On December 29, 2020, sponsored by China Aerospace News, co-organized by Beijing Zhongke Aerospace Talent Service Co., Ltd., and jointly selected by well-known academicians and experts in the aerospace field and well-known domestic media persons, the “China Aerospace Talent Cup” 2020 China Aerospace Top Ten News Announced.
As the only authoritative industry media in the field of China’s aerospace industry, China Aerospace News has so far held eight consecutive selections of China’s aerospace and the world’s top ten aerospace news, which has extensive influence and authority in the industry.
Top 10 China Aerospace News in 2020
01. The Chang’e 5 mission was a complete success, and China realized the return of sampling of extraterrestrial objects for the first time
On November 24, the Long March 5 carrier rocket took off from China’s Wenchang Space Launch Site and accurately sent the 8.2-ton Chang’e-5 probe into the Earth-Moon transfer orbit. On December 17, the Chang’e-5 returner successfully landed in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia. The Chang’e-5 mission created “multiple firsts” for China’s space probes to sample and encapsulate extraterrestrial objects, take off extraterrestrial objects, achieve lunar orbital rendezvous and dock for the first time, and carry samples to reenter the earth at high speed for the first time. China’s lunar exploration project “circumnavigation, descend and return” three steps successfully concluded.
General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message on behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, stating that the Chang’e 5 mission, as China’s most complex aerospace system project with the largest technological span, has realized the return of samples from China’s extraterrestrial bodies for the first time. This is another major achievement made by leveraging the advantages of the new nationwide system to overcome difficulties and marks a big step forward for China’s aerospace industry.
02. The global constellation deployment of China’s Beidou satellite navigation system is completed
On July 31, the completion and opening ceremony of the Beidou-3 global satellite navigation system was held in Beijing. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission attended the ceremony and announced the official opening of the Beidou-3 global satellite navigation system. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission sent congratulatory messages.
On June 23, China successfully launched the 55th Beidou navigation satellite with the Long March IIIB carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This launch mission was a complete success, marking the completion of the Beidou-3 global constellation deployment and the ability to provide services to the world. The Beidou-3 system consists of 30 satellites in 24 medium-circle earth orbits, 3 geostationary orbits and 3 inclined geosynchronous orbits. Since then, China has become the third country in the world to independently own a global satellite navigation system. Currently, more than 120 countries and regions around the world use the Beidou system.
The Beidou No. 1 system and Beidou No. 2 system were completed in 2000 and 2012 respectively and provided services to China and the Asia-Pacific region. They are used in transportation, agriculture, forestry and fishery, hydrological monitoring, weather forecasting, communication timing, power dispatch, disaster relief and mitigation, and public Security and other fields have been widely used, and have produced significant economic and social benefits.
03. China takes the first step in planetary exploration, and the Tianwen-1 probe heads to Mars
On July 23, the Long March 5 carrier rocket made its first applied launch at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, successfully sending the first Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1 probe into the ground fire transfer orbit. The Tianwen-1 mission is a major landmark project in China’s process of building a powerful aerospace country, and a milestone project for China’s aerospace to move further into deep space. After the mission is successful, China will become the first country in the world to realize Mars circumnavigation and landing patrol detection through one mission for the first time, and it will also become the second country in the world to realize the safe landing and patrol detection of Mars rover.
Since its launch, “Tianwen-1” has completed three orbit corrections and one deep-space maneuver. It has flown about 360 million kilometers, more than 100 million kilometers from the Earth, and about 12 million kilometers from Mars. It is expected to be in 2021. After approaching Mars in the middle of the month, the “brake” brake was applied to enter the ring fire orbit to prepare for Mars landing.
04. The first flight of the Long March 5B carrier rocket was a complete success
On May 5, the Long March 5B carrier rocket ignited and lifted off at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, and then sent a new generation of manned spacecraft test ship, flexible inflatable cargo return cabin test module and other load combinations into the predetermined orbit for the first flight The mission was a complete success, the first battle of the space station stage mission was achieved, and the prelude to the “third step” mission of China’s manned space project. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission sent congratulatory messages. This is the first time that a Chinese or even Asian carrier rocket has launched a spacecraft of more than 20 tons.
The success of this mission has further established the position of the Long March 5 series of rockets in the world’s first echelon of active rockets, marking China’s official opening of the 25-ton “Heaven and Earth Transportation Corridor”, and has the foundation for the construction of large-scale space stations such as manned space stations. The capability of facilities is a crucial step that China has taken in its journey to build a power in space.
05. The first flight of China’s new-generation carrier rocket, Long March 8 successfully,
On December 22, China’s new-generation carrier rocket, Long March 8, took off at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, and then successfully sent five satellites into the scheduled orbit. The first flight mission was a complete success. China’s new-generation carrier rocket family has added new members, and the launch mission of the new-generation carrier rocket during China’s aerospace “13th Five-Year Plan” period has successfully concluded.
