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Exploring the Universe: Cooperation Or Competition?

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Exploring the Universe: Cooperation or Competition? European Forum Alpbach 2013 Shuang-Nan Zhang Director, Center for Particle Astrophysics Institute of High Energy Physics Chief Scientist, Space Science Division National Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 Day 5 2 Future of ISS The 2005 NASA Authorization Act designated the American segment of the International Space Station as a national laboratory with the goal of increasing the use of the ISS. Many new scientific experiments are planned and scheduled to ISS: e.g., ISS-CREAM AMS02 to operate > 10 years from 2011 ISS partners asked to assess Station extension to 2025 – potentially 2028 Technical and engineering 2028 possible But no decision beyond 2020, yet. New partners to ISS? 3 Two Space Stations at ~2020? Cooperation or Competition? The huge, but aging SSS The smaller, but young TG No plan or even talks for any cooperation yet! Why? In 2011 new American legislation further strengthened legal barriers to co-operation, preventing NASA co-operation with China or Chinese owned companies, even the expenditure of funds used to host Chinese visitors at NASA facilities. 4 Ancient Chinese Observations and Learning of Space Observations of Solar Eclipse: “The Book of History: Yinzheng” as the earliest observation record of a solar Eclipse (2042 BC) in China Observations of Nova: The oracle bones of Yin Dynasty Ruins (1300 BC) as the earliest records of Nova in the world “The Astronomy Part of the Records of Song Dynasty”: Supernova Explosion (1054 AD) Remnant: Crab Nebula 5 Ancient Chinese Observations and Learning of Space Observations of Comet: Halley’s Comet: two earliest observations (613 BC & 476 BC)， Recorded in “Spring and Autumn Annals”. The 28 returns of Halley’s Comet (240 BC~ 1910 AD) : all found in ancient Chinese books. • Observation from Halley: in 1682 AD, period of 76 years Ancient Chinese first pointed out that the direction of a Comet tail was always against the sun. No less than 500 records of Comets can be found in ancient Chinese books. 29 Comet pictures were found in the silk books unearthed from Hunan Mawang Dui in 1973.6 Ancient Chinese Observations and Learning of Space Observations of Sun-Spots: the most complete records are found in China. Observations: started from 28 BC, 1000 years earlier than the Western world. Size: close to a “copperplate” or an “egg”… The Sun God Bird images (3000 years ago): found in Chengdu Jinsha Relic (unearthed in 2001). -----It resembles the spiral structure of interplanetary magnetic field. 7 ESA-China Bilateral Meeting on Space Science, June, 2010 8 Space Research in China in the last 50 years In 1958, satellite program and space physics research were proposed. In 1960’s, sounding rockets and scientific ballooning programs were initiated. In 1970’s, satellites were launched to detect charged particles in low-earth orbits. In 1980’s, recoverable remote sensing satellites have been used for various kinds of space scientific experiments, such as crystal and protein growth, cell cultivation and crop breeding. 9 Recent Progress in Space Science Research in China In 2003 and 2004, two geospace satellites (Double Star Program) were launched, in cooperation with ESA’s CLUSTER program. 10 Consequences of the lunar space race? Space and aerospace technology and industry Many new technologies and industries Lunar and planetary science, solar system origin Inspirations of new generations End of the cold war? 11 1990-2011 new lunar exploration: global space race? 1990 Hiten Japan Orbiter first aerobraking maneuver by a deep space probe) 1994 Clementine USA Orbiter 1998 Lunar Prospector USA Orbiter 2003 SMART-1 Europe Orbiter first use of an ion engine to reach the Moon 2007 SELENE (Kaguya) Japan Orbiter 2007 Chang'e 1 China Orbiter/impactor 2008 Chandrayaan-1 India Orbiter discovery of water on the moon 2008 Moon Impact Probe India Impactor first Asian object on the surface of the moon Lunar Reconnaissance USA 2009 Orbiter Orbiter Shepherding spacecraft USA 2009 Impactor near observation of Centaur impact (LCROSS) Centaur upper stage USA 2009 Impactor (LCROSS) 2010 Chang'e 2 China Orbiter on extended mission to asteroid 4179 Toutatis 2010 ARTEMIS USA Orbiter Gravity Recovery and USA 2011 Two orbiters Interior Laboratory No USSR/Russia; Japan leads four new players; USA still leads! 12 Future Plan Any hope for cooperation? Year Name Country Elements Notes USA Instruments will include a dust detector, a neutral mass 2013 LADEE Orbiter spectrometer, an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, and a laser communications terminal. 