When will the 10-meter-diameter super-large space station manned capsule be launched?

The basic dimensions of the core module of the space station that have successfully entered orbit are: a total length of 16.6 meters, a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters, and a total weight of 22.5 tons. The interior can provide more than 50 cubic meters of living and working space for astronauts who enter it in the future, which has been greatly improved compared with the two Tiangong series space stations launched in the past. It is basically a direct upgrade from a single room to a three-bedroom level. After the successful launch and docking of the future No. 1 and No. 2 large-scale experimental modules, the astronauts' perennial casual activity space will be further expanded from 50 cubic meters in the early stage to 110 to 180 cubic meters. It is equivalent to upgrading from a three-bedroom to a small villa again, which can basically be said to exceed the maximum activity space inside the Mir space station launched by the former Soviet Union. In fact, in terms of the size and weight of a single main core cabin, the 22.5-ton class is already the largest in the world. Because neither the current core module of the Star of the International Space Station nor the command module of the Mir that year has exceeded the maximum level of 22 tons. The current extra 0.5 tons.

It can already sit firmly on the throne of the world's number one. So the question is, for human living space, the bigger the better. No one on earth likes to live in a dwelling, and if they can live in a villa in space, they absolutely do not want a few people to squeeze the bunks of a room. So why so far, almost none of the core modules of inhabited space stations launched by major countries have a maximum diameter of more than 5 meters? You must know that 4.2 meters is still the maximum outer diameter of the core cabin. And the entire core cabin, which has been in orbit, is still changing in diameter. In addition to the maximum diameter of 4.2 meters, there is obviously a small section with a diameter of more than 3 meters; in addition, the diameter of the "joint" part that can be used for multi-angle docking is also about 3 meters. The fat 5 rocket that launched the core module has a maximum outer diameter of 5 meters. Now the mature rocket technology of major countries can already achieve the payload, including the maximum diameter of its outer fairing, which is larger than the core stage of the launch rocket. That is to say, a rocket with a 5-meter main core can carry a fairing with a diameter of 8 meters without much problem.

Then this 8-meter-diameter rocket fairing. The interior can fully accommodate payloads up to 7.5 meters in diameter. If you feel that the payload of 7.5 meters is not large enough, then the diameters of the Saturn 5 and the energy-level Mars that have been launched have reached or approached 10 meters. Therefore, if these super large rockets are used to launch the core module of the space station, the largest A diameter of 10 meters or even 12 meters is no problem. Humans experience it by sensing the size of normal indoor activity spaces on Earth. If the height of the floor is within 3 meters and the length and width are about 4 meters, then it is the feeling of being in the bedroom. If the floor height is about 4 meters and the length and width are larger, then it is basically the space of a college classroom; if the floor height is 8 to 10 meters, and the length and width are enlarged, then it basically feels like being inside a small auditorium. Modern technology can directly expand the core module of the space station from a "three-bedroom" to a "small auditorium" with a diameter of 10 meters. Why not do it? Hanhai Langshan (Hun Langshan) personally believes that if it is really expanded to 8 to 10 meters, it is a serious waste. At this stage, the interior of the space station has no artificial gravity.

Astronauts work and live in it, and they are basically suspended in it for a long time; therefore, a height of about 2.5 meters is enough to give the astronauts an internal clear space for free-floating activities. The remaining 1.5 meters of sidewall space can install equipment; plus the outer casing and protective layer, the maximum outer diameter is about 4.2 meters. And if the outer diameter of the core cabin of the space station is expanded to more than 5 meters or even more than 8 meters, it will be more open inside. But there are tons of spaces in between that are useless at all. The astronauts floated in it for a long time before they could touch the surrounding equipment. There is no way to operate the buttons of the equipment with a little flutter now, which is convenient and fast. Some people say that the core module of 8 to 10 meters can be separated from it, but the inner space caused by this is not cylindrical, but it makes the astronauts feel inconvenient and uncomfortable. What's more, adding a hard partition in the middle of the long cylindrical space station does not have much practical benefits other than causing excess weight. The manned cabin section of the space station, to put it bluntly, is an aluminum alloy cylinder with a basic shell thickness of less than 1 cm, and the outside is wrapped with a layer of thermal insulation and anti-collision composite material "quilt".

Its overall structure and strength against external forces are far from the strength of underwater submarine pressure hulls. The self-weight control of the space station is extremely strict, so the thin-skin shell made of light metal is mainly used, so the diameter is basically controlled within 5 meters at this stage. If the diameter is enlarged, the comprehensive bearing capacity of the material must be considered. Of course, humans will eventually need a space station with a larger diameter. For example, the use of natural sunlight to multiply space plants on a large scale; at the same time, large-scale mechanized production in space is carried out. By this time, the cabin section with a diameter of less than 5 meters is definitely not enough. The space stations at this stage are basically "purely losing money", such as the International Space Station. The total cost has exceeded 100 billion US dollars, and the annual maintenance consumption exceeds 3 billion. But I can only live mainly, with a little bit of profitable space tourism. The so-called gravity-free crystal production line has extremely low utilization rates. The newly launched space station has an unprecedented design for future on-orbit industrial production capabilities. Therefore, the emergence of the world's first integrated production module for a super-large space station with an outer diameter of more than 5 meters and between 10 meters can only be seen by Tianhe!