Astronaut Center of China

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China Astronautic Scientific Research and Training Center
中国航天员科研训练中心
Emblem of the People's Liberation Army
Active1968; 56 years ago (1968)
Country People's Republic of China
Allegiance Chinese Communist Party
BranchPeople's Liberation Army Aerospace Force
TypeResearch and Training Institution
RoleSpace Manned Flight Research
Part of People's Liberation Army
Commanders
CommanderGao Feng (高峰)
Chief DesignerHuang Weifeng (黄伟芬)

The China Astronautic Scientific Research and Training Center (中国航天员科研训练中心), usually referred to as the Astronaut Center of China (中国航天员中心 - ACC),[1] located at the Beijing Space City, is the principal institution in charge of the training of astronauts and of researching all matters related to crewed space travel. It is dually affiliated to the Central Military Commission Equipment Development Department and the People's Liberation Army Aerospace Force. It is the third specialized research and training center for astronauts in the world after the Soviet/Russian Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and the United States's Houston Space Center. Known as "the cradle of China's space heroes",[1] the center's motto is "From here into the Universe" (“从這里走向太空”).[2]

History[edit]

In 1958, China began research on aerospace biomedical engineering. At that time, space pioneers Qian Xuesen, Zhao Jiuzhang and others were commissioned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences to establish the "581 Group of the Chinese Academy of Sciences", which was a high-altitude physiological research group explicitly intended to study "the development and training of biological life support systems in rocket flight". In 1960, this "High Altitude Physiology Research Group" was expanded into the "Space Biology Research Laboratory" to carry out space biology research and build a series of laboratories. In addition, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences were also engaged in aerospace medical engineering research.[3]

In 1968, during the Cultural Revolution, Qian Xuesen, at the time establishing the general design office for spacecrafts, made a report to the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, recommending the establishment of an Institute of Space Medical Engineering.[4] With the approval of the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, on April 1, 1968, relevant units of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences jointly established the "Institute of Aerospace Medical Engineering" in Beijing, also known as the 507th Research Institute of the PLA, what is now considered the direct ancestor of the ACC. It was affiliated to the Fifth Research Institute of the Ministry of National Defense.[3][5][6]

The 507 Institute had a staff of 1,265, with He Quanxuan as the director, Zhu Yu as the political commissar, and Huo Junfeng, Chen Xin and Shi Yunfeng as the deputy directors.[4] In the next three years, the institute continuously moved its location. In 1969, it moved from the Changping branch of Peking University to the Beijing Institute of Technology, and in 1970 it moved to the old site of Beijing Agricultural University. In 1971, the State Council of the People's Republic of China approved the establishment of a special scientific research area for the Institute of Aerospace Medical Engineering. The institute then built an experimental area in the land set aside. By December 1978, the Beijing Agricultural University wanted to move back to its original location. The 507 institute then set up 33 tents on the new experimental site, and the various teams moved into the tents to work, maintaining scientific research and production. On June 25, 1986, the laboratory building of the institute was completed, and since then the institute has been at its current location.[3]

In 1970, the Central Military Commission approved the development mission of "Shuguang" 1 manned spacecraft, and planned to send China's first astronaut into space in 10 years. This was known as the "714" project. The institute participated in the research tasks of the project until the project was discontinued in 1978. After 1981, the institute started carrying out again research on manned space technology, research on the human body in zero-G environments, and satellite-borne biological research. In October 1990, China's "Jianbing" 1 satellite used a biological capsule developed by the institute to carry mice for an 8-day orbital flight. This was China's first advanced orbital animal space flight test.

On 8 January 1992, the China Manned Space Program was started. The institute (then known in English as the "Institute of Space Medical Engineering", ISME) was made responsible for the astronaut system and the environmental control and life support subsystems of the spacecraft, among the seven major systems of the China Manned Space Program.[3]

In 2003, China's first manned space mission "Shenzhou 5" was successful. The space suit worn by Shenzhou 5 astronaut Yang Liwei was embroidered with the logo of the Institute of Space Medical Engineering. This was the only time this logo appeared in a manned space mission.

The logo of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center on the Shenzhou 7 spacesuit
Shenzhou 7 The logo of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center on the spacesuit (on the right chest), used since Shenzhou 6

In 2005, the Institute of Space Medical Engineering was renamed to its current name of China Astronautic Research and Training Center.[3] The ACC is a comprehensive research institution that combines medical and engineering research for the sake of manned spaceflight in China.

As one of the main participating units of China Manned Space Program, it is responsible for astronaut selection and training, medical supervision, medical support, development of space suits and space food, spacecraft environmental control and life support system development, large-scale ground simulation tests, and training equipment development. In a quirk of IP law, the ACC also owns the trademark rights for the Chinese astronauts' portraits, signatures, and manned spaceflight logos.[7] The logo of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center has been embroidered on the space suits of every manned mission since"Shenzhou 6".

In 2008, with the approval of relevant organizations of the International Astronomical Union, the National Astronomical Observatory named an asteroid discovered on January 2, 1997, the "Astronaut Center Planetoid", IAU number 35313.[1]

In 2023, the ACC announced it has managed full 100% regeneration of oxygen supplies and 95% recovery of water resources in the Tianggong space station, which reduces resupply needs, and is a critical advance for any future long duration space flights.[8]

Structure[edit]

As of 2005, the center has 3 scientific research areas and 2 living areas.[3] As well as its Beijing HQ, the ACC has labs in Shenzhen.[9]

As of 2015, the ACC is also a degree-granting educational institution, and may confer master's degrees in two disciplines: "Human-Machine Interface and Environmental Engineering" (人机与环境工程) and "Special Medicine" (特种医学).[10][11]

The China Astronautic Scientific Research and Training Center was originally affiliated to the General Armament Department of the People's Liberation Army.[12] In the 2015 military reform, the General Armament Department was abolished and the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission was established. The China Astronaut Scientific Research and Training Center was successively transferred to the dual authority of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission and the Aerospace Systems Department of the Strategic Support Forces, and is as of 2024 a directly subordinate unit under the Aerospace Force.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "2005年9月30日，中国航天员科研训练中心成立". 科普中国. 2015-09-30. Archived from the original on 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  2. ^ "从这里，飞向太空". 中国青年报. 2016-10-17.
  3. ^ a b c d e f 刘树栋、许卫新，中国航天员科研训练中心发展轶事，航天员2005年01期
  4. ^ a b "中国人第一次离开地球的故事，搜狐，2009-07-13". Archived from the original on 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  5. ^ 航天骄子的摇篮——航天医学工程研究所，神剑2004年03期
  6. ^ 宿双宁，积极开拓进取 努力发展我国载人航天事业——庆祝航天医学工程研究所成立30周年，中华航空航天医学杂志1998(2)
  7. ^ "我国首位宇航员杨利伟出舱肖像申请商标". 京华时报. 2003-10-31. Archived from the original on 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  8. ^ 曹梓楠. "China's space station achieves 100% regeneration of oxygen resources". global.chinadaily.com.cn. Archived from the original on 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  9. ^ Co, Beijing Institute of Technology Press; Ltd. "The Astronaut Center of China 90-d head-down bed rest: Overview, countermeasures, and effects". phys.org. Archived from the original on 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  10. ^ "中国航天员科研训练中心". 搜狐. 2016-08-31. Archived from the original on 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  11. ^ "中国航天员科研训练中心概况". 中国考研网. 2015-09-11. Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  12. ^ "内蒙古自治区慰问团慰问总装备部航天员科研训练中心". 中国双拥网. 2012-12-17. Archived from the original on 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
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