China research satellite blasts off on mission to study microgravity
Print Edition
CHINA sent a retrievable scientific research satellite into space yesterday morning to aid scientists back on Earth who are studying microgravity and space life sciences.
In a cloud of brown smoke, the satellite, SJ-10, roared into the air on the back of a Long March 2-D rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China’s Gobi Desert at 1:38am Beijing time.
As part of a growing program of space science research, the SJ-10 project was jointly developed by 11 institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and six Chinese universities in cooperation with the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
The bullet-shaped probe, with a designed life of 15 days, is composed of an orbital module and a re-entry capsule, together housing 19 experiments involving microgravity fluid physics, microgravity combustion, space material, space radiation effects, microgravity biological effects and space bio-technology.
These experiments include one on early-stage development of mouse embryos in microgravity to shed light on human reproduction in space, and another studying how space radiation affects the genetic stability of fruit flies.
An experiment being run in partnership between the National Space Science Center under the CAS and the ESA will investigate the behavior of crude oil under high pressure, and also on board is equipment to test coal combustion and pollutant formation under microgravity. The former experiment is aimed at improving scientists’ understanding of oil reservoirs buried deep underground, while the latter is expected to help enhance energy efficiency and cut emissions on Earth.
Another combustion experiment will test how materials used in spacecraft burn in space to find ways of making safer capsules for future manned missions.
“All the experiments to be conducted on SJ-10 have never been done before either at home or abroad,” said Hu Wenrui, chief scientist of the mission. “They could lead to key breakthroughs in academic research.”
SJ-10 is the second of four scientific satellites under a CAS space program. Unlike the other three, SJ-10 is returnable. It is the 25th such retrievable satellite launched by China.
Eight of the 19 experiments will be carried out in the orbital module and the others in the re-entry capsule, which is expected to land after its brief mission in Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia, the designated landing spot for China’s Shenzhou manned space missions and a 2014 test lunar orbiter. All of China’s previous 24 recoverable satellites were recovered in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
The launch of SJ-10 came more than three months after the takeoff of China’s first Dark Matter Particle Explorer Satellite, which blasted off in December to shine light on the invisible material that scientists say makes up most of the universe’s mass.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
