China’s Tiangong Space Station will be completed in 2022, with large payload capacity, long operation period in orbit, and experimental facilities for earth-space transportation, global tracking and communication, astronaut care, and replaceable and upgradeable. These characteristics have created excellent conditions for in-orbit experiments of space technology. The space station will provide unprecedented opportunities for the development of China’s space technology. By making full use of the space station’s unique experimental resources, conducting in-orbit experiments, and addressing problems that impede the development of advanced space technology, a series of influential technical research achievements can be achieved. This will promote the innovation and development of space technology, lay the foundation for mastering new space technologies and key core technologies, realize leapfrog development, and provide strong technical support for the construction of a strong space nation. It will also promote high-quality innovation and the development of economic and social benefits through space technology, and contribute the “China’s strengths” to the progress of human scientific knowledge. In a new opinion piece published in the space science and technology magazine Space: Science & Technology, experts from the Beijing Spacecraft Systems Engineering Institute proposed a top-level plan for China’s space technology development to meet the needs of its space industry and the cutting-edge fields of space technology.
The article first introduces the mission objectives of China’s Tiangong Space Station space technology experiments, which are divided into three aspects: basic space technology, advanced instruments or subsystems, and advanced space mission systems.
1. Strengthen the foundation of space technology and improve the basic level of space technology. This includes promoting the large-scale application of domestic core parts, basic materials, processes and precision components, and achieving self-reliant and controllable basic space technology and continuous improvement.
2. Evaluating and verifying the application of core components and advanced equipment, including developing and mastering a series of new space core technologies, accumulating technological accumulation, and realizing breakthroughs in space technology.
3. Promoting new space systems and space applications. This aims to form stronger capabilities to handle complex space missions, accelerate the construction of more complete space systems and facilities, master more comprehensive management methods and technologies for complex space mission systems, and promote the substantial application and benefits of new space systems and innovative space applications (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Mission Objective System
The authors then outline the conditions for conducting space technology experiments on the Tiangong Space Station (Figure 2).
1. Support functions within the space station module. The basic space experiment cabinet serves as a common support system that provides standard interfaces for mechanical, thermal control, power, information and vacuum for the experimental equipment, ensuring the smooth implementation of the experimental project on orbit.
2. Space Station Module External Support Functions. The Open Experiment Platform provides a mechanical installation interface for external payloads via a payload adapter, and provides interface support for payload power, information, and thermal control.
3. Cargo spacecraft support function. The cargo spacecraft will utilize the resources left over from cargo transportation to establish a regular payload experiment support platform to support various types of payloads and experiment tasks.
4. Downlink capability of manned spacecraft. Currently, some experimental payloads that require downlink can be transported to the ground through the return capsule of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft. Overall, human participation in space technology experiments on the space station provides better experimental conditions, more abundant experimental resources, more diverse experimental methods, more flexible and controllable experimental processes, and more reliable experimental results. Engineering space technology experiments on the space station can cover all areas of space technology experiments, providing unparalleled advantages compared with other spacecraft.
Figure 2 Logical relationship of space technology experiment conditions on the Tiangong Space Station
Next, the authors present a systematic layout of the space technology experiment mission on the Tiangong Space Station and plan five research themes based on the direction of space technology (Fig. 3).
1. Develop robotics and autonomous system technologies, enhance our ability to handle complex space missions, and accelerate the construction of a more complete space systems facility, including human-machine collaborative on-orbit operations technologies and space debris capture and removal technologies.
2. Development of in-orbit assembly and construction technologies to meet the needs of future manned deep space exploration missions and in-orbit servicing missions, such as in-orbit assembly and manufacturing technologies for large space facilities, in-orbit additive manufacturing technologies, and in-orbit deployable structure mechanism technologies.
3. New energy and propulsion technologies mainly focus on new generation highly efficient power sources and high performance propulsion technologies, including new energy system technologies and propulsion system technologies.
4. Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) technologies, mainly intended for long-term, long-distance manned space exploration missions, such as highly closed ecosystem life support systems, long-term space environment microbial prevention technology, and extraterrestrial resource utilization technology.
5. New technologies common to spacecraft, such as space thermal management technology, new technologies in components, raw materials, processes, new measurement technologies, advanced navigation information control technology, on-orbit satellite deployment technology, and on-orbit maintenance technology.
Figure 3: Layout of Tiangong Space Station on-orbit technology experiment and verification mission
Finally, the authors put forward suggestions for the development of China’s space technology. The development strategy for the in-orbit experiment and verification project of space technology on the China Space Station can be summarized as follows:
1. Adhere to the primary goal of achieving great gains in science and applications.
2. Top-level planning and overall layout.
3. Systematic planning and classified implementation. Based on the five previously planned research themes, the authors put forward the following recommendations for future on-orbit experiments and space technology verification projects on the Tiangong Space Station:
– In terms of robotics and autonomous systems technology, it is recommended to focus on enhancing the operational capabilities of the space station platform, improving astronauts’ on-orbit operation capabilities, and improving the capabilities of robotic arm systems, and to carry out phased validation of key on-orbit technologies such as human-machine collaboration and multi-machine collaboration.
In terms of in-orbit assembly and construction technology, it is recommended to carry out gradual verification of key technologies such as large optical telescopes, large truss structures, and space welding.
– In terms of new energy and propulsion technologies, it is recommended to verify new generation energy system technologies such as highly efficient solar cells and high specific energy batteries.
– In terms of ECLSS technology, it is recommended to verify the in-orbit integration of the core functional modules of the advanced closed life support system, expand the existing ECLSS functions, and gradually build a typical control ecosystem system for direct application in space station missions.
– In terms of common new spacecraft technology, it is recommended to develop key technologies for space liquid metal thermal management and conduct technical experiments on the impact of the space environment on domestic parts and raw materials. As the requirements for future space missions continue to evolve, the development of space technology will also change rapidly. Therefore, on-orbit space technology experiment and verification projects should be dynamically adjusted to the overall mission layout and dynamically match the long-term plan for space technology development.
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