A note on China's space technology

Since the early 1960s China has been making its own contribution to space exploration. This note outlines China's plans for building a space station and developing an Earth-space transporation system in the 1990s.     

Fast-track development of space technology in China

China's space industry faces challenges from the rapid growth in domestic demand for satellite services, international competition from the other members of the space club and infiltration of its domestic markets by foreign space companies. To counter this the country is making space a priority in current plans to improve national economic and social development, paying particular attention to applications satellites. Policies aimed at accelerating development include increasing state support for space, improving management - especially of invested funds - creating a better infrastructure and aiming for serial production of satellite components. It is acknowledged that much can be learnt from other countries and China is keen to pursue cooperative endeavours, but it intends also to retain its independence.     

空间碎片国际机制发展趋势分析

文章通过对空间碎片国际机制(多边谈判机制)的分析,指出其发展趋势,从而为中国参加相关谈判工作提供参考。空间碎片国际机制的发展已呈现出明显的政策化、法律化和制度化的趋势。无论是从外空利益争夺、外空战略实现,还是从中国航天事业可持续发展、中国航天立法体系完善的角度来讲,积极参加空间碎片技术合作与规则制定的国际谈判都具有重要意义。从国内建设上来看,中国应尽快制定“技术—政策(战略)—法律”三位一体的解决思路和具体方案;从国际层面看,可以借鉴美国一直坚持和贯彻的“技术—政策—国内规则—国际软法—国际法”外空策略,来开展空间碎片减缓和清除等方面的技术与规则制定的合作。     

中国航天发展历程与启示 ——2009年空间环境与材料科学论坛大会报告

文章指出我国在应用卫星与卫星应用、载人航天和深空探测三大航天领域取得了巨大成就,为中国的经济、社会发展做出了巨大贡献,也展示了中国的综合实力。经过几十年的发展,中国进入太空能力得到了很大的发展,但在太空利用能力和太空控制能力的建设上还有更大的发展空间。随着我国航天事业的发展,用户对航天器的高可靠、长寿命的要求迫切,作为航天器功能实现的技术基础,环境、材料等基础研究工作应该去适应这种发展需求,加快基础能力的建设与发展。     

Space theme parks: Promoting space to the public

China's advances in space include plans for a state-of-the-art space theme park, based on a new launch center, which promises to show up the outdated and ‘user unfriendly’ public visitor centers at most US space sites. Yet providing better public outreach in the form of theme parks would both inspire large numbers of the general population and provide a useful source of revenue. NASA should show more imagination in the exhibits and facilities it present to the public; it could use various science museums and Hollywood as models.     

未来空间技术发展展望

经过近50年的发展,我国空间技术取得了举世瞩目的成就,在新的历史时期,世界航天将跨入一个新的发展高潮,我国经济社会的发展对航天事业提出了更高的要求。文章提出了我国未来航天器发展体系,介绍了未来5年我国空间技术发展的重点任务,分析了专业技术发展方向,提出了创新发展的对策建议。     

Will China become a military space superpower?

China's ambitious space program was born in extremely poor national conditions in 1956. By 15 October 2003, with the successful return of the Shenzhou-4 manned space flight, it had developed dramatically. While this flight is a milestone in China's space capabilities, the Shenzhou-4 mission should be considered not as an end, but as the entry ticket to the space power club of the USA and Russia. China may now be a space power, but it is not yet a military space superpower in the way of the latter two countries. This paper investigates whether China will become a military space superpower by reviewing the development of its space program. It examines Chinese military space capabilities in terms of their military space potential, and discusses the political, military and economic implications of this issue. Finally, the paper suggests that China should continue to take the road to openness, focusing on commercial and economic efforts. This will be an alternative direction in which the country can consider exactly what space capabilities it needs in order to continue its economic development.     

国外空间站外部污染控制体系简介

国外从20世纪80年代起就开展了对空间站外部污染及其控制措施的研究,已在总体设计、地面验证、加工制造、在轨验证等方面形成了较为成熟和完备的污染控制体系。为了借鉴他国的成功经验,服务于我国空间站建设,文章从污染分类、污染影响、污染分析、污染控制要求、污染控制措施、污染验证等方面对国外空间站外部污染控制体系进行了介绍,并对我国的空间站外部污染研究提出了建议。     

中国空间碎片研究的进展

首先对"十五"期间中国在空间碎片研究领域取得的主要进展进行了综述,涉及空间碎片监测预警、航天器防护和空间碎片减缓三个方面;然后对"十一五"期间中国空间碎片研究的主要内容进行了介绍。     

Exploration of CASC's Commercial Space

China's commercial space activities started from the launch of Asiasat-1 satellite by a LM-3 launch vehicle on April 7, 1990. As the leading force in China's space industry, CASC has been committed to commercial space for nearly 30 years. The article describes CASC's advantages and activities in commercial space sector, as well as outlook for CASC commercial space development. The author concludes CASC is willing to coordinate and cooperate with state-owned and private companies and will create a new pattern for commercial space, opening up a new industry for space development and achieving more splendid achievement.     

Export control regime for space items in China: Opportunities and challenges in the new era

Export control system is vital to effective control of sensitive items and technologies and thus an appropriate system is indispensable to the realization of the goal of non-proliferation. The progress so far shows that China has made great efforts in constructing a domestic regime for export controls. Nevertheless, it has also been recognized that the mere existence of a domestic regime is not sufficient and that the realization of export control should be complemented with effective and efficient enforcement. The paper examines the effectiveness of the current export control regime in China and explores means to strengthen the current regime to dispel the concerns from other nations. The paper concludes that China has been committed to export controls in sensitive space items in the past years; yet further improvements could be made to better serve China's national interests and its commitments under international nonproliferation export control regimes.     

