Earth’s near space,located in the region between 20 and 100 km above sea level,is characterized by extreme conditions,such as low temperature,low atmospheric pressure,harsh radiation,and extreme dryness.These conditi...Earth’s near space,located in the region between 20 and 100 km above sea level,is characterized by extreme conditions,such as low temperature,low atmospheric pressure,harsh radiation,and extreme dryness.These conditions are analogous to those found on the surface of Mars and in the atmosphere of Venus,making Earth’s near space a unique natural laboratory for astrobiological research.To address essential astrobiological questions,teams from the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)have developed a scientific balloon platform,the CAS Balloon-Borne Astrobiology Platform(CAS-BAP),to study the effects of near space environmental conditions on the biology and survival strategies of representative organisms in this terrestrial analog.Here,we describe the versatile Biological Samples Exposure Payload(BIOSEP)loaded on the CAS-BAP with respect to its structure and function.The primary function of BIOSEP is to expose appropriate biological specimens to the harsh conditions of near space and subsequently return the exposed samples to laboratories for further analysis.Four successful flight missions in near space from 2019 to 2021 have demonstrated the high reliability and efficiency of the payload in communicating between hardware and software units,recording environmental data,exposing sample containers,protecting samples from external contamination,and recovering samples.Understanding the effects of Earth’s near space conditions on biological specimens will provide valuable insights into the survival strategies of organisms in extreme environments and the search for life beyond Earth.The development of BIOSEP and associated biological exposure experiments will enhance our understanding of the potential for life on Mars and the habitability of the atmospheric regions of other planets in the solar system and beyond.展开更多
Upper stage is an indispensable vehicle in the space transportation system.For its role in multi-satellite transportation area in China,the development of the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage was approved.The article introduce...Upper stage is an indispensable vehicle in the space transportation system.For its role in multi-satellite transportation area in China,the development of the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage was approved.The article introduces in detail the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage development requirements,task definition and systems as well as main features and performance including payload capacity and insertion accuracy for typical orbits,interfaces with satellites.The article also presents the development cycle of Yuanzheng 3 upper stage,which is divided into 3 stages including concept demonstration stage,prototype stage and flight proof stage.The Yuanzheng 3 upper stage,which will make its maiden flight in 2018,is capable of restarting more than 20 times,and operating for more than 48 hours.It is equivalent to mainstream upper stages in the world in terms of performance,such as restart times,in-orbit operation time,independent digital control system,and adaptable behavior for various tasks.Technologies tackled and accumulated in the development of the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage will lay a solid foundation for the development of future space transportation vehicles.展开更多
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA17010505)
文摘Earth’s near space,located in the region between 20 and 100 km above sea level,is characterized by extreme conditions,such as low temperature,low atmospheric pressure,harsh radiation,and extreme dryness.These conditions are analogous to those found on the surface of Mars and in the atmosphere of Venus,making Earth’s near space a unique natural laboratory for astrobiological research.To address essential astrobiological questions,teams from the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)have developed a scientific balloon platform,the CAS Balloon-Borne Astrobiology Platform(CAS-BAP),to study the effects of near space environmental conditions on the biology and survival strategies of representative organisms in this terrestrial analog.Here,we describe the versatile Biological Samples Exposure Payload(BIOSEP)loaded on the CAS-BAP with respect to its structure and function.The primary function of BIOSEP is to expose appropriate biological specimens to the harsh conditions of near space and subsequently return the exposed samples to laboratories for further analysis.Four successful flight missions in near space from 2019 to 2021 have demonstrated the high reliability and efficiency of the payload in communicating between hardware and software units,recording environmental data,exposing sample containers,protecting samples from external contamination,and recovering samples.Understanding the effects of Earth’s near space conditions on biological specimens will provide valuable insights into the survival strategies of organisms in extreme environments and the search for life beyond Earth.The development of BIOSEP and associated biological exposure experiments will enhance our understanding of the potential for life on Mars and the habitability of the atmospheric regions of other planets in the solar system and beyond.
文摘Upper stage is an indispensable vehicle in the space transportation system.For its role in multi-satellite transportation area in China,the development of the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage was approved.The article introduces in detail the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage development requirements,task definition and systems as well as main features and performance including payload capacity and insertion accuracy for typical orbits,interfaces with satellites.The article also presents the development cycle of Yuanzheng 3 upper stage,which is divided into 3 stages including concept demonstration stage,prototype stage and flight proof stage.The Yuanzheng 3 upper stage,which will make its maiden flight in 2018,is capable of restarting more than 20 times,and operating for more than 48 hours.It is equivalent to mainstream upper stages in the world in terms of performance,such as restart times,in-orbit operation time,independent digital control system,and adaptable behavior for various tasks.Technologies tackled and accumulated in the development of the Yuanzheng 3 upper stage will lay a solid foundation for the development of future space transportation vehicles.
