Reusable Chinese Satellite Lands Back on Earth Following Space-Based Crop Genetic Alteration Examination
Casual Space Chatter:
China's space program just scored another win, with the reusable satellite Shijian-19 cracking down, dusty style, in the Gobi Desert. This satellite has been whizzing around on a two-week mission, testing the waters for plant mutation in space,essentially reinventing crops for the future!
The satellite kissing the earth was predicted at 10:39 p.m. ET on Thursday, making it 10:39 a.m. Beijing Time on Friday. All the experiments were successful, and all the payloads were safely retrieved, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). These payloads were seeded with various genetic material for cosmic crop experimentation.
In CNSA's own words, "This mission heralded space breeding, new technology verification, and space science experiments. It aimed at promoting the development and application of new space technologies." The goodies didn't stop there; it even hosted some international cooperation payloads, paving the way for international space collaboration to promote space exploration and space utilization.
Now, let's take a little trip down memory lane to earlier this year, with the U.S. startup Varda Space. They launched a capsule into orbit, hanging out there for eight months, manufacturing crystals of the HIV-treating drug, ritonavir, to observe how it crystalized in microgravity. Don't worry, it made it back to Earth safely, too!
Not one to be outdone, the multi-talented Shijian-19 is designed for retrievability and durability, primed for multiple missions in the future. The recent short-term variant clocked in at two weeks in orbit, but the techies at CNSA are working on a long-term design with solar arrays. This bad boy could stay in orbit for prolonged periods, carrying up to 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) worth of payloads, as per SpaceNews.
And we're not done yet! China's space mission doesn't stop at the atmosphere; they're targeting the Moon for a habitat and setting their sights on deep space missions. Get ready, world! China is taking over low Earth orbit, too!
Fun fact: In Tibetan, "Shijian" translates to "experiment," so Shijian-19 is essentially our little space experimenter.
- The satellite Shijian-19, China's space experimenter, has successfully tested the waters for plant mutation in space, aiming to reinvent crops for the future.
- The China National Space Administration (CNSA) reported that Shijian-19, during its reusable mission, hosted some international cooperation payloads, marking a step towards international space collaboration.
- Future missions for Shijian-19, designed for retrievability and durability, could involve a long-term design with solar arrays, allowing it to stay in orbit for prolonged periods carrying up to 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) of payloads.
- China's space program continues to push boundaries, targeting the Moon for a habitat and setting their sights on deep space missions, making a strong claim on low Earth orbit.