Hosted by China Aerospace News Agency and co-organized by Beijing Aerospace Digital Sea Technology Co., Ltd., the "Aerospace Digital Sea Cup", which was jointly selected by famous academicians and experts in aerospace and military fields such as Zhang Lvqian, Xu Guangyu and Wang Wei, and authoritative media reporters engaged in scientific and technological reporting in China, was announced on the 2nd.
Ten pieces of news, including the successful mission of Tianzhou-1, were selected as the top ten news of China Aerospace in 2017. Ten pieces of news, including SpaceX’s major breakthrough in the reusable technology of spacecraft, were selected as the top ten news of world aerospace in 2017.
In this selection, two pieces of China space news were selected as the top ten news in the world space, which effectively reflected the new major scientific and technological achievements that China has continuously made in the process of building a space power and a world science and technology power.
China Aerospace Newspaper is the only authoritative industry media publicly issued in China’s aerospace field. So far, it has held five consecutive news selection activities for China Aerospace and World Aerospace, which has a wide influence in the industry. Beijing Aerospace Digital Sea Technology Co., Ltd., which co-organized this news selection activity, focuses on aerospace popular science education and the transformation of aerospace integration of defense and civilian technologies achievements, and is committed to promoting the extensive promotion of aerospace culture, the cross-integration of aerospace technology and civil market, promoting the transformation of aerospace scientific and technological achievements, and promoting the further development of China’s aerospace integration of defense and civilian technologies industry and popular science culture industry.
The specific selection results are as follows-
Top Ten News of China Aerospace
The mission of Tianzhou-1 was a complete success, and the second step of China’s manned spaceflight project was successfully completed.
On April 20th, China successfully launched the first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 at Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan. Tianzhou-1 successfully verified the key technologies of space station cargo replenishment, in-orbit propellant replenishment and autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking, and was controlled to re-enter the atmosphere and burned on September 22. Tianzhou-1 mission is the final battle of the space laboratory mission of manned spaceflight project. The complete success of the mission marks the successful completion of the second step of China’s manned spaceflight project, and China’s manned spaceflight project has entered a new stage of development.
2. China’s commercial space launch has made new breakthroughs.
On January 9th, the Kuaizhou-1A universal solid-state launch vehicle was successfully launched at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. This is the "first order" for commercial space launch of Kuaizhou series rockets developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Group Co., Ltd.. On November 21st, China’s new generation carrier rocket Long March 6 successfully launched three satellites at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This is the first commercial launch mission of the Chang-6 rocket developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. At present, the global market demand for satellite applications is increasingly extensive, and China’s commercial launch is characterized by many models, wide demand, rapid response and rapid development.
3. The successful launch of Zhongxing 16 opened the era of satellite communication in Qualcomm, China.
On April 12th, the satellite Shijian-13 (Zhongxing-16) was successfully launched into orbit from long march 3b in xichang satellite launch center. This satellite is China’s first communication satellite with engineering application of electric propulsion in Qualcomm, and it is also the first satellite with full configuration of Dongfanghong-3 B platform. It has undertaken the task of carrying out high-speed laser communication experiment with the earth on the geosynchronous orbit satellite for the first time in China.
4. Mozi completed three scientific goals ahead of schedule.
On August 10th, Mozi, the world’s first experimental satellite for quantum science, which was completely independently developed by China, successfully realized two-way quantum communication between satellite and ground for the first time in the world. In less than a year, Mozi completed the three scientific goals of high-speed quantum key distribution, quantum entanglement distribution and quantum teleportation experiment of satellites, which were originally scheduled for two years. This indicates that China’s quantum communication research has reached a leading position in the world.
5. The Beidou-3 double star was successfully launched, opening a new era of global networking.
On November 5th, China successfully launched the first binary star of Beidou-3 with the Long March 3B/Expedition I carrier rocket in xichang satellite launch center. The first launch of Beidou-3 global networking satellite was a complete success, which opened a new era of global networking of Beidou satellite navigation system, and the "three-step" development strategy of Beidou satellite navigation system entered the "last step".
