A big country of aerospace with black technology

"In the future, we will build a permanent space star port in space, and now we are about to take the first step!"

Zhang Xingyang announced with great enthusiasm.

Since the completion of the first manned space mission two years ago.

After two years of preparation, the second manned space mission is about to begin.

This time, the number of people will also increase from one person last time to three people.

In fact, three people are standard for space missions.

Last time, due to various factors, only Yang Hongwei was allowed to perform the task alone.

In addition to the increase in the number of people, the second space mission also has a rather special task.

That’s a spacewalk!

Spacewalk is actually a prerequisite for preparing for the space station.

The inability to conduct spacewalks means that problems arising outside the space station cannot be maintained, which is very fatal.

"What we will assume in the early stage is a small experimental space station of less than 100 tons."

Zhang Xingyang showed the space station construction plan to hundreds of participants in the audience.

"It will be composed of multiple cabins, including a core cabin, an experimental cabin, a cargo cabin, etc."

"Of course our first step is to build the core cabin, and we can take our time with the subsequent cabins!"

"For us, there are two main difficulties that need to be overcome."

"The first point is the research and development of the core cabin as the energy and data core of the subsequent cabin, and the second point is the development of the cargo spacecraft."

"As the core of the space station, the research and development of the core module is a top priority."

"Today, only two countries in the world have developed this thing!"

"But no matter who it is, it's impossible to teach us how to build the core cabin!"

"Da Mao can't!"

"Not even Eagle-chan!"

"They don't even take us to play with the International Space Station, which is known as an international one. How can they show off their special skills!"

"So, we can only rely on our own wisdom to overcome this difficulty!"

Zhang Xingyang’s words were very inspiring, and everyone felt their hearts arouse after hearing them!

That tone of bringing glory to the country!

Most of the people here joined the aerospace industry because of this idea.

Otherwise, to be honest, most of them could have more generous material conditions instead of working overtime day and night every day and depleting their youth.

It was this idea that was close to generating electricity for love that allowed them to persevere.

"During this period of time, I will work with everyone to climb over this mountain that is blocking us!"

Zhang Xingyang finally made his promise.

After seven or eight years of development, everyone in the aerospace system has more or less heard of Zhang Xingyang's reputation in technology development.

Therefore, after hearing this sentence, people who were still a little afraid of the difficulty began to smile.

It was as if any technical problem was nothing in his hands.

"I declare that the Tiangong-1 project has officially begun!"

With such a simple sentence, hundreds of scientific research units across the country took action and received several or even dozens of scientific research tasks.

Tens of thousands of scientific researchers have also begun their hard work.

As the core of the Tiangong Space Station, the energy system is directly related to the life of the space station, and it is also a task that Zhang Xingyang attaches most importance to.

Whether it is Maozi's previous space station or Yingjiang's space station, in terms of energy system, they all use rigid or semi-rigid solar wing panels.

To put it simply, it is equivalent to folding several hard solar panels together, stuffing them into the core cabin, and finding a way to automatically unfold them after entering space.

The Sky space station, due to technological development, has abandoned these relatively backward technologies and is expected to use flexible solar films.

Compared with traditional solar panels, flexible solar films have better stretchability and can cover a larger area in the same size space.

As we all know, the power of solar panels depends largely on the area of ​​the solar panel.

This does not include the new materials developed by the materials team led by Su Xiao to improve the utilization rate of solar energy.

According to Zhang Xingyang's rough estimate, a twenty-ton core cabin only needs 140 square meters of solar panels to drive the normal operation of all equipment in the cabin.

When the space station moves to the shadow area on the back of the earth, it is powered by the battery.

High-efficiency lithium battery can provide sufficient power.

"The research and development of flexible solar films is going very smoothly. We have initially successfully prepared a single flexible film of 20 square centimeters."

Zhang Xingyang smiled and said to Guan Shanyue, who was still improving the power storage system.

Guan Shanyue, a power system expert, has done a lot of research in the field of power storage.

"The current energy utilization rate in a laboratory environment has reached 12%."

Generally speaking, the utilization rate of silicon solar cells in the atmosphere is 10%.

Zhang Xingyang and the others are simulating a space environment. The sunlight is stronger than that on the ground, so the utilization rate should be slightly higher.

Of course, there are also some reasons why the application of new materials improves energy utilization.

"Our current research and development progress is relatively smooth. After all, the battery technology itself has almost been thoroughly researched and it is not difficult."

Guan Shanyue also talked about their research and development progress at this time.

The batteries used in the space station are not advanced or weird.

In fact, Zhang Xingyang, who has a vision for future generations, actually prefers aluminum-air batteries.

Compared with currently common lead-acid batteries or lithium batteries, aluminum-air batteries have a higher energy density, reaching 8100WH/Kg. In comparison, lithium-ion batteries have only 400WH/Kg.

But aluminum batteries also have a disadvantage, that is, they cannot be charged and discharged repeatedly.

After all, it generates electricity through the process of reacting aluminum and oxygen to generate alumina.

After the battery power is used up, it must be replenished by replacing the aluminum electrodes.

For the current first-stage space station, it will be more troublesome to apply such technology.

After the construction of subsequent large-scale space stations is completed, it will be more convenient to use such technology.

Because only large space stations have enough space to build power plants capable of refining alumina into 99.9% purity.

Therefore, Tiangong-1 can only use lithium-ion batteries

However, even lithium-ion batteries must make certain improvements for the low gravity and high temperature difference environment in space.

It can even be said that space does not even require special processes in some aspects due to the lack of corrosion and other factors.

"The power storage system is expected to be completed within three months." Guan Shanyue finally gave Zhang Xingyang a not-so-long period of time.

