Shenzhou V Manned Spacecraft: A Milestone in China's Space Exploration
The Shenzhou V spacecraft is the first manned spacecraft launched by China. It has an epoch-making significance for China. At 9 o’clock on October 15, 2003, the spacecraft carrying the space dreams of the Chinese was launched with Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The successful launch of this spacecraft marked China as the third country in the world to send humans to space.
This spacecraft is divided into orbital module, return capsule, propulsion compartment and an additional section for docking with the space station. Although the hatch was small, the astronaut’s living area, the storage of food, drinking water, toilets, sleeping bags, space applications and scientific testing equipment were all available. Solar battery wings were mounted on both sides of the orbital module. After Yang Liwei returned to Earth in the return capsule, the orbital module would remain in space for about half a year as an Earth satellite or space laboratory. The technology used in the orbital module was a feature of the Chinese aerospace industry.
In the 21 hours in space, Yang Liwei circled the Earth 14 times. The scientists on the ground observed his physical conditions and the completion of his work to prepare for China’s next launch of crafts. On the next morning after the launch, Y ang Liw ei successfully landed in Inner Mongolia in the return cabin. Since then, China’s manned space technology has developed rapidly. For example, Shenzhou VI Craft achieved the task of “multiple people and many days”, carrying two astronauts and flying for 115 hours and 32 minutes; Shenzhou VII Craft allowed Chinese astronauts out of the hatch in space for the first time; Shenzhou IX Craft launched in 2012, when for the first time, Liu Yang became the first woman in China to fly to space; Shenzhou X Craft was the first to apply the Space and Earth Transportation System. China’s space capabilities are progressing step by step, and getting more and more powerful.
The Beidou Satellite Navigation System: China's Global Navigation Solution
As one of only four global navigation satellite systems, along with the United States owned Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian GLONASS and European Galileo systems, the Beidou Satellite Navigation System (BDS) has been independently constructed and operated by China in order to meet the needs of the country’s national security and social and economic development, and to provide services to global users.
In the late 20th century, China started to develop its own navigation satellite system. The construction of the first Beidou system (Beidou-1), officially called the Beidou Satellite Navigation Experimental System, which consisted of only 3 satellites in total, had been completed by the end of 2000 and provided limited services to the whole nation and its neighboring regions. The second generation of Beidou system (Beidou-2), also known as COMPASS, became operational in the late 2011. With 10 satellites in orbit, it provided a wider coverage and has been offering services to users in the Asian-Pacific region since December 2012. China started to build the third generation Beidou system (Beidou-3) in 2015, and by the end of 2018 a preliminary system for global services had been completed with a total of 19 running satellites. Beidou-3 will eventually consist of 30 satellites and is planned to complete in 2020.
Beidou will serve as an alternative global navigation satellite system to United States’ GPS, Russia’s GLONASS and Europe’s Galileo and is expected to be more advanced in terms of positioning accuracy. In comparison with the other 3 navigation satellite systems, BDS possesses three unique characteristics. Firstly, BDS operates more satellites in high orbits so that it offers better anti-shielding capabilities and has enhanced performance in the low-latitude areas. Secondly, BDS integrates navigation and communication capabilities. It can not only report user’s current location but also enables message communication services between different users. Thirdly, BDS provides navigation signals of multiple frequencies and can significantly improve service accuracy by using combined multi-frequency signals.
BDS construction and development abide by the principles of “independence, openness, compatibility and gradualness”. In terms of independence, BDS has been independently developed, constructed and operated by China. With regard to openness, BDS services are free of charge, and open to global users to encourage all-scale international collaborations. Concerning compatibility, BDS will have enhanced compatibility and interoperability with other navigation satellite systems to provide better services to global users. As far as gradualness is concerned, BDS construction is carried out in a phased approach, and the BDS navigation industry is developed in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
Up to date, BDS has been serving almost 50 countries along the Belt and Road initiative, and actively promoting the economic and social development of those countries. As BDS joins hands with other navigation satellite systems, it will better serve the whole world. BDS service products have been penetrating every aspect of social production and people’s daily life, such as marine fishery, weather forecasting, mapping and geographic information, emergency search and rescue, forest fire prevention, and other fields, contributing significantly to the global economy and social development.
The Sky Eye: The World's Largest Single - Dish Radio Telescope
The 500-meter Aperture Spherical Rradio Telescope (FAST) is the world’s largest single dish radio telescope located in a natural basin, Guizhou Province. Construction of the FAST project started in March 2011. Significant difficulties encountered were the site’s remote location and poor road access. The last panel was installed on the morning of July 3, 2016.
FAST is the national project reviewed by the National Science and Education Leading Group. It is one of China’s major technological infrastructures, which was officially approved by the National Development and Reform Commission on July 10, 2007. It was jointly built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Guizhou Provincial People’s Government. The construction time is about 5.5 years from the date of the commencement of the construction report. The project intends to build a high-sensitivity giant radio telescope, using the original design of Chinese scientists and the unique topographical conditions of the karst depression in southern Guizhou.
When FAST is completed, it will become the world’s largest radio telescope. FAST is about 10 times more sensitive than the German Bonn 100-meter telescope, which is known as the “largest machine on the ground”. Compared with the US Arecibo 300-meter telescope, its overall performance is improved by about 10 times. As the world’s largest single-caliber telescope, FAST will maintain its position as a world-class device for the next 20 to 30 years.
The telescope made its first discovery of two new pulsars in August 2017. The new pulsars were also referred to as FAST pulsar #1 and #2 (FP1 and FP2), 16,000 and 4,100 light years away, respectively. They were independently confirmed by the Parkes Observatory in Australia. The telescope discovered 44 new pulsars by September 2018.
