Buying satellites online? Spaceflight changes our lives

In many people's minds, aerospace technology is so high-end that it is out of reach. In fact, aerospace technology not only serves high-end scientific research, but also brings many conveniences and surprises to people's daily lives. Recently, a piece of news about "online shopping for satellites to take space selfies" sparked heated discussions among netizens, and made people deeply feel how close aerospace technology is to life. So, what convenient services in life are actually the contributions of aerospace technology? Let's take a look at what surprises there are.

New consumption, new interaction

On March 30, the civilian satellite produced by my country's first commercial satellite factory was put on Taobao, with a price tag ranging from 2 million to 30 million yuan. Consumers can place orders directly and also purchase satellite "space selfie" services. This is the first time that my country has publicly sold satellite products on an e-commerce platform, which is also rare in the world.

It is reported that these satellites are all micro-satellites, mainly used in scientific research and teaching, remote sensing monitoring, communication and navigation, etc. After purchasing, consumers need to confirm specific needs and contract details with the satellite service provider, and then arrange the launch. If everything goes well, the satellite can be put into orbit in about half a year at the earliest.

In addition to purchasing the entire satellite, consumers can also enjoy services such as on-site viewing, personalized engraving, and on-orbit maintenance. The most eye-catching of these is the "space selfie" service, which allows users to upload their own pictures and display them on the satellite display screen, and cleverly combines the display screen with the space background, allowing users to obtain unique space commemorative photos.

Online shopping for satellites and "space selfie" services are not only an innovative combination of aerospace technology and e-commerce platforms, but also a new type of interaction between aerospace technology and people's lives. This new consumption and service model can not only meet the personalized needs and curiosity of consumers, but also is expected to promote the popularization and application of aerospace technology and stimulate the whole society's attention and support for the aerospace industry.

Comfortable and embarrassment-free

Livestreaming to sell satellites sounds new, but it is just a small example of aerospace technology serving the public. Inadvertently, aerospace technology has quietly changed our daily lives, helping us to be more comfortable and relaxed, and avoiding many embarrassments.

The spring sun is warm and gentle, and the sun is quietly releasing its power. Many people will prepare sunglasses when going out, and the new sunglasses are inseparable from aerospace technology.

In space, without the "cover" of the atmosphere, astronauts face more severe tests. The helmet goggles are likely to be scratched by space dust and particles, which not only interferes with work but also may damage the eyes. For this reason, scientists have invented special lens wear-resistant coatings. Sunglass lenses were originally just dyed glass or resin. Later, aerospace technology was applied and promoted, which increased their scratch resistance by more than 10 times, better helping us protect our eyes and enjoy the sun.

As night falls, people who have been busy all day lie down on soft and comfortable mattresses and pillows to relax. If you look closely at the new generation of bedding, you will find that there is a lot of knowledge about its materials. Many merchants will emphasize the use of memory foam, a material that can automatically adjust its shape according to the pressure and temperature of the human body, maintaining just the right state, and providing users with the best support and comfort.

In fact, memory foam was originally used in space missions. Another name, "space zero pressure space foam", reveals its origin. It can not only absorb impact, but also quickly shape the body, so that astronauts can maintain a stable posture in a weightless environment. Later, this material was used by businesses to let us enjoy sweet dreams.

Diapers are an important invention that significantly relieves embarrassment and fatigue. They absorb a lot of water every day to keep babies or small animals dry. Nowadays, when new parents and pet experts buy diapers, they will most likely see the "space" slogan.

In fact, since the 1970s, space suits have used special polymer water-absorbing resin materials, which can absorb a large cup of water with just a few dozen grams, making it easier for astronauts to work and live in space, including in "emergency situations" on the moon. Business opportunities have led to the evolution of the originally simple diapers into "diapers without wetness", saving mothers a lot of trouble.

Not only convenient but also life-saving

Recently, the cruise season has begun at Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace, and 200 small cruise ships have been equipped with Beidou terminals. When tourists encounter an emergency during driving, they can use the terminal to call for help with one click, and the staff can quickly locate the cruise ship and provide timely services and support. This is a vivid example of the further promotion of aerospace navigation technology.

In fact, modern people often cannot go anywhere without navigation, which is supported by a huge aerospace technology system. Artificial satellites and ground stations work closely together to determine the latitude, longitude, altitude and other information of any location on the earth in real time, providing high-precision, high-reliability and high-security positioning, navigation and timing services for the world or specific regions. From small walks and sightseeing to large-scale execution of complex tasks and emergency operations, everyone benefits greatly from it.

With the success of my country's Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission, nano-aerogel has entered the public eye. The thin nano-aerogel can make flowers and palms not afraid of flames of thousands of degrees Celsius, which is amazing. This is a lightweight, high-strength, high-insulation material with a large number of nano-pores that can effectively block heat transfer. It has played a key role in some key parts of the Zhurong Mars rover and the Long March series of rockets, protecting spacecraft from damage caused by extreme temperatures.

In addition, this material has been used in building insulation structures, making people safe and comfortable. This material can also be used between battery modules of new energy vehicles to significantly reduce fires caused by excessive battery temperatures. Nano aerogel also has great potential for application in noise absorption, heat alarm, etc.

When it comes to fire prevention, we often see smoke detectors on walls or ceilings in public places. This device can detect abnormalities in a timely manner, sound an alarm, and help people escape. In fact, this is a classic achievement of space technology for civilian use. The prototype is the adjustable smoke detector in the space station, which can adjust the sensitivity and response time according to different environmental conditions to accurately detect fire hazards.

In fact, there are countless examples of aerospace technology serving our lives: the satellite systems behind watching TV series and live broadcasts, enjoying high-speed "surfing" on airplanes that were once "network restricted areas", dehydrated vegetable packets and special sauce packets in fast food, ICU intensive care systems, barcodes on products, and must-see weather forecasts... These are all developed and improved under the impetus of aerospace technology. Many "down-to-earth" applications of aerospace technology will surely surprise many people. After all, they are not cold and "high-end", but are right next to us, making our lives better. (Author: Gu Xiangyu)