When did the space laboratory start flying?

The space shuttle manned Earth orbit for the first time, extended to April 198 1. Therefore, the first flight of "Space Laboratory" was also pushed to 1983. According to the plan, the first flight of the "Space Laboratory" was jointly conducted by NASA and the European Space Agency. The first flight was carried out on the space shuttle for seven days. The flying height of the "Space Laboratory" is set at 250 kilometers with an inclination of 57 degrees. The purpose of this flight is not only to test the flight performance of the "Space Laboratory" and its subsystems, but also to carry out scientific research and observation plans. In addition to NASA and the European Space Agency, Japan and India also participated in the first flight test project of the Space Laboratory. However, the total payload of the experiment cannot exceed 2.9 tons, because the size of the laboratory and the power supply it can provide are limited. According to the agreement between NASA and the European Space Agency, the average distributed weight of the two units is 1.4 tons, and neither side can exceed 1.45 tons. The two organizations agreed to carry out 37 first flight experiments, the European Space Agency agreed to 24, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration agreed to 13, including one experiment in Japan and one experiment in India. In order to participate in the research of the "Space Laboratory", more than 2,000 scientific and technological personnel from all over the world have signed up to participate, and NASA and the European Space Agency have selected 222 researchers to participate in the ground observation and analysis of 77 experiments on the first flight. While in orbit, four payload experts from the Space Laboratory will keep in touch with these researchers on the ground. These 222 people came from 65,438+06 countries, including 65,438+0 people from 65,438+02 countries in Europe. They belong to France, Britain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria. 80 people in the United States, Canada, Japan and India 1 1 person.

The first joint flight of "Space Laboratory" distributed 1.4 tons of payload to Europe, and the main instruments and equipment accounted for about 1000 kg, including photogrammetry equipment 150 kg, earth observation equipment 150 kg, space sleigh 140 kg and space material handling. The weight of space material processing equipment alone accounts for 1/3 of the total weight, and the experimental items of material processing account for about 50% of the total experimental items.

The experimental projects that "Space Laboratory" will carry out in the early 1960s cover a wide range, from basic science, applied technology to industrial production, which can be summarized as the following four aspects.

(1) celestial observation. "Space Laboratory" can be used as a test and measurement platform for space research. It has a wider range of applications than high-altitude detection rockets, earth satellites and space probes. Because a lot of equipment is loaded, the equipment can be recycled and reused, and the cost is low. In addition, researchers can follow the flight, observe and experiment directly. "Space Laboratory" researchers can continue to study atmospheric physics, plasma physics, solar physics, astrophysics and astronomy, which will provide new information for studying the relationship between the universe and the earth. The "Space Laboratory" can also observe transient events that are difficult to observe on the ground. Such as comets and nova, and all kinds of high-energy radiation. This is closely related to the study of the origin and evolution of nature and celestial bodies. For example, American astronauts observed the initial moment of solar burst in Sky Lab, which explained many unsolved problems in this process. Another example is Sky Lab's research on stellar spectra and comets. The solar telescope of Sky Laboratory has taken 6.5438+0.8 million photos, most of which are in the invisible light range on the ground, showing the scene of the sun surface and corona. For these, the "space laboratory" can continue to study in depth. In the study of plasma physics, France and Norway are responsible for measuring low-energy electrons and charged particles. In the solar physics experiment project, Belgium is responsible for measuring the solar constant. France and Belgium jointly built a grating mass spectrometer to study the composition of the upper atmosphere. The former West Germany is going to use laser to detect the atmosphere, observe the rays from infrared to ultraviolet, and detect the atmosphere of other planets. France proposed to study the temperature and wind in the mesosphere (also known as the mesosphere, the atmosphere from the stratosphere to 80 ~ 90km) and the thermosphere (also known as the atmosphere from the mesosphere to Kangu km), and Lyman in the H and D regions of the ionosphere. Radiation, and the study of the solar spectrum with a wavelength between 4 microns and so on. Other research projects include magnetic field, electric field, meteor, interstellar dust, and the formation of solar wind and its influence on geomagnetic field, earth's atmosphere and ionosphere. The biggest feature of all the above studies is that they are not disturbed by the atmosphere.

