At 7:18 on May 15, China's Tianwen-1 probe successfully landed in the pre-selected landing zone in the southern Utopia Plain of Mars. China's first Mars exploration mission successfully landed on Mars.
Mars exploration is very difficult, and how to deal with extreme heat and cold is one of the problems. Since the surface temperature of Mars can be as low as minus 123°C, how does the Tianwen-1 probe adapt to the extremely cold climate? When Tianwen 1 is landing on Mars, the temperature generated by the engine is as high as thousands of degrees. How to deal with the extreme heat and ensure the normal operation of the probe's electronic components?
A new type of thermal insulation material developed by ZHKG Aerospace Material Technology Group-nano aerogel material has played a key role. ZHKG aerogel materials related technical achievements have won the National Science and Technology Progress Award, the National Defense Technology Invention Award and the Chinese Patent Gold Award.
A total of two aerogel materials are used in the Tianwen-1 detector, which are used to deal with extreme heat and extreme cold. The extreme heat test occurred during the landing phase of Mars. When Tianwen-1 landed, the heat generated by the engine caused the surrounding temperature to reach above 1000°C. The thermal insulation components can block high temperatures. Only a thickness of about 10 mm can make the material behind The temperature drops to an acceptable range, just like a firefighter puts on a "fireproof suit." The extreme cold test occurs during the Mars patrol stage. By laying a large area of aerogel sheet on the surface of the rover, it can ensure that the rover can work normally in an environment of minus 130°C.
According to reports, nano-aerogel material is a high-performance thermal insulation material with nano-pore structure. The unique three-dimensional network structure makes it have good characteristics such as light density and low thermal conductivity, so it is widely used in the aerospace field.
"In order to meet the requirements of China's'Tianwen No. 1'Mars exploration mission for the ultra-low density and super heat insulation performance of aerogel materials, ZHKG took the lead in technical research and tried hundreds of formulas to ensure the'Tianwen No. 1' 'The two aerogel materials used on the above successfully passed the four major verification tests of physical properties, mechanical properties, thermal insulation properties and space weather resistance.
"In the early stage of research and development of nano-aerogel materials, the team members conducted a large number of literature searches on microstructure design, reaction principles, etc., explored feasible process plans, and carried out effective patents on precursors, preparation process and application, etc. Layout, and protect innovative achievements." Zhang Enshuang, head of the pre-research group of ZHKG's technical department, introduced to the Hay Think team that up to now, ZHKG has submitted a total of 245 patent applications in aerogel-related fields, of which more than 50 have been authorized. In 2018, a patented technology of nano aerogel material won the China Patent Gold Award.
In recent years, ZHKG has continued to deepen the research and application of aerogel material technology, and has developed a series of medium-temperature and high-temperature aerogel products, which are widely used in national defense and civil fields such as aerospace, new energy vehicles, and building energy conservation. It has effectively transformed the aerospace technology achievements into the civil field.