China's Space Program, News & Views

Micro-satellite helps the emergency rescue for China’s Shenzhou-9 space mission


Tiantuo-1 micro satellite

May 10, the “Tiantuo-1″ tiny satellite was launched at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.”Tiantuo-1″ was developed by the National Defense Science and independent design, development of small satellites, whose main task is to carry out the spaceborne AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver, optical imaging, space environmental exploration, on-orbit scientific experiments, for shenzhou-9 crew emergency rescue and to provide information services and technical support to ensure the safety of the lives of the astronauts.

Spacecraft emergency search and rescue emergency measures are necessary for the manned space launch. 30 minutes before the rocket launch to take-off, within 2-3 minutes after the event of unforeseen emergencies, at the top of the rocket escape tower will quickly start to pull out the spacecraft from the rocket to flee danger, and then with the help of parachutes and buffer device security landing to the emergency visits to the districts.

Shenzhou-9′s emergency rescue areas include three marine regions, the most narrow-band width of 100 km, the longest span of about 4500 km. Tiantuo-1′s onboard AIS system can cover more than 3000 km in diameter, accurately locate name, position, speed, heading and other data of the vessel within the coverage of AIS system.

After the launch of Shenzhou-9, the National Defense Science and the scientific research staff take turns on duty 24 hours a day and timely investigation and received AIS data transmitted to the authorities, providing a real-time and effective service and technical support.

Originally Posted by escobar

Compass Car Navigation System

Is Compass an acronym for anything?

New type electric field sonde provides service for SZ-9

Jiuquan Satellite Launching Center sent thanks letters to NSSC for the state of art quality of GPS High-altitude electric field detection equipment which provided indispensable meteorological support for Shenzhou IX.

The GPS High-altitude electric field detection equipment is developed by the Lab of Rocket and Balloon Sounding Technology at NSSC.
Under severe time constrain and heavy workload, the team members achieved breakthroughs in developing the new type electric field instrument with the prototype of the Double ball electric field sonde and ground field instrument.

The new instrument is user-friendly and could significantly reduce the preparation work. Consequently, the overall performance has been improved and enhanced. It was launched successfully for the first time at Jiuquan Satellite Launching Center on June 6th 2012.

Originally Posted by t2contra

Is Compass an acronym for anything?

I think it is loosely linked to Beidou, which refers to the Big dipper constellation and is used for navigation at sea before augmented by the compass.

Higher than 0.62m, Chinese Spy Satellite has a better Resolution

At the end of 2008, China launched anew remote sensing satellite “Yaogan 5″ at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province.

The satellite was successfully launched into the space on a Long March-4B carrier rocket. Although China said Yaogan-V is going to be used on civilian areas, in fact, this imaging satellite is a great milestone in Chinese space reconnaissance system. From some essaies published in China, Yaogan-V satellite is equipped with a new high resolution CCD camera and other new concept technologies to reach 0.65 meter or high resolution.

High Resolution CCD Remote Sensing Camera” is developed by XIOPM (Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, CAS). The Chief Designer is Li Yingcai, who firstly announced the sub-pixel imaging theory of TDI-CCD camera. Then the technological demonstration proved that new theory can raise 1.4 time resolution in dynamic push-broom imagining.

After the “Yaogan-V”‘s launch in 2008, PLA Senior officers send congratulations to XIOPM. The images sent from Yaogan-V satellite have greatly improved quality and raise 45% and 70% in image recognition and target identification.

In 2011, the “High Resolution CCD Remote Sensing Camera” project was granted as the Top Scientific and Technological Awards of National Defense.

Besides, the “Yaogan-V” satellite is believed to has an optical design of “Three-Mirror-Anastigmat with Fold Mirror” for the space camera. And the “F” number is 14.4 and long focal distance reaches 7200mm. When “Yaogan-V” at 450km orbit, the swath width can reach 12.5km. And the size of imaging pixel is 10 μm, the ground imagine single pixel resolution can reach 0.62m.

Researchers over the moon with space success

STAFF with a Jiading District-based company are proud for their contribution to China's space industry after hearing the success of the country's manned space docking mission between Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and Tiangong-1 lab module a month ago, for both they have undertaken their part in research and development.

Shanghai Aerospace Electronics Co Ltd was responsible for new research tasks related to Shenzhou-9's frequency synthesizers and health monitoring equipment (including portable sports spirometers, microbiological monitoring components and blood pressure measuring instruments), in addition to other research tasks.

