SCIO briefing on China's Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11 manned space mission

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Speakers:
Wang Zhaoyao, director of China's Manned Space Program Office, Gao Ming, director of the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Yang Baohua, deputy manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Li Jian, director of the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Huang Weifen, deputy chief designer of the Chinese Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Chairperson:
Hu Kaihong, vice director-general of the Press Bureau, State Council Information Office

Date:
Nov.18, 2016

CCTV:

Can you say more about the mission? What does the success mean for the follow-up to China's existing manned space project?

Wang Zhaoyao:

In my opinion, the mission can be summed up as adequate preparations, successful implementation and fruitful achievements. Since the Shenzhou 10 mission, we have entered the preparatory phase for the space lab.Taken into account the special features of the Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11 missions, which involved long flight in high orbit and a large number of tests, we made adequate preparations to optimize the general technical scheme, undertook a thorough study of the orbital control strategy, improved implementation plans,enhanced product quality control, and made many experiments to simulate coordinated space tasks and astronauts' 30-day stay in space. As a result, in real practice, we successfully finished all tasks in every procedure, including rocket firing, the spaceship entering orbit, the rendezvous of the spaceship and the space lab, the astronauts' entry into the space lab, their operation of various experiments, the evacuation of the spaceship, rapid orbital maneuvering control test and the spaceship return rescue mechanism. Tasks in major procedures were broadcast live.

In the space, we carried out experiments and researches on maintaining astronauts' health and movement abilities. We carried out experiments on space science and applied technologies, such as space physics, earth observation and space materials. We carried out experiments on space station technologies, such as human-machine collaboration in-orbit maintenance and space treadmill. We also carried out experiments on aerospace technologies, such as the control of companion satellite's flight and observation. At present, periodical results are being produced for analysis. And In-orbit experiments and ground investigation are continuing. The two astronauts have excellent qualities and produced an outstanding performance.

The success of the missions so far is important to China's space mission, especially to space station construction and operation.

First, it helped us understand the laws governing mid- and long-term manned space missions. During the mission, we understood how to maintain astronauts' health, how to operate and control combined spacecraft, how to arrange and implement large-scale in-orbit experiments, and how to conduct in-orbit operations and maintenance. All of these aspects are important to follow-up research, construction, operation and management of a space station.

Second, it helped us make technical breakthroughs. We tested the functions of the launch rocket, spaceship, launch site, tracking and communications system, as well as their coordination and compatibility. We also verified the effectiveness of relative technological modifications. In particular, we tested key technologies, such as spacecraft rendezvous and docking, combination operation and manned spaceship return. All are laying a solid material and technical foundation in space station development and operation.

Third, in regard to team building and training, the mission has helped promote the astronauts' skills, showing the team is competent to carry out continuous intensive tasks, thus boosting team confidence, gaining skills in the organization and implementation of mid- and long-term missions, and accumulating valuable experience.

Fourth, through developing large-scale space experiments and ones involving applied technologies, we have gained abundant data and results as we expected.

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