Technician shows the special glass products applied to the manned spacecraft. Photo by Wang Jijun
On June 17, the Shenzhou XII manned spacecraft developed by China was successfully launched and completed its fast automated rendezvous and docking with the core module of Tianhe.
Nearly 10,000 pieces of aerospace glass products developed and produced by Hebei Qinhuangdao Xingjian Special Glass Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Xingjian Company) are used on the Shenzhou XII manned spacecraft. This is the ninth escort that special glass “made in Qinhuangdao” was applied to the Shenzhou spacecrafts.
Upon the completion of fast automated rendezvous and docking of the Shenzhou XII manned spacecraft and the Tianhe core module, the astronauts will be stationed in the Tianhe core module for the first time for a three-month stay in orbit, and carry out robotic arm operation and extravehicular activities. This requires more stability of the irradiated glass cover sheet.
Technician operates on the special glass production line. Photo by Wang Jijun
“China’s space station adopts the third-generation solar array, which is a flexible solar array, it requires higher strength of the special glass that matches it. In addition, the appearance of the products for Shenzhou XII adopts an unconventional design, which is superior difficult.” said Lv Yilin, deputy general manager of Xingjian Company, adding that they have spent three months to study the raw material formulation and glass processing for more stable key indicators such as temperature alternation and resistance to electronic radiation, meeting the supporting needs of the latest generation of flexible solar arrays in China.
The radiation-resistant glass cover sheet installed on the solar cell of the Shenzhou spacecraft has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.12 mm, although it is as thin as a cicada wing, the product strength can reach more than 500 MPa.
It can block high-energy particles and ultraviolet rays in space, like an armor of the solar cell, ensuring the photoelectric conversion efficiency.
Xingjian Company is a high-tech enterprise in the Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone. Its space-use anti-irradiation glass products have filled many gaps in China’s aerospace glass technology fields. China’s space vessels such as Shenzhou, Tiangong, Chang’e, Tianzhou, Tianwen, space stations and lunar rover have equipped with special glass products produced by Xingjian Company. Xingjian glass has escorted Shenzhou IV to XII, a total of 9 spacecrafts so far.
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