2015年CRI China Successfully Tests Self-Developed Near Space Craft

 

On a cold October day this year in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous¹ Region, about 100 scientists were busy preparing to test their independently developed high-altitude airship. 

After a 22 hour flight around 20 kilometers above the earth, the airship successfully landed.

The project was jointly² developed by Beijing University of Astronautics and Aeronautics³ and Chinese company Nanjiang Space. 

Associate Manager of Nanjiang Space Liu Dongxu says the test flight opened a new territory in China's aerospace⁴ development. 

"Near space offers a bridge between aviation and space exploration. Few projects have been conducted in this area. We had little previous experience to draw upon in terms of the environment we are dealing⁵ with. It has very specific requirements for the material and the overall performance of the aircraft. "

Airplanes can fly within 20 kilometers above the earth, while satellites operate above 100 kilometers from the ground. That leaves the middle section called near space, or stratosphere, which is yet to be utilized⁶ by humans. 

Countries including Japan and the US have been vying⁷ to conquer this space in recent years. 

The Chinese airship is named Yuanmeng, or "to fulfill⁸ a dream", referring to the Chinese dream to independently design and produce a near space ship. 

Liu says the blimp is 75 meters long, has a volume of 18,000 cubic meters and a longest diameter of 24 meters. It can carry up to 300 kilograms in weight. 

Finding the right material to enable long-duration flight has proven a challenge for scientists. The Chinese airship is filled with helium, so the frame of the ship must be also very light to allow it to float.

"The materials of the airship must be able to balance or cancel out the load of the aircraft itself. So we used high strength fiber⁹ in building the blimp. Secondly¹⁰, the material must ensure very low levels of helium leakage¹¹. So we designed and produced the material based on these specifications¹²."

Solar batteries are used to power the ship, which carries a volume equaling around 10 professional swimming pools. To lighten the weight of the batteries, scientists used membrane-like designs to power the ship. 

Compared to planes and satellites, airships offer much lower costs. They do not need airports and can be used repeatedly. Most importantly, they can stay over a specific location for extended periods of time, which make them very useful in traffic or environmental monitoring. They also offer great potential in communications, intelligence gathering¹³, electronic suppression and early warning systems. 

The team behind the airship is already planning to commercially test the technology. Zhu Ming, Associate Professor at the Beijing University of Astronautics and Aeronautics says near space airships could prove very useful in civil missions. 

"We look at the ships as low-altitude and stationery¹⁴ satellites, and they will be more useful in providing civil services. For example, the blimps can carry communication base stations and provide continued 4G services to coastal¹⁵ or certain other areas. "

The team plans to send three more ships to near space in 2016.

1 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

2 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

3 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

4 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 utilized   

v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the19th century waterpower was widely utilized to generate electricity. 在19世纪人们大规模使用水力来发电。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The empty building can be utilized for city storage. 可以利用那栋空建筑物作城市的仓库。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

8 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

9 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

10 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

11 leakage   

n.漏，泄漏；泄漏物；漏出量

参考例句：

• Large areas of land have been contaminated by the leakage from the nuclear reactor.大片地区都被核反应堆的泄漏物污染了。
• The continuing leakage is the result of the long crack in the pipe.这根管子上的那一条裂缝致使渗漏不断。

12 specifications   

n.规格；载明；详述；（产品等的）说明书；说明书( specification的名词复数 )；详细的计划书；载明；详述

参考例句：

• Our work must answer the specifications laid down. 我们的工作应符合所定的规范。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This sketch does not conform with the specifications. 图文不符。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

14 stationery   

n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封

参考例句：

• She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。
• There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多，心里自会觉得踏实。

15 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。