The Haolong space cargo shuttle, a Chinese independently developed reusable winged space cargo vehicle, is expected to further reduce the cost of delivering fresh food to China's space station, according to its chief designer.
Leveraging cutting-edge aviation technologies, the Haolong is designed to be launched by a carrier rocket, dock with the space station, and, after separation, perform de-orbit braking and re-entry maneuvers, culminating in a horizontal landing on an airport runway. It also demonstrates exceptional flight performance in both atmospheric and space environments.
Compared to the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft series, the Haolong offers lower-cost short-cycle in-orbit cargo transportation missions.
"The Haolong space cargo shuttle will normally carry around two tons of payload each time, which will exactly meet the space station's need for the replenishment of supplies for about three months. So, it will be able to provide several replenishments to the space station each year. Such a way of delivery especially fits the replenishment of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as other supplies that can't be stored for too long. Additionally, the Haolong space cargo shuttle's cold chain system is able to keep these foods fresh," said Fang Yuanpeng, chief designer of the Haolong space cargo shuttle.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced the winners of its solicitation for overall schemes targeting a low-cost cargo transportation system -- a vital component of the space station's operations -- on Oct. 29. The Haolong space cargo shuttle, developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), was one of two schemes selected for contracts in the flight verification phase.
"After docking with the orbiting space station, the Haolong will operate as part of a combined system. We can select the return window as well as the landing site for the space cargo shuttle, allowing it to return to the same site where it was launched. However, this is not the most challenging aspect of developing the craft; it is relatively easy to accomplish," said Fang.
China has released its first report detailing the progress achieved in scientific research and applications related to the country's space station over the past two years.
The CMSA, which compiled the report to 'mark the two-year anniversary of the space station's full establishment,' announced that the report will now be published annually to reflect the progress of ongoing space missions.
The report, released on Monday, highlights key areas such as space life and human research, microgravity physical sciences, and the development of new space technologies and applications.
As of Dec. 1, a total of 181 scientific and application projects have been conducted in orbit. Nearly two tonnes of scientific materials have been delivered, and close to 100 types of experimental samples have been returned, generating over 300 terabytes of scientific data, the CMSA noted.
Haolong space cargo shuttle to cut costs for fresh food deliveries to space station: chief designer
