be imagined. Rendezvous and docking technology is widely recognized as the bottleneck of space technology in the early days of manned space flight abroad, spacecraft rendezvous and docking in space, the process had failed. Such as the Russian "Progress M3-4" spacecraft and "Peace" space station in the docking process had "collided."

China's first rendezvous and docking technology, whether general or specific implementation plan, all independent research and development. China's rendezvous and docking techniques and then practice the United States and the former Soviet Union is different: the latter have adopted the spacecraft docking with the spacecraft, while China has developed a "target vehicle" as a docking target, the spacecraft is used to track aircraft. It is reported that "Shenzhou" series of spacecraft Shenzhou VIII from the beginning there have been many technological improvements, has become a new world and from the aircraft. Among them, the rendezvous and docking feature is its main feature, the astronauts can manipulate the spacecraft television images, to keep the target aircraft. Some experts pointed out that to achieve successful docking of two spacecraft relative velocity can not exceed 0.2 meters per second, lateral deviation of no more than 18 cm. After successful docking, Shenzhou VIII spacecraft will be locked tightly tied by many of the "Temple."