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Crewed space missions call for colossal engineering projects.
For example, researchers in China are studying the possibility of assembling a spacecraft in orbit. The project is part of the nation’s ambitions to expand space exploration, which encompasses crewed missions operating on long-term timescales.
The proposal from the National Natural Science Foundation of China calls for an analysis of the construction mechanisms of an “ultra-large spacecraft spanning kilometers”, according to a South China Morning Post.
In other words, China has just told the world that it is interested in building a spacecraft that is several kilometers long. Yes, miles.
China seeks kilometer-long spacecraft for long-term missions
The report notes that this particular effort is part of a major strategic aerospace project, which would ensure “the future use of space resources, the exploration of the mysteries of the universe and long-term maintenance in orbit.” According to an overview of the project shared by the foundation, the work is being managed by an agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
As if this massive project weren’t impressive enough, this is just one of 10 other proposed research plans released earlier this month by the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, which plans to fund five projects. in total with a maximum budget equivalent to $ 2.3 million (15 million yuan).
The diagram suggests that the modular spacecraft would require multiple launches and also require space assembly, as it would weigh too much and be far too massive to be launched in a single flight. Therefore, the researchers involved in the project face a grueling challenge. They must minimize the weight of the spacecraft to reduce the total number of launches required to send its parts into space and rationalize construction costs to fit the country’s budget. They must also optimize the control capabilities of structures to prevent them from drifting, vibrating or twisting uncontrollably during assembly, depending on the outline.
China’s space ambitions are growing
China really started doubling down on its space program and showing the world what it can accomplish in May, when it became the second country to successfully land a rover on Mars, just two years after making even with another spaceship on the other side of the moon. The country also began assembling its Tiangong space station in April this year, with several other modules slated for launch into low earth orbit via its heavy Long March 5 rocket. At the time of writing, the 22-ton core component of the station is slated to become the main housing unit for space astronauts aboard the station, which is slated for completion next year, when it reaches a mass of around 100 tonnes.
When completed, the Tiangong station will be about a quarter the size of the International Space Station. But the ISS was built by a coalition of 16 nations, measuring around 109m long and 75m wide. It’s almost as big as a football field. But looking to the future, China will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in space missions, with a super-heavy rocket engine designed for the next-generation Long March 9 carrier rocket scheduled for its first flight. in 2030. The United States and its partner countries and companies may continue to dominate space missions today, but, in the years to come, we could expect a major shift as China continues to scale up its ambitions. .
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