Last year, China’s space program made several record-breaking achievements. Compared with the United States, a space power, our performance was too outstanding, which caused doubts in the United States and the West, and even pointed out that China has pushed geopolitics from the Asia-Pacific to space.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Group recently held a press conference on the Blue Book of China Aerospace Science and Technology Activities (2021), and introduced the group’s space missions in 2022. This is a super-large central enterprise engaged in the design, manufacture, launch and maintenance of the aerospace industry. Its business involves spacecraft launch, various artificial satellites, etc. The “Shenzhou” series of manned spacecraft and the “Long March” series of launch vehicles are the company’s logo products.
The preface of the Blue Book introduces the space plan for 2021: “China has carried out 55 space launches throughout the year, ranking first in the world in the number of launches, and the quantity and quality of launch payloads continue to set new records; five missions in the key technology verification phase of China’s space station have been successfully completed and are in orbit. The assembly and construction are in full swing.” Then, of course, we will introduce China’s most beautiful Mars project, “Tianwen-1”—a circumnavigation, orbit, and patrol to complete China’s first Mars exploration mission—a fancy style reminiscent of the Winter Olympics Difficult moves for ski skills events.
The Blue Book shows that in 2021, the world aerospace industry will show a vigorous development trend. “The annual aerospace launch activities reached a record high, and breakthroughs were made in various fields. The ability to enter space, use space, and explore space continued to improve. In 2021, a total of 146 launch missions will be carried out around the world, the highest number of launches since 1957; The total number of spacecraft reached 1,846, a record high and the largest since the retirement of the space shuttle.”
In 2021, China’s space launch activities will carry out a total of 55 launch missions, ranking first in the world in the number of launches, and the total mass of the launched spacecraft will reach a new high, exceeding 190 tons, an increase of 85.5% year-on-year. Among them, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s Long March series of launch vehicles have completed 48 launch missions, all of which have been successful, ranking first in the world’s aerospace companies in the number of launches, with a total of 103 spacecraft launched with a total mass of 190 tons.
After reading the above figures, there is only one important point. Last year, China was the winner of the most gold medals in the world’s space program and the winner of the most records. Although the United States is firmly in second place, it has been difficult to keep up with China in terms of quantity and quality. However, the United States did not congratulate China, but instead felt strongly dissatisfied.
The BBC Chinese website reported: “China’s space program has been closely watched internationally, especially by the United States. In the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States had no competitors in the space field and remained the dominant position. But in recent years, the United States has Observers and politicians have repeatedly warned that China is rapidly developing its own space capabilities and that U.S. dominance is being challenged from China.” The point is: “U.S. analysts have once described that China’s establishment of a manned space station would bring China and the United States together. nations in economic, technological and geopolitical competition to push into space.”
The Blue Book revealed that this year’s launch plan also includes the first launch of the Long March-6A launch vehicle and multiple commercial launch vehicles. The Long March-6A medium-sized carrier rocket is the first solid-liquid mixed-fuel rocket developed by China. It is scheduled to fly for the first time in 2020, but the first flight has been postponed to this year. Another bright spot is the high-throughput communications satellite, which China has successfully launched twice this year, including the test 13 satellite launched on January 17 with the Long March-2D carrier rocket, which, according to the China National Space Administration, is a “spacecraft”. “Environmental Detection and Related Technology Experiments” satellites “will greatly promote China’s satellite communication technology.”
According to Xinhua News Agency, China plans to use this high-throughput communication satellite to form a high-bandwidth mobile communication system with satellites in the next three years, covering most areas and offshore waters, in aircraft cabins, on high-speed trains, and in remote areas. The mountainous area realizes convenient high-speed Internet access. China’s space program is aimed at improving scientific research and development and people’s livelihood. However, the United States regards it as a potential space military force. China’s “Shijhi-21” satellite, which previously dragged a failed Beidou navigation satellite out of geosynchronous orbit, was arrested. The U.S. space commander described it as an “offensive weapon” that might capture adversary satellites.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has an “excellent” project that is not recorded in the Blue Book. This is that it and two other Chinese companies are accused of “proliferating missile technology” and have become the target of US sanctions! He was speechless and only applauded.