China's Space Program News Thread

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The pine seeds that took a 397-hour space journey aboard Chinese spacecraft "Shenzhou-8" have grown well in Yueyang, Hunan. The Institute of Forestry and Paper Making officials in Yueyang said on April 28 that the space nurtured seeds have gown out strong shoots.

According to a briefing, the space nurtured pine seeds are 30 grams in weight for two species, including the wetland pine seeds at 26 grams, and Masson pine seeds at 4 grams.

This is the first time for a Chinese paper maker to nurture its pine seeds in a spacecraft. The Chinese made unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 was launched on November 1st, 2011, and made a 16-day Earth circling journey, where the seeds onboard went through five “critical thresholds” of cosmic energetic particle radiation, gravitation loss, vacuuming, large temperature difference, and high cleanness requirement.

Experts told reporters that the space nurtured seeds will have 20% to 30% chance to mutate, which would consequentially produce some new species enjoying enhanced properties, such as fast growing, pest-resistance, and high fat content in the future.

 

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Researchers at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Coporation (CASTC) has begun developing the prototype Fengyun-4 (FY-4) meteorological satellite, with the first of the series scheduled to be launched around 2015.

The FY-4 project involves the country's second-generation of geo-stationary meteorological satellites, with enhanced detection performance that can match the internationally advanced level, according to the project's researchers.

Compared with other meteorological satellites currently in operation, the FY-4 satellite will integrate scan imaging, vertical atmosphere detection and lightning imaging observation, said Zhang Zhiqing, the chief designer of the ground application system of the Fengyun series.

“The FY-4 satellite is geosynchronous and will orbit in space 36,000 kilometers above us. They will be mainly used to obtain the physical parameters of the earth surface and the atmosphere, which can be inverted into the physical parameters of clouds and waters. The resolution ratio is about 0.5 to 1 kilometer,” said Dong Yaohai, chief designer of FY-4 meteorological satellite.

Besides the improvement of the resolution ratio, Zhang also pointed out that the spinning speed of the FY-4 satellite will be accelerated.

“It takes the Fengyun-2 satellite (launched on January 13 and now in operation) 30 minutes to circle the earth once for a complete meteorological image, but it will only take the FY-4 satellite 15 minutes, which enables the FY-4 satellite to improve their observation frequency,” Zhang added.

 

[Quickie]

Why don't you post your comparison between civilian vs military missions so that the world can analyze your data. I think that you can plainly see that the majority of military missions are unmanned and do not involve NASA

It's pointless to try to differentiate them. One can see that the "civilian" space shuttle technology is being used in the the U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane, which clearly has military application.

 

[SUPARCO]

Hello,

Congratulations to China for sending three Chinese Taikonauts into space and docking with another space craft.

Could I please ask:

• What is the next big date we need to watch out for?
• Will the space laboratory be visited again by Chinese Taikonauts?
• How long will the space laboratory stay functional in space?
• Are there any sort of moon missions planned for this year?

 

[stardave]

Hello,

Congratulations to China for sending three Chinese Taikonauts into space and docking with another space craft.

Could I please ask:

• What is the next big date we need to watch out for?
• Will the space laboratory be visited again by Chinese Taikonauts?
• How long will the space laboratory stay functional in space?
• Are there any sort of moon missions planned for this year?

1. Shenzhou-10 will be next mission, with another 3 crew members. By end of 2012 or beginning of 2013.
2. Yes, by Shenzhou-10
3. It will probably de orbit after Shenzhou-10 mission
4. Don't think so.

 

[SUPARCO]

1. Shenzhou-10 will be next mission, with another 3 crew members. By end of 2012 or beginning of 2013.
2. Yes, by Shenzhou-10
3. It will probably de orbit after Shenzhou-10 mission
4. Don't think so.

Hello,

Thanks stardave for the reply.

 

[Mysterre]

Space Programs have many different components with unmanned launches making up the bulk of the military launches. If you knew anything about the history of different countries space programs you would know that both the Russians and Americans did away with pure manned military launches decades ago. Check out the American MOL program and the Almaz programs to clear up the confusion between military and civilian that is obviously in your mind

".....The ascent of man into space at the height of the Cold War raised the question of the military role for piloted spacecraft. On October 12, 1964, during a meeting of leading specialists of the OKB-52 design bureau, based in Reutov, on the eastern edge of Moscow, its chief-designer Vladimir Chelomei officially announced the beginning the Orbital Piloted Station, OPS, project code-named Almaz or "Diamond." The Soviet government saw the Almaz project as a response to the development of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory, MOL, by the US Air Force...."

