"Astronauts" also need protection! These "artifacts" protect astronauts

It has been more than 30 years since China's manned space program was officially launched. In the process of continuous development and growth of the aerospace industry, 14 major systems have gradually been formed, including the astronaut system, space application system, manned spacecraft system, cargo spacecraft system, Long March 2F carrier rocket system, Long March 7 carrier rocket system, Long March 5B carrier rocket system, Jiuquan launch site system, Hainan launch site system, measurement, control and communication system, space laboratory system, space station system, landing site system, and optical cabin system.

Astronaut System

The overall unit of the astronaut system is the China Astronaut Research and Training Center. Its main goal is to ensure astronauts' long-term healthy life and efficient work in orbit. It is a system that combines medicine and engineering.

Extravehicular activities of the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft crew

The main tasks of the astronaut system are divided into three parts: "training people, supporting people, and researching people". The first is "training people", that is, to establish a team of astronauts with a reasonable structure, moderate size, high quality, and good work style, and to select and train qualified crew members for manned space flight missions. The second is "supporting people", that is, to build a complete health protection, life protection, and work protection system, formulate medical/ergonomic requirements for manned spacecraft and implement evaluations, and provide protection for astronauts' in-orbit flight. The third is "researching people", that is, to explore and solve human-related space life science problems, master and develop advanced health protection and ergonomics technologies, and provide continuous theoretical and technical support for the innovative development of manned spaceflight and future manned deep space exploration.

Astronauts disassemble and assemble the solar panels of the Tianhe core module during underwater training

Space Application System

The overall unit of the space application system is the Space Application Engineering and Technology Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is mainly responsible for space science and application research of manned space engineering.

The main task of the space application system is to use the application support capabilities of manned spacecraft to carry out space science experiments and application research, promote and lead the leapfrog development of space science and application fields, and achieve major scientific results and application benefits. In the Wentian experimental module launched on July 24, 2022, a large number of scientific experimental facilities and shared support equipment for application tasks inside and outside the cabin are all the work of space application system researchers.

Astronauts in the space station eat "space lettuce" for Mid-Autumn Festival

Manned spacecraft system

The overall unit of the manned spacecraft system is the China Academy of Space Technology, whose main task is to develop the Shenzhou series of manned spacecraft. The Shenzhou series of manned spacecraft is a manned spacecraft developed by China for transporting personnel and materials between the earth and the sky. It has reached or exceeded the international third-generation manned spacecraft technology, has completely independent intellectual property rights and distinctive Chinese characteristics. This series of spacecraft can be used for multiple purposes, not only for orbit observation, but also as a rendezvous and docking aircraft, to meet the needs of round-trip between the earth and the sky.

The scientific research team took a group photo with the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft

In response to the needs of space station operations and manned lunar exploration, China is intensively developing a new generation of manned spacecraft. The test ship made its maiden flight on May 5, 2020 on a Long March 5B rocket.

Cargo Ship System

The overall unit of the cargo spacecraft system is the China Academy of Space Technology, whose main task is to develop the Tianzhou series of cargo spacecraft. The spacecraft is responsible for transporting supplies and payloads to the space station or space laboratory, replenishing propellants, storing and downlinking waste materials on orbit, and falling in a controlled manner in a predetermined area after the mission is completed. It can also cooperate to complete other test tasks.

Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft

Launch vehicle system

So far, there are three launch vehicles that have contributed to China's manned space program, namely the Long March 2F, Long March 7 and Long March 5B. Their overall units are all the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

Long March 2F, Long March 7, Long March 5B rockets

The Long March 2F rocket is a rocket developed on the basis of the Long March 2E rocket, in accordance with the requirements of launching manned spacecraft, with the goal of improving reliability and ensuring safety. The rocket is 58.34 meters long, weighs 479.8 tons at takeoff, and has a takeoff thrust of about 600 tons. The core stage of the rocket has a diameter of 3.35 meters and is bundled with four boosters with a diameter of 2.25 meters. At present, the Long March 2F rocket is the only manned carrier rocket in China, which can be divided into the state of launching the Tiangong laboratory and the state of launching manned spacecraft.

The Long March 7 rocket is a new generation of medium-sized carrier rocket in China that is non-toxic and low-pollution. It adopts a two-stage configuration with four boosters bundled together. The rocket is 53.1 meters long, has a takeoff mass of 597 tons, uses a liquid oxygen-kerosene engine, and has a low-Earth orbit carrying capacity of 13.5 tons. The Long March 7 rocket is responsible for the launch of cargo spacecraft during the space station project.

