16 May 2018
China surprised the global community of science and technology with its recent success in quantum telecommunication. The next surprise could become the wave of Chinese commercial space activities aiming not only on the national market but targeting international customers in the areas of launch services, remote sensing satellites, communication satellites, and satellite platforms. GoTaikonauts! has reviewed the historical beginnings and the development of China’s commercial space activities until today. This comprehensive report can be read in issue no 22 (for release next month) In the current issue, issue no 21, can be found the first part of an report on the status quo in the Chinese commercial space industry – giving an overview on launcher activities.
13 May 2018
Launching rockets and satellites has long been the preserve of China's state-owned aerospace companies, but private space firms are now popping up hoping to find gold in the space dust. A report by Beijing-based investment institution FutureAerospace says more than 60 private Chinese firms have entered the commercial space industry over the past three years, focusing on the production and launch of satellites and rockets.
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For a comprehensive overview on the current state of commercial space activities in China, read the latest issue of the GoTaikonauts! newsletter, issue 21. The second part of the overview along with the full historical review of China's commercial space activities will be published in the next issue, no 22.
15 May 2018
Chinese volunteers have completed a one-year test living in a simulated space lab in Beijing, setting a new record for the longest stay in a self-contained cabin where oxygen, water and food are recycled by an BLSS - Bioregenerative Life Support System. Four students, two males and two females, emerged from the Yuegong 1, or Lunar Palace 1, at Beihang University to the applause of academicians, researchers and fellow students on 15 May. The total length of the test, which started on 10 May last year, was 370 days, with the third stage accounting for 110 days.
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09 May 2018
Wang He is one of China most shilled welders for aerospace components. She works as a spacecraft circuit board welder for the electronic fitting center of the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and has welded hundreds of spacecraft components and parts in the past 12 years. She won China's first IPC Hand Welding Competition in 2010 and was the bronze medalist of the IPC International Hand Welding Championship in 2013. Wang was also involved in the building of several national aviation programs including the Shenzhou spacecrafts, the Tiangong space labs and the Chang'e lunar exploration project. "Welding is like sewing and welding for spacecrafts is like making embroidery which requires high accuracy in temperature and skill," Wang said.
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14 May 2018
The Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed that its Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth has successfully tracked and received the data from the recently launched hyperspectral imaging satellite Gaofen 5. The Remote Sensing Satellite Ground Station received the first Gaofen 5 data from Miyun location on the outskirts of Beijing on 13 May. The data size was 60GB and the time frame was nine minutes and 32 seconds.
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09 May 2018
On 9 May, China launched Gaofen-5, a hyperspectral imaging satellite, as part of the country's high-resolution Earth observation project. The Gaofen-5 satellite was launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 2:28 a.m. Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province. It was the 274th flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket. The satellite can be used for comprehensive environmental monitoring.
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