"In addition to ground control, Sanitation-1 also has the ability to perform tasks autonomously. We only need to select the target fragments, and the satellite can autonomously perform orbital changes based on the orbital position and speed of the satellite fragments, thereby successfully capturing the target fragments."
Hearing Yu Chengwu's introduction, everyone present was even more surprised. This also means that this satellite does not need to rely too much on ground personnel for remote control. It can complete its tasks independently as long as it gives instructions, which will greatly reduce ground human resources.
At the same time, it also means that if necessary, they can launch dozens, dozens, or even hundreds of orbital debris cleaning satellites at once to clean up orbital debris and space junk in space, as well as some that need to be cleaned up.
Goals. As for what these goals are, it depends on what kind of mission Sanitation 1 is going to perform.
In this way, its military value has been greatly improved, which made many military experts present have their eyes shine.
As for Yu Chengwu, he seemed to have not seen the performance of these experts, but continued to talk to himself: "Everyone, please see, in front of Sanitation No. 1, we have installed a new type of polymer composite material woven with a high degree of
Large net. The entire net weighs less than 100 kilograms, but it can form a huge net with a diameter of 300 meters. The grid of the entire net is also very small, with only one centimeter spacing. This also means
It can clean up tiny garbage of more than one centimeter, which is something other spacecraft and garbage cleaning satellites cannot achieve.
Although this net is very thin, because it is made of new polymer composite materials, the material itself is very soft and can remain the same even in the ultra-low and ultra-high temperatures of space.
One advantage of the net made of this material is that it can withstand violent impacts. Even if it encounters high-speed garbage fragments, it can intercept them. The softness and toughness of the grid can greatly offset high-speed garbage.
The impact of debris.
There are also some small burrs on the entire grid to absorb the garbage and prevent it from falling off. In addition to this large net, we also installed four small catching nets at its tail.
These four nets are relatively small, each with a diameter of about fifty meters. They are stored in special launchers. When they get close to larger target orbital debris or space junk, or scrapped satellites, the nets will be launched.
The entire net will fly out with the rope, wrap up the target orbital debris, and then the winch will start to pull the captured orbital debris out of the orbit.
We are equipped with four such nets on this satellite, which means that it can catch at least four scrapped satellites or other large space debris.
Of course, if necessary, we can also replace the large net in front of the satellite with such a small net. In this way, the entire satellite can carry eight to ten such nets for capturing
These large pieces of space debris.”
What to do with these captured scrapped satellites? Luo Kai couldn't help but ask after hearing this.
Hearing Luo Kai's inquiry, Yu Chengwu spread his hands and said with a smile: "After capturing the target scrapped satellites, Environmental Sanitation 1 will start the engine to detach them from their original orbit, and then change their orbit and fall into the atmosphere and burn up."
So this giant 300-meter net is used to catch the small garbage, and these small nets are used to catch the large garbage. Director Wan Hongfei Wan of the war department said thoughtfully.
Yu Chengwu nodded and explained: "That's right, this big net is a passive capture method. It needs to be opened in advance, and then accelerate from behind to hit these garbage fragments, knock them into the net and absorb them. Then wait until it is on the giant net.
After the weight of garbage reaches a certain amount, the satellite will return to the atmosphere with the garbage and burn it.
The small fishing net belongs to the active launch and active capture mode. Both have their own advantages and can be determined according to the mission situation."
Wan Hongfei nodded, without expressing his gratitude in any way, but immediately asked: "Tell me about the content of this experiment."
Okay. Yu Chengwu nodded, then pointed to the changing demonstration animation on the big screen, and then introduced with a smile to everyone: "This experiment is the first application test of our Environmental Sanitation 1. We will use our environment at the northwest launch site
The Jianmu-2 modified rocket launched the Environmental Satellite 1 high-speed orbital debris cleanup experimental satellite.
Then, the Environmental Satellite 1 will conduct a series of related orbital debris, space junk, and scrapped satellite cleanup experiments in space.
Please see, we will freely change orbits in three orbits: A orbit, B orbit, and C orbit, and clean up more than 300 tiny debris flying on these three orbits.
In addition, we will also use the nets on board to try to capture a meteorological satellite and a communication experimental satellite previously launched by our country. Currently, these two satellites have been decommissioned and are considered space junk.
.
We have obtained authorization and approval from the aerospace authorities and will use this experiment to capture these two scrapped satellites, detach them from their original orbits, drag them down into the atmosphere and burn them, clearing the original orbits.
If the experiment is successful, this time we will clear five space orbits at once. Among them, we will donate two high-value orbits to the country free of charge for launching important high-value satellites. And for three of the orbits, we will
It will be sold to others or used for your own use.”
How long will the entire mission last? Luo Kai couldn't help but ask. After all, it is necessary to clear three orbits and capture two satellites at once, which is a huge workload.
Yu Chengwu answered with a smile: "The entire mission cycle is thirteen days and eight hours, of which the first five days are used to experimentally capture these two scrapped satellites, while the last eight days are used to clean up tiny debris from the other three orbits.
"
Speaking of this, Yu Chengwu glanced at everyone, and then said with a smile: "After the satellite is launched, we will immediately start the capture experiment of the first scrapped satellite. It is expected that around nine o'clock tonight, our satellite will change its orbit and approach.
We will scrap this satellite and launch a net to capture it. If successful, our entire experiment cycle will be greatly reduced.
If it fails, we will conduct a second experiment in due course. This time we brought a total of four catching nets on the satellite. Theoretically, we have two chances to catch each scrapped satellite.
Of course, this is not certain. Maybe we need to spend several nets to capture one satellite. Even if all the nets are used up, we will not capture a satellite. After all, this is a brand new experiment. Who knows whether it will be successful or not.