Doing big things quietly! How to manually control the docking of Tianzhou-2 with the space station?

Yesterday at 7:55

After about 2 hours

Shenzhou 13 astronaut crew

With the close cooperation of ground technical personnel

Inside the space station core module

Manual remote control

Completed successfully

Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft

Rendezvous and docking test with the space station complex

Video source: China Manned Spaceflight Office

What is "manual teleoperation"?

Manual remote control

The Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Features specially equipped for visiting unmanned aircraft

It is part of the spacecraft's GNC (guidance, navigation and control) system.

Figure: Schematic diagram of the previous robot arm transfer test

After the trial begins

Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft

Separated from the forward port of the core module node module

Astronauts use manual remote control

Controlling a cargo ship

Evacuate to the designated anchorage point

After a short stop

Enter the translation phase

Controlling a cargo ship

Combined with the space station

Accurately complete forward rendezvous and docking

Manual teleoperated rendezvous and docking

As a space station

Rendezvous and docking with visiting spacecraft

Important Mode

It's an unmanned visiting aircraft.

Backup means of automatic rendezvous and docking

This trial

It was the first time that an astronaut

Using hand-controlled teleoperation equipment on orbit

Controlling a cargo ship

Rendezvous and docking with the space station

Initial verification of the space station

With visiting aircraft

Functions and performance of manual remote control system

And between heaven and earth

The rationality of collaborative work procedures

Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Zhang Qiang, deputy chief designer of the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft, introduced

During the entire "driving" process

The astronauts' perspective is "looking at" the space station from the spacecraft

Just like an astronaut "driving" in a cargo spacecraft

Instrument systems facing astronauts

Operating handle, etc.

Both are similar to what my country has previously implemented on the Shenzhou spacecraft.

The two manual rendezvous and dockings were similar

This minimizes

The difficulty of astronaut training

Reduced burden on operation and identification

What is the purpose of this docking experiment?

Video source: CCTV News Client

Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Yang Sheng, chief designer of the Tianzhou-2 cargo system, introduced

Astronauts in the core module

Issue control instructions

Let Tianzhou-2 separate from the core module first

Then

Manual control by astronauts

The position and attitude of the entire cargo spacecraft

Retreat to a certain distance forward

Then control it again to dock

Until the locking is completed

Teleoperated rendezvous and docking test

Very important for the construction of space stations

Manned spacecraft

Can be driven by astronauts

Manual operation completes docking with the space station

The cargo ship is different.

Once the automatic rendezvous and docking function fails

Cargo spacecraft

Will not be able to dock with the space station

Causes mission failure

So the cargo ship

It must have the function of remote control

Mutual backup with automatic rendezvous and docking technology

besides

Yang Sheng also mentioned

Tianzhou-2 is completing

After the remote-operated rendezvous and docking test

Will choose the right time to leave the space station core module

Before derailment

The waste will be packed and taken away

Burn up in the atmosphere

This is also the space station built

One of the key technologies

Comprehensive sources: China Manned Spaceflight Office, CCTV News Client, Guangming Daily, etc.