The power storage system is of great importance because the core module is the main living place for astronauts.

Therefore, there are a large number of necessary facilities for daily life, such as the most important air circulation and purification system.

Astronauts will not wear fully enclosed space suits inside the space station.

Normally, they wear a simple astronaut uniform.

The oxygen you breathe at this time all comes from the supply of the core cabin.

Although when designing the core cabin, extreme situations were taken into consideration.

Oxygen can also be supplied through backup gas tanks.

But after all, there is a lot of danger.

In addition, the thermostatic system also relies on the energy system.

The core capsule rotates around the earth at a speed that far exceeds the earth's rotation.

Astronauts in space can see the sun rise and set several times a day.

In this process, the space station will continue to swing back and forth from hundreds of degrees with direct sunlight to tens of degrees below zero without the sun.

The casing made of metal can withstand such temperature changes.

But humans, as creatures that live within forty degrees and above minus twenty degrees all year round, are obviously unable to adapt to such a life.

This requires that the constant temperature system of the core module cannot be stopped when the astronauts are in orbit.

This also puts forward requirements for the energy system to ensure continuous operation without errors.

"The next step is to develop the life cycle system!"

After Zhang Xingyang came out of the laboratory where Guan Shanyue and the others worked, he stretched and murmured to himself.

The life cycle system is also very important in the space station.

After all, the core cabin is where everyone lives for a long time, and it is impossible for you to survive.

The life cycle system includes the air circulation system, water circulation system, etc. just mentioned.

In space, every drop of water is a very important resource.

Therefore, the urine produced by astronauts also has to enter this system.

Through layers of filtration and absorption, after completion of purification, it will become drinking water for everyone again.

Although it sounds a bit disgusting, this is also a stage that early space construction must go through.

The valuable transportation capacity of the spacecraft also needs to transport many more important experimental instruments, equipment, etc.

Later, during the construction of the Tiangong Space Station, during the handover between two classes of astronauts, one astronaut told his colleagues with a wicked smile that he had left good things for them.

Referring to the filtered water they left behind.

Although it doesn't have any taste, I still feel a little bit concerned about drinking it.

Of course, after the space station is built, the conditions will be much better.

For example, after the Tiangong Space Station is built, astronauts can even eat fresh fruits in the sky.

It will not take more than 12 hours from the time the fruit is transported to the launch base to the time it is delivered to the astronauts.

It even feels like it was just picked from the tree!

As for the era of comprehensive space development, that was the time for Zhang Xingyang and others.

The large space star port has almost become a small ecological circle.

Fresh vegetables and fruits can be produced on their own in hydroponic farms in space, and they no longer need to rely on transportation from the earth.

As for now, the water vapor breathed out by astronauts must be recovered through condensed water!

Not to mention the waste liquids produced by other lives.

The entire water circulation system, the predetermined indicator during design is that the recovery efficiency needs to reach 90%, and the overall utilization rate must be greater than 80%.

In addition to the water circulation system, the treatment of solid waste is more complicated.

However, multiple treatments are also carried out to ensure that the water in it can be utilized.

"As an important part of maintaining orbital altitude, the power propulsion system must not be careless!"

Zhang Xingyang looked at Geng Bo, who was still developing the engine, and couldn't help but warn him.

"You are the only one who can be so bold as to apply electric propulsion to a spacecraft!"

Geng Bo also raised his head at this time and couldn't help but complain.

Electric propulsion is still a very cutting-edge content in the current aerospace field.

Although everyone has proposed things like Hall thrusters.

But basically no spacecraft has completed practical applications.

The reason is also very simple, that is, the thrust is too small.

It is really difficult to push a spacecraft!

Take the Hall electric thruster studied by Geng Bo and others.

The single Hall electric thruster that has been developed can only generate a thrust of 0.08 N.

What is the concept?

Above the ground, even a piece of paper cannot be pushed up.

Even if you blow a breath casually, it will be stronger than this!

In the design of the core cabin, four Hall electric thrusters will be installed on the rear bulkhead of the core cabin, capable of generating a thrust of 0.32 N.

But for a spacecraft, such a small force can still do some things.

For example, maintaining the height of the space station itself!

You know, all current space stations are actually low-orbit space stations.

That is, the orbital altitude of the space station is less than 500 kilometers.

Taking the space station they are developing as an example, the orbital altitude is expected to be 320 kilometers.

At this altitude, the space station is still greatly affected by the earth's gravity.

It is better not to use engines to maintain the orbital altitude, then the altitude of the space station will become lower and lower day by day.

Until it can no longer maintain its flight trajectory and falls to the ground.

Hall thrusters solve this problem better.

Although the thrust is not very large, this thrust is continuous in space and can maintain the height of the space station.

Moreover, the energy conversion efficiency of Hall thrusters is extremely high.

Compared with traditional chemical fuel thrusters, only a small amount of radon or argon is needed to maintain them.

In addition to increasing the burden on the launch rocket, traditional chemical fuels also produce large amounts of carbon dioxide and water, which is also detrimental to spacecraft.

"Hall thrusters are an important development direction for future working medium propulsion. Although the current thrust is still very small, it can still develop and grow."

Zhang Xingyang patted Geng Bo on the shoulder and said.

Compared with people today, Zhang Xingyang, who knows the direction of technological development, knows very well that Hall thrusters are a very important part of future space navigation.

This is just like investing heavily in research and development of internal combustion engines a hundred years ago. It is an investment for the future.

Geng Bo rolled his eyes at Zhang Xingyang and said simply:

"Our Hall thruster is currently able to reach a thrust of 0.6 N, which is only one step away from the design target!"