6. On-orbit delivery of China’s new generation geostationary meteorological satellite Fengyun-4
On September 25th, the on-orbit delivery ceremony of China’s new generation geostationary meteorological satellite Fengyun-4 was held in Beijing. The satellite was officially delivered to the user China Meteorological Bureau by the development unit China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The on-orbit delivery of Fengyun-4 satellite marks the upgrading of China’s geostationary meteorological satellite observation system and the leap from "parallel running" to "leading" of China’s geostationary meteorological satellites, which is of great significance for ensuring the continuous, reliable and stable operation of China’s geostationary meteorological observation business and improving the international status and influence of China’s aerospace and meteorological undertakings.
7. Algerian No.1 communication satellite was successfully launched, and Arab countries welcomed the first China star.
On December 11th, long march 3b successfully launched Algerian-1 communication satellite in xichang satellite launch center. A Xing-1 is the first communication satellite in Algeria and the first cooperation project between China and Algeria in the space field, which has set a successful precedent for cooperation between China and Arab countries in the space field.
8. "Wukong" successfully obtained the most accurate electron cosmic ray spectrum.
On November 30th, China Academy of Sciences announced the detection results of China’s dark matter particle detection satellite "Wukong": during the first 530 days of its orbit, the satellite collected about 2.8 billion high-energy cosmic rays, including about 1.5 million electron cosmic rays above 25 GeV (1 GeV = 1 billion electron volts). Based on these data, researchers have successfully obtained the most accurate electron cosmic ray energy spectrum in the world, which will help to find clues about the existence of dark matter.
9. China’s first X-ray space astronomical satellite "Huiyan" was launched.
On June 15th, China successfully launched the first X-ray space astronomical satellite "Huiyan" with the Long March 4 B carrier rocket at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. At the same time, the launch also carried a number of satellites such as the Uruguayan NewSat-3 small satellite. The full name of "Huiyan" is Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope Satellite (HXMT), which is another important space science satellite in China. It will significantly improve the development level of China’s large-scale scientific satellites, fill the gap of China’s space X-ray exploration satellites, and realize the leap from ground observation to joint observation of heaven and earth in the field of space high-energy astrophysics.
10. The "Moon Palace 365" plan was launched.
On May 10th, the first batch of volunteers of "Yuegong 365" experimental plan entered Yuegong No.1 experimental module. The experimental plan of "Yuegong 365" is to live in "Yuegong No.1" for 365 days. The experimenters are divided into two groups alternately, with 4 people in each group. The first group has 60 days, the second group has 200 days, and then the first group completes another 105 days. "Yuegong No.1" is the first ground-based experimental device of biological regeneration life support system in space base in China and the third in the world.
Top Ten World Aerospace News in 2017
1. SpaceX has made a major breakthrough in the reusable technology of spacecraft.
In 2017, SpaceX made several major breakthroughs in the reusable technology of spacecraft. On March 31, the company successfully launched the "second-hand" Falcon 9 rocket, realizing the company’s first reuse of a liquid launch vehicle. On June 4, the company’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the "second-hand" dragon spacecraft developed for the company, which was the first time SpaceX reused the orbital-class spacecraft. On December 15th, the company launched a "second-hand" spacecraft with a "second-hand" rocket for the first time. The first stage of Falcon 9 rocket and the cargo "Dragon" spacecraft used in this launch were used once in June 2017 and April 2015 respectively.
2. China Mozi completed three scientific goals ahead of schedule.
On August 10th, Mozi, the world’s first quantum science experimental satellite independently developed by China, successfully realized the two-way quantum communication between satellite and ground for the first time in the world. In less than one year, Mozi completed the three scientific goals of high-speed quantum key distribution between satellite and ground, quantum entanglement distribution and quantum teleportation experiment between satellite and ground, which indicated that China’s quantum communication research had reached a leading position in the world.
3. Cassini probe hits Saturn and ends its mission.
On September 15th, the American Cassini probe, which has been running in Saturn’s orbit for 13 years, ended its mission by hitting Saturn, and sent the atmospheric data obtained back to Earth before it crashed, which is helpful to further increase human’s understanding of Saturn. Cassini probe has been running in Saturn’s orbit for 13 years since it arrived in Saturn’s orbit in 2004, which has brought amazing discoveries to mankind-knowledge about this "straw hat planet" and its many mysterious satellites.