2013 Chang'e 3 China Lander, Rover Six-wheeled lunar vehicle to be landed at Sinus Iridum. Russia Lander to explore the polar regions of the Moon, as well as testing 2015 Luna-Glob Lander landing technologies. Astrobotic USA First scheduled launch of a private lander, rover and moon payload 2015 Lander, Rover Technology (private) competing for various prizes including the Google Lunar X Prize. Russia Orbiter to include astrophysics experiments, dust monitors, plasma 2016 Luna-Glob Orbiter sensors, including the LORD astronomy payload, designed to study ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. 2016 Chang'e 4 China Rover Back-up to Chang'e 3 India/ Orbiter to carry five payloads, three new, while other two are Chandrayaan-2 / Orbiter, lander, 2017 Russia improved versions of those on Chandrayaan-1.The Russian Federal Luna-Resurs rover Space Agency will provide the lander that will carry the Indian rover. China Chinese lunar sample return mission consisting of a 2 stage lander 2018 Chang'e 5 Sample return and an orbiter for collection of lunar samples. Russia comes back? China catches up? USA shifts attention? 13 Chang’E-1: Launched in 2007 14 Chang’E-2 Launched on Oct.1, 2010 •Backup satellite of CE-1 •~7-days to reach lunar orbit (CE-1: 14-days) •100 km orbit (CE-1: 200 km) •Significantly improved instruments: 10 m resolution (CE-1: 120 m) •Prepare for CE-3’s soft lunar landing (CE-1: impact landing) 15 CE-2 Videos Tycho Sinus Lridum Vallis Alpes Humboldt Mare Orientale South Pole Summit and Lowest Point Near Side of Moon 16 Scientific goals of CE-2 3D lunar surface images with 10-meter resolution, with optical cameras. Composition of the moon with high spatial resolution, with X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers. Lunar regolith (soil) exploration with microwave radar detectors. Moon-earth space environment detection with energetic-particle detectors. 17 Launched, Oct 1, 2010 Into circular lunar orbit of 100 km, Oct 9, 2010 Moved to elliptical orbit of 15 km x 100 km, Oct 26, 2010 Moved back to circular lunar orbit of 100 km, Oct 29, 2010 18 B Question 1: (a) A A better than B; (b) B better than A; (c) the same (A from CE-2, China; B from Selena, Japan) 10 m resolution Question 2: (a) C C D better than D; (b) D better than C; (c) the same (D from CE-2, 1.5 m China; C from LRO, USA) Sinus-Iridom (Rainbow Bay,虹湾) 19 CE-2 extended mission Finished designed mission on 2011.4.1. On 2011.6.9, left for L2, 1.5 million km from earth, worked there for 235 days On 2012.12.13, flyby asteroid 4179 (Toutatis), 7 million km from the earth Then continued to fly away… 20 Chang’E-3 21 21 22 CE-5: Sample Return 23 24 China’s Future Space Station 25 Unmanned missions SZ Launch Notes 1 1999 Unmanned test flight Carried scientific payload including monkey, 2 2001 dog, rabbit and other animals. 3 2002 Carried a test dummy. Carried a test dummy and several science 4 2002 experiments. Unmanned mission, rendezvoused and docked 8 2011 with Tiangong-1. 26 Crewed missions Lau Dura SZ Crew Notes nch tion 5 2003 21 h Yang Liwei 1st Chinese manned flight 6 2005 5 d Fei Junlong Nie Haisheng Multiple days in space Zhai Liu Jing 1st three-person crew, 1st 7 2008 3 d Zhigang Boming Haipeng Chinese spacewalk. Jing 1st Chinese woman in space; 9 2012 13 d Liu Wang Liu Yang Haipeng 1st docking with TG-1 Nie Zhang Wang 2nd Chinese woman in space; 10 2013 15 d Haisheng Xiaoguang Yaping 2nd docking with TG-1 Total of 10 astronauts on 5 crewed missions. 27 Project 921 Tianggong-1 docked with SZ-10 SZ-5 China’s 1st male and female astronaut 28 China’s Space Station Program Three phases st 1 phase: so far 10 Chinese astronauts have been sent out and returned back successfully; many space science research has been done. Completed successfully. nd 2 phase: spacelab: docking of 3 spaceships with astronauts delivering and installing scientific instruments. 1st launch on Sept. 29, 2011. rd 3 phase: spacestation: several large experimental cabins with astronauts working onboard constantly. 1st launch ~2018. International collaborations on space science research have been and will continue to be an important part. 29 China’s Roadmap of space science to 2025 (and 2050) The rapid development of China’s economy and China’s commitment to substantial contribution to human’s knowledge and peaceful exploration of space CALL for SUBSTANTIAL NEW INITIATIVES Beyond the Existing Space Science Research Programs 30 Main Themes and Questions Need To Be Answered Two Themes of Space Science in 10~20 years Theme 1. How did matter originate (universe and life), how does it evolve and move? Theme 2. What is the relationship between the solar system and human beings? 31 Importance of dark matter and dark energy Constituents of the Universe Our current knowledge can only explain the 4% of the universe! We are still 96% ignorant! Dark matter and dark energy are considered the two “dark clouds” hovering above modern physics, and also the key to understanding the origin and evolution of the universe.
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