On July 24 at 2:22 pm (Beijing Time), Wentian lab module was carried by a Long March 5B rocket that blasted off, marking another important step in the construction of China‘s space station.
The Wentian module is the second large module of the Chinese space station after the Tianhe core module, with an axial length of 17.9 meters and a weight of 23 tons. It is the largest single module in the construction of China‘s space station. Wentian space lab will be the main workplace for astronauts during orbit with the main function of carrying out scientific experiments. In addition, Wentian space lab also needs to back up the functions of the Tianhe core module. When Tianhe core module fails, it can be switched to the Wentian module. Wentian looks like a “Hercules” with wings and its shape is very different from that of the Tianhes because it has a pair of huge solar panels at the tail to ensure the power supply of the space station.
Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd.(ZYS), as the main supporting high-quality manufacturing enterprise in the aerospace field, undertakes the task of developing and producing bearing components for the sun-centripetal mechanism of the solar windsurfing panel of the Wentian module. The solar panel is adjusted to the heliocentric mechanism to maintain the best angle with the sun’s rays, and the direction to the sun is always maintained, so as to avoid other modules blocking the sunlight during the flight, and to ensure the continuous power supply of the space station.
The bearing assembly has high design precision, difficult processing technology, and requires more longer on-orbit life, especially posing new challenges to lubrication technology. Through continuous technical research, repeated process analysis, multiple rounds of processing trial production, and sufficient performance tests, ZYS has finally successfully developed products that fully meet the requirements, and the lubrication technology has achieved independent and independent innovation.
Over the years, ZYS has been developing special bearings, bearing components and momentum wheel products for China‘s aerospace engineering, and has successively completed the “Dongfanghong” series of satellites, the “Shenzhou” series of manned spacecraft, the “Chang’e” Lunar exploration project, and BeiDou Navigation satellite series satellites, etc. Success is hard-won, and struggle is accompanied by hardships. In the future, ZYS will keep in mind its mission, continue to climb new heights in aerospace science and technology, and make new contributions to building a strong aerospace country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Keyword: Pre-terminated Cable Assemblies