The mission of Tianzhou-1 was a complete success, and the second step of China’s manned spaceflight project was successfully completed.
On April 20th, China successfully launched the first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 at Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan. Tianzhou-1 successfully verified the key technologies of space station cargo replenishment, in-orbit propellant replenishment and autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking, and was controlled to re-enter the atmosphere and burned on September 22. Tianzhou-1 mission is the final battle of the space laboratory mission of manned spaceflight project. The complete success of the mission marks the successful completion of the second step of China’s manned spaceflight project, and China’s manned spaceflight project has entered a new stage of development.
5. The United States successfully restarted the voyager 1 thruster that had been dormant for 37 years.
On November 28th, NASA issued a statement saying that a group of thrusters of Voyager 1 probe which had been dormant for 37 years had been successfully restarted. According to the statement, Voyager 1 has been using a set of "attitude control thrusters" to fine-tune its attitude, so that its antenna is always aimed at the earth and the communication between the two is kept smooth. However, since 2014, the performance of this group of thrusters began to deteriorate. Therefore, NASA decided to start four spare "orbit correction operation thrusters". Voyager 1 was launched in 1977, and now it has flown more than 20 billion kilometers away from the sun, leaving the heliosphere region of the sun and being in interstellar space.
6. Japan has completed the deployment of the initial operation capability of the "quasi-zenith" system.
On August 19th, Japan successfully launched the fourth quasi-zenith system satellite. So far, Japan has completed the deployment of the first phase of the quasi-zenith system, creating conditions for the initial operation of the system. According to the plan, Japan will complete the test of the system in early 2018 and put it into initial operation. "Quasi-zenith" system is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system independently developed by Japan, which has two functions of GPS enhancement and autonomous navigation service, covering Japan and its surrounding areas, and will enable Japan to establish an independent satellite navigation service capability.
7. The QB50 project satellite led by Europe and participated by many countries was successfully launched.
On April 18th, 28 QB50 satellites were launched by American Cosmos-5 carrier rocket. On June 23rd, the second batch of eight satellites of QB50 project entered sun-synchronous orbit by Indian carrier rocket, and the deployment of QB50 scientific satellites was officially completed. The purpose of this project is to carry out the largest multi-point in-situ detection of the earth’s atmosphere’s lower thermosphere so far, and at the same time verify the "resistance sail" deorbiting technology. The QB50 project was initiated by the European Union in 2011. Fifteen international institutions cooperated to lead the project. More than 40 universities, research institutions and companies from 23 countries, including four universities in China, participated in the satellite development.
8. India successfully launched a 104-star rocket to set a world record.
On February 15th, India successfully launched 104 satellites with PSLV carrier rocket, setting a world record for launching multiple satellites with one arrow. The carrying capacity of Indian PSLV rocket in 620km sun synchronous orbit is 1.75t.. Among the 104 satellites launched this time, the main load is a domestic remote sensing satellite weighing 714 kilograms. There are also two nanosatellites from India weighing 8.4 kg and 9.7 kg respectively, and the other 101 satellites are from the United States, Israel, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands, with a maximum weight of no more than 4.7 kg.
9. The United States and Russia jointly launched the "Deep Space Portal" lunar orbit space station project.
On September 27th, NASA and the Russian National Aerospace Corporation signed a joint statement, announcing that they would jointly build the first lunar orbiting space station named "Deep Space Portal" as a lunar base for deep exploration of the solar system and sending humans to Mars. "Deep Space Portal" is the name of the first space station in NASA’s manned landing on Mars. It will orbit between the earth and the moon and is expected to be launched as early as 2022. Since then, on December 12, US President Trump officially signed the "Space Policy No.1 Directive", requesting NASA to restart the manned moon landing program.
10. The US X-37B space plane set a new record for in-orbit flight.
On May 7, the U.S. space plane X-37B flew in Earth orbit for a record 718 days and returned to the ground on the same day. Like its previous three space missions, the US Air Force kept the mission very secret. The US Air Force issued a statement saying that the X-37B space plane carried out an in-orbit test during this mission, and at the same time extended the total time of the aircraft in orbit to 2085 days.
(Guangming Rong Media Reporter Xing Yuxi)