What a total copout answer. China's manned program is now where the US and Soviet manned programs were in the early 60's. American and Russian manned space technology is now mature, and so it's quite easy for you to say they are no longer doing it. They don't have to because they already have it. China is still yet developing this technology as it goes. It's not even at the Apollo Program stage of the American manned program. It's rather disgusting that you still refuse to acknowledge the motivations of the Americans and Soviets when they embarked on their manned programs, but still want to act all ridiculously sinister about China's manned program. But then again, that's just who you are. Nothing new here.

 

[escobar]

3. It will probably de orbit after Shenzhou-10 mission

According to the deputy chief engineer of the Shenzhou spacecraft Yu HO, three factors determine the lifespan of TG-1: power production capacity, reserves of propellants and the health of its onboard equipment. And according to the latest data sent by TQ-1, its lifespan will be much higher than the 2 years originally planned specifically on these 3 points:

* for power generation systems the entire system is working correctly after 273 days in orbit
* only 25% of propellant has been used
* at the level of onboard equipment all redundant equipment did not even need to be activated.

He then said that everything is possible. "One can even imagine that it will fly together with TG-2... But the initial objective was that there should be at least six docking with TG-1 (2 automatic with SZ-8, an automatic + Manual with SZ-9, and 2 others with SZ-10)"

Are there any sort of moon missions planned for this year?

Chang'e 3 (lander/rover) for next year.

 

[stardave]

What a total copout answer. China's manned program is now where the US and Soviet manned programs were in the early 60's. American and Russian manned space technology is now mature, and so it's quite easy for you to say they are no longer doing it. They don't have to because they already have it. China is still yet developing this technology as it goes. It's not even at the Apollo Program stage of the American manned program. It's rather disgusting that you still refuse to acknowledge the motivations of the Americans and Soviets when they embarked on their manned programs, but still want to act all ridiculously sinister about China's manned program. But then again, that's just who you are. Nothing new here.

I bet if China don't have manned space program, he would accuse China of using space for military purposes, by sending up reconnaissance satellites to spy on other nation, and GPS satellites for tracking missiles, and question us why won't China explore space by sending human up there.

Now China did send a human up there, he questions why China won't send probe to Mars like US does. And when China do send probes to Mars and moon, he would still accuse China of trying to colonize Mars and solar system.

People like NikeX already have his mind make up, he only listen to sources that confirm his point of view, and any source that disapproves it, are of course course dirty propaganda.

---------- Post added at 08:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:22 PM ----------

According to the deputy chief engineer of the Shenzhou spacecraft Yu HO, three factors determine the lifespan of TG-1: power production capacity, reserves of propellants and the health of its onboard equipment. And according to the latest data sent by TQ-1, its lifespan will be much higher than the 2 years originally planned specifically on these 3 points:

* for power generation systems the entire system is working correctly after 273 days in orbit
* only 25% of propellant has been used
* at the level of onboard equipment all redundant equipment did not even need to be activated.

He then said that everything is possible. "One can even imagine that it will fly together with TG-2... But the initial objective was that there should be at least six docking with TG-1 (2 automatic with SZ-8, an automatic + Manual with SZ-9, and 2 others with SZ-10)"

Hope so, they would save a lot of money by docking that with TG-2, but I have a feeling that when TG-2 come along, TG-1 will be obsolete. Also we have no idea of the durability of TG-1's docking port, I hope it won't suffer metal fatigue or leakage from docking too often.

 

[NikeX]

It's pointless to try to differentiate them. One can see that the "civilian" space shuttle technology is being used in the the U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane, which clearly has military application.

Unless you have access to classified data you would be hard pressed to tell what civilian technologies or otherwise X-37B has integrated into the space craft. But for the sake of this discussion please name some of these civilian technologies you think X-37B is using. I say you are reaching.

---------- Post added at 08:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 PM ----------

@stardave: Still waiting for someone to tell me the military value of the respective Russian and American moon programs. Some things are just pure science. You have to accept that.