Original title:To help "Beitech No. 1" lose weight, he put on the satellite "canvas"

Original link:http://digitalpaper.stdaily.com/http_www.kjrb.com/kjrb/html/2019-09/02/content_429773.htm?div=0

　　Science and Technology Daily reporter first met Zhang Xiaomin, is in the Beijing Institute of Technology (hereinafter referred to as the North Institute of Technology) campus。The interview was during the summer vacation, when most teachers and students were still enjoying the holiday, the professor of the School of Astronautics still insisted on coming to school every day to "punch in", even if the "North Technology No. 1" satellite project he led had just successfully concluded。

　　Zhang Xiaomin has been working with flying machines since he was 18 and started university。Today, at 48, he still thinks about "what's out there."。

　　Over the past 30 years, he has led the development of China's first satellite, "Hope 1", specially developed for teenagers;The compact, practical and widely used CAST100 satellite platform has been developed.It took only nine months to send a small satellite "Beiyang No. 1" carrying a number of new technologies into space...

　　Keep pushing yourself is the most important

　　In 1989, Zhang Xiaomin was admitted to the Applied mechanics Department of Aircraft Design and Applied Mechanics of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Beihang)。In the third year, the school of Astronautics enrolled undergraduate students for the first time。

　　Since childhood, Zhang Xiaomin has been interested in aircraft, so he put forward an application for transfer, and later became the first undergraduate graduate of Beihang Academy of Astronautics。He later earned his master's and doctoral degrees here。

　　In 2001, Zhang Xiaomin set foot on the campus of Tsinghua University and began postdoctoral research。Two years later, he left the postdoctoral station and entered the Aerospace Dongfanghong Satellite Co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as Dongfanghong), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Group.。

　　"The reason why I choose to enter the company rather than other scientific research institutions is because I want to do something more practical technology, and the company will give me a bigger stage to achieve this goal.。With this initial intention, he worked hard in the company for 15 years。

　　In the past 15 years, Zhang Xiaomin has worked from an ordinary technician to the chief designer, during which he participated in a number of scientific research missions such as "Hope 1" and the CAST100 micro-satellite platform。

　　In 2007, Zhang Xiaomin was working in Dongfanghong for 4 years, and he undertook the task of developing "Hope 1"。"This was the first time I undertook a model project, when more than 10 units and nearly 100 people participated in the project.。Due to the tight construction period and heavy tasks, everyone was "greasy" together almost every day in the later period, and men spent more time together than they did with their wives and children。It took two years, and the satellite carrying a number of innovative technologies such as new computer chips and new lithium-ion batteries took to the air, and it was also included in the top ten popular science events in 2009。

　　On the past achievements, Zhang Xiaomin does not want to talk more, he said the most sentence is "talk more about the present"。"Past achievements are halos, they can be shackles, and they can even become hothouses that people don't want to leave.。In Zhang Xiaomin's view, the past is the past, facing the future, living in the present, and constantly breaking through the self, is the most important。

　　Such a statement by Zhang Xiaomin is not a slogan or just a word。At the age of 47, he made a decision that surprised everyone - to leave Dongfanghong and join the Beijing Institute of Technology。

　　"Some people may think that when you are almost 50, you are ready to retire, but I think I still have a lot of potential to tap.。When I choose to go to Beijing Institute of Technology, my idea is very simple: I want to expand my life on another track and try other possibilities。"Zhang Xiaomin said。

　　I just wanted to do something different

　　When Zhang Xiaomin joined the university, the construction of aerospace discipline in the school was in a stage of rapid development, and the school was trying to combine aerospace engineering practice and technological innovation to explore a new model of engineering talent training。This has also provided Zhang Xiaomin with the opportunity to flex his muscles。

　　In November 2018, Zhang Xiaomin, who was incorporated into the "new rail", received the first task - to lead the development of "North Technology No. 1".。

　　As the first satellite in the series of new technology verification satellites of the Beijing Institute of Technology, "Beijing Institute of Technology No. 1" is going to verify what new technologies？In what form is validation taken？That was the first problem Zhang Xiaomin and his team had to solve。