(2) Earth observation. The "space laboratory" can be used as a working platform for earth observation. It is like a manned automatic observation station built in space, which is far more flexible and superior than land satellites, ocean satellites and meteorological satellites in earth observation. On the one hand, the observation instruments in the laboratory are operated by researchers themselves, and the observation of the earth is more detailed; On the other hand, the laboratory can be loaded with heavy and powerful remote sensing instruments, such as microwave devices, lasers and radar devices. The instrument and the obtained data return to the ground with the researchers without relay transmission, which is helpful for careful analysis and research. If the instrument breaks down, researchers can repair or replace the relevant parts at any time. This is beyond the reach of unmanned automated satellites. The earth observation tasks of "Space Laboratory" mainly focus on the fields of earth remote sensing, meteorology, communication and navigation technology. It can collect all kinds of useful information on transportation, urban planning, pollution control, agriculture, fisheries, navigation, meteorological forecast, resource exploration and so on, and observe and remotely sense the earth from space, which has become an effective means to explore the earth's resources and study meteorology. Therefore, the "space laboratory" can provide an important basis for weather forecasting, weather analysis, climate causes and meteorological evolution research. It can be used to test new meteorological observation methods and new sensors. In the past, mankind discovered new mineral deposits and oil fields through various spaceships and satellites. Using false color photography technology to estimate the output of cereals and other cereals, the vegetation on the surface is studied, which makes the map drawing more accurate, and many inaccessible mountains are drawn ... The use of "space laboratory" will continue to expand the application of these technical fields.

(3) Medical, biological and biochemical experiments. As a laboratory for scientific research and development, the "Space Laboratory" will also conduct experimental research on space medicine, biology and biochemistry. The metabolism of organisms in weightlessness has changed greatly, so it is necessary to continue the life science research on people and other organisms in space, which will increase human understanding of life process. Germany, France, Britain and Sweden will cooperate to study the influence of linear acceleration on vestibular response of human ears in weightlessness and the response of astronauts' eyes to shaking. In addition, we will also study the weight identification of human body in weightlessness, the enlargement of lymph nodes in weightlessness and the influence of radiation on human body by measuring the venous and intrathoracic venous pressures of astronauts. Germany, France and the United States will cooperate to study the effects of radiation on living things. Britain will also use a miniature magnetic recorder to record ECG, EEG and eye diagram under weightlessness, check cardiovascular adaptability and study neuropathology.

(4) Study the production technology of aerospace industry. "Space Laboratory" can be used as a laboratory for developing and researching space processing and production technology. Because industrial production in space can take advantage of the unique physical and operating conditions here, mainly weightlessness and high vacuum environment. In this unique environment, it opens up a new world for developing new processing technology and manufacturing new materials. This is the most interesting technical research project in industry. Because it may have great application and economic value. In such an ideal vacuum environment, it plays a special role in industrial welding, brazing, fusion welding, material processing, the growth of high-purity large crystals, the separation of certain substances, various container-free glass used for laser manufacturing, light and high-temperature resistant new alloys, other synthetic materials, new inventions of chemicals and pharmaceutical preparations, etc. These will have immeasurable significance in the fields of electronics, machinery manufacturing, optics, biomedicine, material manufacturing and processing.

The United States has done experiments on metal melting and solidification in the "space laboratory", ideal metal balls and new alloys, and semiconductor physics experiments such as crystal growth. These experimental results have wide practical value. To this end, many industrial companies in Europe are very enthusiastic about the practical application of these experimental "space laboratories". For example, a machinery factory in Germany hopes to use the weightless environment of the "space laboratory" to create a method of casting high-quality mechanical parts and manufacturing wear-resistant high-precision modules. Relevant industrial companies have put forward specific experimental projects in various fields. If we improve the method of manufacturing semiconductor materials, improve the purity of materials and expand the application scope, we should not only make crystals as large as possible in space, but also obtain crystals with perfect properties and uniformity, and make ultra-pure materials with better electrical, optical and mechanical properties ... In short, the application scope of space laboratories in industrial production is extensive and endless. It will show a new prospect of human industrial production.