The Changba Rocket mainly focuses on the high-density launch mission requirements of the future sun-synchronous orbit. The successful first flight of the rocket has further improved the type spectrum of China’s launch vehicle and enhanced the carrying capacity of China’s rocket in the sun-synchronous orbit. A solid foundation has been laid for a space launch mission, adding new momentum to the building of a space power.
06. The Shishi 20 satellite was successfully located, and the Dongfanghong 5 satellite public platform successfully flew for the first time
On January 5, the Shijian 20 satellite was successfully located and entered the working orbit. This marked the success of the first flight of a new generation of large-scale geosynchronous orbit satellite platform independently developed by China, the Dongfanghong-5 satellite public platform. The successful positioning of the No.20 satellite in practice marks a major breakthrough in the verification of the “East Five” platform, and it also indicates that China is becoming a world-class communication satellite “club”. The “East Five” platform has the characteristics of high load capacity, high power, high heat dissipation, long life, scalability, and multiple adaptations. It can meet the needs of communications, microwave remote sensing, and optical remote sensing for satellite platforms in the next 20 years. The use of this platform means that China’s communications applications have entered a new era.
07. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the successful launch of the Dongfanghong-1 satellite, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back to the old scientists involved in the “Dongfanghong-1” mission
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the successful launch of the fifth “China Space Day” and the “Dongfanghong-1” satellite, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, participated in the “Dongfanghong-1” mission on April 23 The veteran scientists of China wrote back to extend their sincere greetings, and raised their earnest expectations to the vast number of space workers on carrying forward the spirit of “two bombs and one satellite” and accelerating the building of a space power. Xi Jinping emphasized that no matter how conditions change, the self-reliance and hard work must not be lost. Aerospace workers in the new era should take the older generation of astronauts as an example, vigorously promote the spirit of “two bombs and one satellite”, dare to overcome all difficulties and obstacles, dare to climb the summit of aerospace science and technology, and let the Chinese explore space more steadily and further. Realize the great dream of building an aerospace power as soon as possible.
08. The return cabin of the new-generation manned spacecraft test ship returned successfully
On May 8, the return cabin of the new-generation manned spacecraft test ship successfully landed in the scheduled area of the Dongfeng landing site, and the flight test mission of the new spacecraft test ship was a complete success. The new spacecraft test ship has completed a number of space science experiments and technical tests, verified key technologies such as high-speed re-entry and return, heat protection, control, and group parachute recovery, acquired important flight parameters, and accumulated flight data for scientific research and technological improvement.
The successful implementation of the test ship flight verification will enable the development of a new generation of manned spacecraft in China, realize the leap-forward development of China’s manned space shuttle transportation technology from follow-up to parallel-run, and lead the construction and operation of China’s manned space station and manned deep space The exploration has laid a more solid foundation and opened a new chapter in China’s manned space project.
09. China successfully launched a reusable experimental spacecraft
On September 4, China successfully launched a reusable test spacecraft with the Long March 2 F carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The test spacecraft successfully returned to the scheduled landing site on September 6 after flying in orbit for two days. The complete success of this experiment marks an important breakthrough in China’s technology research on reusable spacecraft, which will provide a more convenient and inexpensive way to and from the peaceful use of space.
10.The successful launch of Type III rockets, China’s commercial aerospace development is gratifying
In 2020, China will continue to maintain a gratifying development momentum in the commercial aerospace field. On May 12, the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket launched Xingyun-2 01 and 02 into orbit with one arrow and two stars. The launch mission was a complete success, marking China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation’s ” Another major progress was made in the “Five Clouds and One Vehicle” series of commercial aerospace projects.
On September 15th, the Long March 11 solid carrier rocket sent the “Jilin 1” high score 03-1 group of satellites into the scheduled sun-synchronous orbit with “one arrow and nine stars”, and the launch was a complete success. This is the first commercial application launch of the Chang-11 rocket developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It further verifies the reliability of the maritime launch and also marks the arrival of the normalized era of the Chang-11 rocket’s maritime launch.
On November 7, the Ceres-1 carrier rocket developed by Beijing Galaxy Power Equipment Technology Co., Ltd., a private commercial aerospace company, successfully flew for the first time at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, sending the Eleven Stars of the Apocalypse Constellation into a predetermined orbit. The Ceres-1 launch vehicle is a small solid commercial launch vehicle that can meet the launch requirements of low-Earth orbit micro-satellites.
In addition, in terms of commercial aerospace infrastructure construction, the construction of the Wuhan National Aerospace Industry Base has begun to take shape, and the Shandong Haiyang Oriental Aerospace Port project has officially started. The future of China’s commercial aerospace development can be expected.