At 13:49 on May 8, 2020, the return module of China's new-generation manned spacecraft test vessel successfully landed in the predetermined area of the Jiuquan Dongfeng landing site. The safe return of the test ship's return cabin marked the first success of the China Space Station stage flight mission. At the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, Zhang Boyan, the chief designer of China ’s manned aerospace engineering spacecraft system and the project leader of the new generation manned spacecraft test ship of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group, witnessed this scene together with the members of the test ship project.
Chinese thermal defense material design has surpassed the United States
The new-generation manned spacecraft is a new-generation space shuttle that has been demonstrated for the needs of China's near-Earth space station operations, manned moon exploration and other missions. In order to be able to verify more new technologies and new materials in one mission, the test ship development team has created many firsts in the field of manned spacecraft in China. In this mission, for the first time, a new type of lightweight ablative carbon-based heat-resistant material was used, for the first time, a new single-component non-toxic propulsion system with the largest thrust in the world, and for the first time the group umbrella pneumatic deceleration and airbag landing buffer technology, etc.
Zhang Bainan, the project leader of the New Generation Manned Spacecraft Test Ship of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group: It is much more tolerant of heat flow than the Shenzhou spacecraft, and it is twice or more than three times. The temperature may be close to 3000 degrees. As a manned spacecraft, on the one hand, its heat resistance is very good; on the other hand, in order to be able to reach the orbit of the moon, it also requires its light weight. This new material is independently developed by our country. The structure is independently developed by our country. We originally worked on a generation of heat-resistant materials. At that time, we felt that the material test was not ideal enough. Everyone also felt that there was still a distance from this goal. At that time, there was actually a shadow similar to that of foreign countries. Therefore, the entire plan was later revised relatively large, otherwise I always feel that I am always learning from others. All I have to do is to be myself. It can be said that the design of our heat-resistant materials should have exceeded that of the United States.
From scratch, "Thanks to the substantial increase in China's manufacturing capacity"
As early as around 2010, China Manned Aerospace proposed the concept of a new generation of manned spacecraft for multi-missions. After the establishment of the project, the development of the test ship was fully launched in 2017. By December 2019, the test ship project team broke through a large number of The key technology has created this new generation of manned spaceship test vessel that develops a new "sky road" from scratch.
Zhang Boyan, the project leader of the new generation manned spacecraft test ship project of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group: Like the American Orion spacecraft started very early, including the Musk Dragon spacecraft actually started very early, and it took a long time. We started very late as this project. Compared with the previous Shenzhou spacecraft, this time the development of the spaceship did indeed feel that the capability of manufacturing in China has been greatly improved. It is very fast and very accurate from the factory to the end of the drawing, and it can be completed at once. This level of technology should be internationally advanced or internationally leading. I used to feel that our country's machine tool equipment is a bit "silly and black", but in recent years, Chinese manufacturing has become more and more beautiful and fashionable. Not only our new generation of spacecraft, many spacecraft and satellites in our country have benefited from the improvement of China's manufacturing capabilities. I believe that in the near future, China will truly achieve a new generation of spacecraft manned flight, and its overall comprehensive performance should be internationally advanced or even leading.