As the heart of Shenzhou-9 and Tiangong-1, the frequency synthesizers, in each of them, provide high stability time and frequency reference signals of multiple frequencies and multiple wave forms for the spacecraft's electronic equipment. If failed, they would affect the normal working order of crucial spacecraft equipment.

The Jiading company has managed to develop two different sets of frequency synthesizers for the two aircraft, both of superb quality.

Quality is particularly significant for this manned space mission and the most important thing is to ensure the safety and health of astronauts.

The designers of the health monitoring instruments are Su Boshi, Wang Defa and Pan Huafeng.

The blood pressure measuring instrument developed by Wang is a small wrist blood pressure meter, used for blood pressure measurement of the astronauts during the in-orbit operation. It automatically transfers the code and blood pressure data of the astronauts to the host machine in the cabin.

The microbiological monitoring component developed by Su includes a gas particle detection device and a surface microbial detection device. The first device monitors the cleanliness of the cabin air while the latter monitors the cleanliness of the table where food and appliances are placed.

The portable spirometer developed by Pan is used for the periodic evaluation of the astronauts' cardiovascular fitness and physical condition. Composed of the host machine, turbine flow transducer and other 12 components, it is the most complex among the three health monitoring products

Originally Posted by t2contra

Is Compass an acronym for anything?

No, it's not an acronym, just the English name for the system.

As No_name has pointed out, the Chinese name Beidou means the Big Dipper, which has historically been used for navigation by Chinese sailors and non-sailors alike, and as such, has acquired a colloquial meaning synonymous with a compass in many respects.

HJ-1C (first civil SAR sat) carry out thermal test

Originally Posted by escobar

Higher than 0.62m, Chinese Spy Satellite has a better Resolution

Do you know what resolution for Yaogan 15 ? which was launched in May 2012 by Long March 4C. I am hoping would reach something like 0.35m resolution. Even that, it would still lag behind the American and Israeli

China, Argentina ink deal for space exploration

China and Argentina have signed an agreement for space cooperation that will allow China to build an antenna for deep space observation in Argentina's southern Patagonia region, the Argentinian embassy in Beijing said Monday.

According to the agreement signed in Beijing last week, China plans to establish ground tracking, command and data acquisition facilities, including a deep space antenna, in the Province of Neuquén, Argentina.

"This agreement will allow China to count as from the year 2014, with a ground station in the Southern Hemisphere to support the Program for moon exploration and other space activities," the Argentinian embassy in Beijing said in an e-mail to the Global Times, stressing that such cooperation was "for peaceful uses."

"On the other hand, Argentina will share the use of the facilities for the benefit of its own space programs," it added.

The signing of the deal came after...

Originally Posted by antiterror13

Do you know what resolution for Yaogan 15 ? which was launched in May 2012 by Long March 4C. I am hoping would reach something like 0.35m resolution. Even that, it would still lag behind the American and Israeli

What is the resolution of the latest American satellite?

There is only so much resolution that matters before atmospheric distortion make it ineffective. They are using the same principle of astronomy telescope, judging from 7200mm focal length, and /f=14.4 that means the mirror aperture is 500mm across. This is pretty awesome, to put it in perspective, a telescope of 150mm aperture costs you on average about 400+ dollars, and with it you can see the ring of Saturn and deep space nebula. And an 250mm aperture telescope will cost you about 3000+ dollars. It is all about the mirror aperture, the bigger it is, the more light it can capture and magnify, but there only so much you can zoom in before the atmosphere make it all fuzzy. If you want a more powerful spy satellite, that means get bigger mirror with bigger apertures. That also means heavier satellite to launch into the sky. So if you want to guess American spy satellite's resolution, compare the mass of this Chinese satellite with the American ones is a good start.

Also I'm pretty sure they are using Maksutov–Cassegrain type telescope for the spy satellite, otherwise if they are using reflector type, the whole satellite will be as long as a 2 story building.

I personally have a 150mm aperture 1400mm focal length reflector telescope, it is actually made in China as well, and the quality is just as good as the expensive Made in USA ones, so I have every confidence that China can make precision high aperture mirrors.

Currently the highest civillian resolution is GeoEye-1, with 0.41m resolution, but US military usually has something more advanced, so it's not unreasonable to predict 0.35m-0.3m.

The three astronauts are currently visiting Hong Kong, they participated in press conferences and a Q/A session with young collegian