Manned Spacecraft Technologies

This book offers essential information on China’s human spacecraft technologies, reviewing their evolution from theoretical and engineering perspectives. It discusses topics such as the design of manned spaceships, cargo spacecraft, space laboratories, space stations and manned lunar and Mars detection spacecraft. It also addresses various key technologies, e.g. for manned rendezvous, docking and reentry. The book is chiefly intended for researchers, graduate students and professionals in the fields of aerospace engineering, control, electronics & electrical engineering, and related areas.

At the present time, space travel is characterized by separately developed technologies of the space-traveling nations. Depending on fixed financial budgets and expensive technology companies, the developed spaceships are strongly designed just for a specific mission profile in order to reduce costs and risks as far as possible. Because of their less sustainable supply concept, these spacecraft allow only a limited mission duration and require regular supply deliveries in addition. On the other hand side, mission periods continue to lengthen with the planned exploration of Mars, asteroids or other objects that are even more distant. These missions will require high sustainable supply concepts in order to enable autonomous and long-term life support of human mission participants. The now existing solutions do not yet meet these requirements, so the current approach of spacecraft design had to undergo a conceptual review. The research made in the context of this work led to the design of a new generation of spacecraft, which supports with its optimized hull construction such extended long-term missions in terms of durability, variability and life support. All its embedded biological and chemical processes have, on the one hand, the primary aim to enable humans a long stay in space and, on the other hand, to be independent of an external mission supply. The performed research activities also included the necessary mechanical and energetical functions for which an extreme lifetime extension of up to 60 years was aimed.

This book reviews the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) small spacecraft technology development. Included are assessments of NASA's technology priorities for relevance to small spacecraft and identification of technology gaps and overlaps. The volume also examines the small spacecraft technology programs of other government agencies and assesses technology efforts in industry.

Twenty years since the first edition was published in the German language, and just over fifty years since the launch of the Earth’s first ever artificial satellite Sputnik 1, this third edition of the Handbook of Space Technology presents in fully integrated colour a detailed insight into the fascinating world of space for the first time in the English language. Authored by over 70 leading experts from universities, research institutions and the space industry, this comprehensive handbook describes the processes and methodologies behind the development, construction, operation and utilization of space systems, presenting the profound changes that have occurred in recent years in the engineering, materials, processes and even politics associated with space technologies and utilization. The individual chapters are self-contained, enabling the reader to gain a quick and reliable overview of a selected field; an extensive reference and keyword list helps those who wish to deepen their understanding of individual topics. Featuring superb, full colour illustrations and photography throughout, this interdisciplinary reference contains practical, hands-on engineering and planning information that will be invaluable to those on a career path within space technology, or simply for those of us who’d like to know more about this fascinating industry. Main section headings include: Introduction (historical overview, space missions) Fundamentals (orbital mechanics, aerothermodynamics/ reentry, space debris) Launch Vehicles (staged technologies, propulsion systems, launch infrastructure) Space Vehicle Subsystems (structure, energy supply, thermal controls, attitude control, communication) Aspects of Human Flight (man in space, life support systems, rendezvous and docking) Mission Operations (satellite operation, control center, ground station network) Utilization of Space (Earth observation, communication navigation, space astronomy, material sciences, space medicine, robotics) Configuration and Design of a Space Vehicle (mission concept, system concept, environmental simulation, system design, Galileo satellites) Management of Space Missions (project management, quality management, cost management, space law)