The Long March 5B rocket is mainly responsible for the launch of the space station's core module and experimental module and is China's current rocket with the largest low-Earth orbit carrying capacity.

Launch Site System

So far, China's manned space program launch site system includes the Jiuquan Launch Site System and the Hainan Launch Site System. Their main tasks are to test and launch launch vehicles, spacecraft, space stations, payloads and astronaut system equipment at the launch site, and provide corresponding support conditions.

The overall unit of the Jiuquan Launch Site System is the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which is responsible for the launch of manned spacecraft and space laboratories. The Jiuquan Manned Space Launch Site was officially put into use in 1998, and it adopts the advanced mode of "vertical assembly, vertical testing, vertical transportation" and long-distance test launch control with international advanced level.

The overall unit of the Hainan launch site system is the China Wenchang Space Launch Center, which is mainly responsible for the launch of the Tiangong space station module and the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft. The Hainan Wenchang Space Launch Center started construction in August 2007 and is a new ecological, environmentally friendly and open space launch site in China.

Hainan Wenchang Space Launch Center

Measurement, control and communication system

The overall unit of the measurement, control and communication system is the Beijing Institute of Measurement, Control and Communication Technology, which is mainly responsible for the measurement, monitoring and control of the flight trajectory, attitude and working status of rockets and spacecraft, and provides channels for video and voice communication with astronauts. It is the only means of communication between the ground and the spacecraft from takeoff to the end of its life.

The system includes a land, sea and space-based measurement and control network, including multiple command and control centers, domestic fixed measurement and control stations, foreign measurement and control stations, mobile measurement and control stations, the Yuanwang series of ocean-going survey ships and relay satellite systems.

Yuanwang 5 space survey ship

Space Lab System

The overall unit of the space laboratory system is the China Academy of Space Technology. The space laboratory is a manned spacecraft for conducting space test activities. It is smaller than the space station and can be considered the prototype of the space station. Its main tasks are to break through and master the spacecraft space rendezvous and docking and assembly control technology; break through the key technologies such as astronaut mid-term stay, long-term autonomous flight of spacecraft in orbit, regenerative life support and cargo spacecraft replenishment; verify the performance and function of the spacecraft for round-trip transportation between the earth and the sky; and pre-assess the key technologies related to the construction of the space station. China has launched and operated the Tiangong-1 target spacecraft and the Tiangong-2 space laboratory, and has achieved many results.

Astronaut Liu Wang holds a panda doll inside the combined cabin of the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and the Tiangong-1 target spacecraft

Space Station System

The overall unit of the space station system is the China Academy of Space Technology, whose main function is to be responsible for the development and construction of China's Tiangong space station.

The Tiangong Space Station is a multi-module space experiment platform assembled in orbit. It is also a large-scale, long-term manned national space laboratory that can support astronauts to live and work in orbit for a long time. It has a rated crew of 3 and a design life of at least 10 years. During its in-orbit operation, the Tiangong Space Station uses manned spacecraft to transport astronauts back and forth to complete crew rotation, and cargo spacecraft to complete material replenishment and waste downlink.

Landing site system

The overall unit of the landing site system is the China Xi'an Satellite Tracking and Control Center, whose main tasks are to select a safe return landing site for the manned spacecraft return capsule, complete the tracking and control communication tasks of the return capsule during the return landing phase, search and find the return capsule after landing, rescue astronauts, recover the return capsule and payload, and provide communication and meteorological support services for the landing site. China's public manned space landing sites include the Siwangziqi landing site and the Dongfeng landing site.

Dongfeng Landing Site

Specifically, the landing site system consists of six parts: the main landing site, the secondary landing site, land emergency search and rescue, sea emergency search and rescue during the ascent phase, communications, and astronaut medical monitoring and medical insurance.

Optical cabin system

The overall unit of the optical cabin system is the China Academy of Space Technology, which is mainly responsible for the development of the space station's sky survey optical cabin platform for uplink multifunctional optical facilities. The sky survey optical cabin will be launched into orbit separately and will fly in the same orbit as the space station to support multifunctional optical facilities in conducting sky surveys and earth observations; when necessary, it can dock with the main body of the space station to carry out activities such as propellant replenishment, equipment maintenance, and payload equipment upgrades.

The Sky Survey Optical Module is expected to be launched in 2023