Chapter 1253: Capture the satellite! (Ask for a monthly ticket)


    March 5, 2006.


    12:30 Beijing time.


    About two hours after the anti-satellite interception test ended.


    National Space Administration.


    When Chang Haonan, who was forced to end his marriage leave early, rushed here in a special car, a group of leaders and professional and technical personnel at all levels were already sitting inside.


    And, there are many more on the way.


    What happened today is too special.


    You say it''s serious, it doesn''t seem to be directly related to China.


    But if it is not serious, then if the International Space Station is really hit after a while, it will definitely be a major event that will leave a mark in human history...


    So much so that after the chief received the news, he was even a little unsure about which departments he should find for the meeting.


    In the end, considering that the matter was related to the International Space Station, we focused on the National Space Administration.


    The Air Force, Second Artillery Force, Aerospace Science and Industry, Aerospace Science and Technology and other units that can be even remotely related have also sent representatives or delegations to participate.


    It almost filled the conference room, which could accommodate hundreds of people.


    It would be inconvenient for big leaders to come to such an overly open occasion.


    However, we still participated in the meeting via video so that we could make effective decisions as soon as possible.


    Chang Haonan arrived not too late. Director Sun Yanlai of the Space Administration was explaining the current situation to everyone on the stage.


    "Now the European Space Agency, the Russian Federal Space Agency, and of course our own measurement and control station, have completed the orbit tracking of the solar cell sail panel. It is currently named 40396/2006-037CQ, with a size of 1200mm. *4800mm*25mm, about two hours ago, it just passed the International Space Station at a speed of 13.27km per second, and the closest distance was about 2.1km..."


    There was an uproar in the entire conference room.


    It is not difficult to see from the number just now that humans are currently tracking about 40,000 pieces of space junk, of which about 87% are so-called "large" junk. The threshold is only larger than 10cm in any direction.


    You just built something that is 1.2 meters wide and 4.8 meters long, which is larger than many medium-sized satellites?


    "Is the International Space Station dangerous?"


    Someone soon asked.


    "Based on current calculations, at least not in the short term."


    Sun Yanlai replied:


    "But No. 40396 is not only very large, but it is also in the process of high-speed and irregular rolling. Due to the limitations of observation methods, it is currently impossible to determine its specific attitude changes."


    "And there is not really no resistance in space. Cosmic dust, atmospheric molecules, gravitational changes, and the collision of other space debris... These will cause changes in the orbit of 40396, unless the International Space Station can permanently increase its altitude by 30-50 kilometers. Orbital altitude, otherwise it may continue to be threatened by collisions.”


    For a long time after that, no one asked any more questions.


    Tricky.


    So tricky.


    The last time humans dealt with "space junk" of such a large size was probably Salyut 7.


    But the latter was just out of control and lost contact. The basic functions were still there, and even the docking interface was intact. So in the end, two Slavic superhuman astronauts who were talented and brave were sent to manually perform the non-cooperative docking, and it was repaired. .


    However, this No. 40396 is a lonely solar panel, still operating at the busiest and most sensitive altitude of about 400 kilometers. For a while, no one could even think of how to deal with it.


    It’s impossible to let the Americans play Standard 3 again, right?


    Technically, the infrared signature of this panel is very poor and irregular, and the LEAP seeker may not be able to identify the target.


    And politically, it is impossible for any country, including the United States, to allow it.


    "What does NASA say?"


    Although the situation is very serious, the tone of the person who asked this question is still unavoidable with some schadenfreude.


    There''s nothing you can do about it, it''s human nature.


    Although it is true that spaceflight is a great cause that mankind strives for together, there are no Chinese astronauts on the space station, not to mention that you, America, were not a human being and had to not allow us to join.


    You see, it’s not that I won’t retaliate, it’s that the time has not yet come.


    However, as the head of the space agency, Sun Yanlai still maintained basic dignity:


    "NASA has not publicly responded to this... In fact, including ESA and Roscosmos, they have not disclosed this news to the outside world. They should be considering countermeasures." "If we want to keep the orbit of the International Space Station If it increases by 50km, the power of one or even two alliance spaceships will not be enough."


    Zhou Pingjian was currently studying Tiangong-1 and was very familiar with these details:


    "In addition, if it is really upgraded, all subsequent related space programs, including the various equipment carried on it, will also have to be adjusted. The workload is almost equivalent to abandoning the existing International Space Station and starting all over again..."


    “…”


    Subsequently, several comrades from the space agency and the Aerospace Science and Technology Group expressed various technical views.


    In short, although the probability of collision is low, once there is a real risk, it will be difficult to avoid it.


    But it is obvious that today''s meeting is definitely not for discussing technology.


    Otherwise, the chief executive would not have to attend the meeting through the screen, and would just take a look at the meeting minutes and be done.


    Therefore, Li Zhongyi spoke quickly and brought back the topic that had gone astray:


    "This may be the biggest accident in the history of human spaceflight so far... Although it seems to have nothing to do with us, shouldn''t we do something?"


    Sun Yanlai, who had already sat down again, said first:


    "The space agency has prepared press conferences and media releases to criticize the United States'' reckless anti-satellite interception from three angles and nine aspects in total. It must especially emphasize that our country has foreseen the relevant risks in advance and has "We have issued warnings, but the United States still insists on going its own way, ultimately causing huge and irreversible risks."


    "In addition, we are planning to produce a special program called "The Death of American Spaceflight". Of course, considering the international impact, we are only planning to produce a Chinese version for domestic broadcast."


    It''s pretty decent feedback.


    In addition to exporting bad news, it can also prove to the world China''s strong strength in aerospace theory.


    "I always feel like I''m missing some initiative..."


    Someone spoke out what Chang Haonan was thinking.


    "We don''t have a share of the International Space Station. Even if we want compensation, the Russians will come forward. We really have nothing to say..."


    "Our country''s space station must also be set up at a similar height. What if we file a claim on this basis?"


    "Then it''s not over. Every country produces a lot of space junk. It''s not easy to get started..."


    “…”


    Various ideas come and go, but no consensus can be reached at all.


    Seeing that the heat was almost done, Chang Haonan, who had been acting like a transparent person just now, finally raised his hand.


    His name is now considered a household name in the industry.


    Therefore, everyone still showed enough respect and calmed down.


    "I think our country can be considered to take part in disposing of this piece of space junk No. 40396."


    Chang Haonan''s expression was as usual, but the words he spoke were like thunder on the ground.


    The reaction was even greater than when Sun Yan came to introduce the situation just now.


    "Shall we deal with it?"


    Even Li Zhongyi was shocked.


    Of course he knew what Chang Haonan meant:


    "But... although we also have certain anti-satellite technology, it has never been tested before, and the current level does not support such hit accuracy at all?"


    "Besides, the Americans have just caused such a serious problem..."


    Just when he hesitated to organize his words, the latter did not let him speak again:


    "With direct-ascent anti-satellite technology, we really cannot hit a solar panel of such a small size at this stage... Even if we can do it, there is no guarantee that it will solve the problems faced by the International Space Station."


    "But what if I say, I''m going to catch it?"


    Having said this, before anyone else could react, he looked at Zhou Pingjian, who was sitting not far away:


    "Chief Engineer Zhou, if you launch a spacecraft that is in orbit and then use rendezvous and docking technology similar to that of the space station, you should be able to determine the orbit accuracy within the scale of 1.5 meters * 4.5 meters, right?"


    (End of chapter)