商业航天背景下卫星星座运营思考（英文）

With the advances of small satellite technology in commercial space sector, using small satellite networks to form a satellite constellation and conduct commercial operational services has entered into a vigorous phase of development. As small satellite technology develops, problems in the operations of small satellite constellations are also gradually emerging. These include ground measurement and operational control systems for small satellite constellations, the commercial operational mode, support and the guarantee of laws and regulations related to small satellites. This report discusses the development of commercial space small satellite operation industrialization, explores the small satellite operational modes and technological innovation, proposes the commercial space industry chain to build the industry ecology. At the same time, it looks forward to the integration of space and terrestrial communication. It also calls on relevant organizations of China to speed up the process of space legislation, formulate the relevant policies to encourage the operations of small satellites in commercial space sector, and push China's commercial space to a new level.     

What next for China in space after Shenzhou?

This article discusses China's ambitions in space now that it seems set to pursue human spaceflight. It suggests that, after sending its astronauts into space, completing orbital rendezvous-docking operations and placing a space lab in orbit, China will focus on the Moon with its Chang’e project. As an emerging space power, China will play a more active role in the international space community through collaboration in areas such as lunar exploration, science operations on the International Space Station, the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System and the International Geosphere–Biosphere Program (IGBP). In particular, China will vigorously explore new opportunities to expand its cooperation with Russia and ESA to counteract Washington's attempt at containment. Meanwhile, Beijing will continue to follow its self-reliance principle to go its own way in space.     

嫦娥一号月球探测卫星研制综述

嫦娥一号卫星是我国第一个月球探测卫星,将实现对月球的环绕探测。嫦娥一号卫星的研制和发射是我国深空探测活动的开端,在我国航天史上将成为继人造卫星和载人航天后的第三个里程碑。与近地卫星相比,嫦娥一号卫星面临更复杂的控制过程和环境,因此,嫦娥一号卫星必须突破一系列的关键技术,实现既定的任务目标。文章介绍了嫦娥一号卫星的任务目标、主要技术方案和研制过程;概要性地说明了嫦娥一号卫星的研制过程。     

Space Development with Chinese Characteristics and its Practical Significance

China's space industry has been developed quickly and consistently setting new records for mankind in space exploration in the past 60 years. Four principles are upheld during its development. Systems engineering and overall thinking have played an important role in the development of China's space industry. What's more, the concept of systems engineering which originated from the space industry, being rooted in society, is a successful example of "Chinese theory" answering "Chinese question" and "Chinese wisdom" guiding "Chinese development", which is a trump card for the country and provides a unique business governance mode with Chinese characteristics.     

International Academy of Astronautics 5th cosmic study--preparing for a 21st century program of integrated,Lunar and Martian exploration and development (executive summary)

This report is an initial review of plans for a extensive program to survey and develop the Moon and to explore the planet Mars during the 21st century. It presents current typical plans for separate, associated and fully integrated programs of Lunar and Martian research, exploration and development, and concludes that detailed integrated plans must be prepared and be subject to formal criticism. Before responsible politicians approve a new thrust into space they will demand attractive, defensible, and detailed proposals that explain the WHEN, HOW and WHY of each stage of an expanded program of 21st century space research, development and exploration. In particular, the claims of daring, innovative, but untried systems must be compared with the known performance of existing technologies. The time has come to supersede the present haphazard approach to strategic space studies with a formal international structure to plan for future advanced space missions under the aegis of the world's national space agencies, and supported by governments and the corporate sector.     

China''s space policy: review and prospects

This article reviews the current status of the Chinese space programme, covering its military origins, launchers, applications satellites, manned spaceflight and exploration. It examines the growing commercialization of China's space activities and how far this is likely to be successful, especially in the light of MTCR constraints and other legal regulations. It is nonetheless concluded that commercialization, along with joint ventures with foreign companies, has been crucial to the development of China's space programme. However, the country still lacks the resources to become a first-rank space power.     

固体运载器在航天领域的地位及作用

结合我国固体发动机的实际水平，讨论了发展上型固体运载器的现实性，可行性以及可达到的运载能力，并根据当前世界空间技术发展动态，简述了固体技术在我国航天领域的地位及作用。     

欧洲“火星快车”探测器自行底盘概念设计的启示

通过对月球车和火星车的跟踪调研,重点介绍了俄罗斯所承担的欧洲空间局“火星快车”项目中火星车自行底盘概念的设计思想和具体实施情况。结合火星表面的复杂环境,研制方探讨了几种底盘结构设计方案,通过对比分析确立了6×6×4+4ш方案为优化方案;根据该优化方案研制的比例模型样机通过行走试验验证,结果表明自行底盘概念设计思想正确,有助于提高行星车在复杂地形中的运动能力、稳定性和可靠性。最后针对我国深空探测项目实施的需求,提出了拟开展工作建议。     

21世纪国外深空探测发展计划及进展

21世纪初期,国外深空探测计划层出不穷,各类深空探测器不断升空。文章主要概述新世纪各航天国家或地区的深空探测计划,并分别论述对月球、火星和其他行星以及小天体的探测计划及其进展,最后进行综合分析研究。