September, Xichang launch site.
The vegetation is still as spring-like.
Today is the day for the launch of the first phase of the Beidou double satellite, which is the first domestic satellite navigation system to be completed.
Beidou Navigation is the third global navigation system to be completed in the world after the GPS global satellite positioning system and the GLONASS global navigation satellite system.
The first phase of the Beidou project is not planned to build a global navigation system.
It covers only the core area of our country, about 70° to 140° east longitude and 5° to 55° north latitude.
Its positioning accuracy is a horizontal accuracy of 100 meters (1σ), and after a calibration station is established, it is 20 meters (similar to a differential state). Working frequency: 2491.75mhz. The system can accommodate 540,000 users per hour.
It consists of two satellites in geosynchronous orbit above the equator, and an in-orbit backup satellite for emergency backup.
Countless relevant system staff attach great importance to this rocket launch mission.
Zhang Xingyang personally sits in the rocket launch control center and strives to ensure that there are no problems in this rocket launch mission.
As the chief engineer of the Beidou navigation system, Chen Zhongyan also appeared in the control center.
This old man with half gray hair has devoted almost half of his life to the satellite business.
Facing the country's first satellite navigation system that was about to be built, Chen Zhongyan was not as happy as Pang Ran imagined, but frowned.
"Mr. Chen, we are 99% sure about this rocket launch. We can definitely push the navigation satellite to the transfer orbit!"
Seeing Chen Zhongyan's frown, Zhang Xingyang comforted him a little and made his own promise.
In fact, the current launch success rate of Hongyan rocket is still good, and because of its special design.
Even if one or two engines in the rocket propulsion system fail, the satellite will not be unable to be propelled into the transfer orbit.
That's why Zhang Xingyang dared to fight Chen Zhongyan for such a sure thing.
"I'm not worried about the rocket, I'm worried about the satellite!"
However, Chen Zhongyan's answer was somewhat beyond Zhang Xingyang's expectations.
So he asked with some confusion: "What's wrong with the satellite? Didn't it go through several inspections before loading?"
Because it is the first time to build a satellite navigation system in China, preparations in all aspects are still very sufficient.
Various tests on the ground were carried out for several months, and a lot of time was also spent on the high-altitude simulation platform.
Therefore, logically there should be no problem.
Chen Zhongyan glanced at Zhang Xingyang and knew that he had wrongly replied:
"I'm not talking about the problem of the satellite itself, but the problem of the entire Beidou navigation system!"
During the first phase of the construction of the Beidou Navigation System, the technologies in various aspects were actually relatively limited at this time, so many were not able to reach the level of GPS or GLONASS.
"Compared with GPS and GLONASS, the Beidou system we are currently constructing in the first phase is still too crude!"
Chen Zhongyan said this somewhat heartbreaking reality with a sigh.
At this time, the GPS global positioning system is very powerful.
It is claimed that 6-9 satellites can provide positioning services at any time anywhere in the world. In fact, under the best conditions, 11 satellites can provide navigation services at the same time.
This also means that when using GPS, whether it is positioning response time or positioning accuracy, there is a big gap.
"The Beidou system currently only has two satellites that are actually working, which is incomparable to other people's 22 satellites!"
As an old man who is over fifty years old, Chen Zhongyan naturally knows that the road must be walked step by step and the meal must be eaten one bite at a time.
But seeing the country's backwardness in this regard, it's hard not to feel ashamed for this old man who has devoted almost his entire life to the satellite industry.
"Mr. Chen, we are just getting started now. In the future, we can have more than 30 navigation and positioning satellites."
Zhang Xingyang stood aside. Although his face looked very young compared to Chen Zhongyan, his words seemed to understand everything.
"The ancients said: 'You can't reach a thousand miles without taking small steps.'. At present, we are in this process!"
At this time, Chen Zhongyan also calmed down from his original negative mentality.
After smiling, he said: "Xingyang, I made you laugh."
"I am an old man, and I need you, a young man, to comfort me."
"Mr. Chen, everyone is doing this for the development of the country. It's nothing."
"The rocket launch is about to start, I'm going back first."
Zhang Xingyang looked at the time on his watch and said to Chen Zhongyan.
The rocket that was launched has also completed the filling of liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel at this time.
All staff have evacuated the launch site.
As time passed by, the rocket launch window soon came.
"ignition!"
At Zhang Xingyang's order, the rocket completed its own ignition work.
Tens of thousands of high-temperature and high-pressure gases are sprayed out from the tail nozzle that is thicker than a human being, turning into hundreds or thousands of tons of propulsion force.
The rocket, which weighs more than 600 tons, escapes the gravity of Mother Earth.
"First-stage rocket separation completed!"
After operating for less than three minutes, the first stage of the rocket was disconnected from the rocket's second stage by an explosive bolt.
"The second-stage rocket separated successfully!"
As time flew by, the rocket's second stage soon broke away successfully.
This time the rocket uses a first-hand Hongyan rocket, and the target orbit is the SSTO orbit.
It flew back to the launch site with the first-stage rocket and successfully completed the recovery work.
The fairing has brought two Beidou satellites into the SSTO orbit.
Because the orbital height of the Xichang launch site is not very high, although the engine needs to be turned off for a period of time after entering space to glide, the actual fuel consumption is not very large because it can rely on the rotation of the earth.
"Beidou-1 was successfully released!"
In the hall, Chen Zhongyan's heart, which was originally in his throat, relaxed a little.
The successful release of Star 1 basically means that the launch mission is half successful.
"Hurry up and contact Star No. 1 for testing!"
Before the No. 2 satellite was successfully released, Chen Zhongyan began to greet his people to test whether the function of the satellite was normal.
"Beidou-2 was successfully released!"
At this time, the satellite staff in the hall, who could only watch during the rocket launch phase, began to get completely busy.
As for Zhang Xingyang and other rocket launchers, they were freed from their busy work at this time.
The engineers who began to look at the Beidou satellites conducted tests on the Beidou satellites one by one.
(End of chapter)