　　In the conference room of the Academy of Astronautics, Zhang Xiaomin and his team members have discussed the technical list of "BEIT 1" many times。"Our ultimate goal is to make the satellite as light as possible while retaining its functionality。Zhang Xiaomin explained, "Traditional satellites mostly use metal materials, if you can use as many composite materials, flexible materials, you can greatly reduce the quality.。”

　　Along this line of thinking, Zhang Xiaomin put forward the idea of the satellite appearance design as a "sail ball"。"Instead of the traditional metal shell, flexible materials are used to achieve the purpose of 'losing weight' to the satellite.。He said, "I just wanted to do something different。”

　　According to Zhang's idea, before launch, the satellite's main thin film sphere would be folded into a "small box";When the satellites separate, the satellites inflate themselves into spheres 500 millimeters in diameter。If this seemingly far-fetched idea can come true？

　　In retrospect, Zhai Guang, one of the team members and an associate professor at the School of Astronautics of the Beijing Institute of Technology, is still sweating for Zhang Xiaomin。"Teacher Zhang Xiaomin is very persistent about technology research and development and has his own ideas。However, when the idea of "sail ball" was just proposed, many people in the team were still very worried, after all, it was too new, and we were afraid that it would be difficult to achieve。"Said Zhai Guang。

　　Once you have a good idea, all you need is practice。From November 2018 to July 2019, during the nine months, "Beitech No. 1" became one of the main contents of Zhang Xiaomin's work, and he often ran between schools, cooperation units and launch sites。He led the team to design 10 programs, and many of these programs to be tested in the satellite "factory" Lanzhou Institute of Space Technology Physics, so he almost every week to Lanzhou, Beijing and the two places。

　　In the meantime, they often encounter unexpected difficulties, such as how to prove that the "sail ball" can be smoothly deployed in space？

　　"In fact, verification is very simple, install a camera, many people have proposed to do so, but I don't want to do it.。In finding problems for himself, Zhang Xiaomin never relented, finding problems and then dismantling them, and this scientific research method similar to "left and right hands fight each other" made him never tired of it。After many demonstrations, he put forward three technical schemes to prove whether the "sail ball" can be successfully developed。

　　On July 26, 2019, the second day of the liftoff of the "North Technology 1", the answer to whether the "sail ball" can be smoothly launched will be revealed on the same day。

　　At that time, the relevant staff deliberately set up a temporary radio station at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and Zhang Xiaomin was guarding beside the radio station。"It would be a lie not to be nervous, it felt like the five minutes the ball was inflating was slower than five hours.。”他说。

　　Suddenly, a signal came from the radio, and the sail ball was unfurled!Subsequently, two other technical solutions also confirmed that the "sail ball" inflated into a near-perfect sphere。The team members guarding the radio station hugged and cheered, and Zhang Xiaomin could not hide his excitement and high-fived the members to celebrate this stage of victory。

　　Draw innovative nutrition from animation films

　　Interestingly, the "North Technology 1" in low orbit is susceptible to the disturbance drag of the thin atmosphere in orbit, so compared with the "hard" satellite, the "soft" satellite with a larger expansion has a faster orbital descent rate。This phenomenon has aroused great concern among research institutions and amateurs in the United States, Europe and China。

　　A "star" aroused thousands of waves, Zhang Xiaomin how did not expect, a time the team's scientific research project has become a hot topic of discussion among global satellite and space enthusiasts。However, this unexpected happiness also happens to coincide with the concept of space science popularization that he has insisted on for many years。"As a major space power, China should not only strive to be world-class in technology, but also make due contributions to space science popularization.。”他说。

　　Under the promotion of Zhang Xiaomin, the "North Technology No. 1" project team also absorbed many undergraduates and postgraduates, and some people even participated in the core technical tasks。"Teacher Zhang Xiaomin attaches great importance to the cultivation of people, and tries to provide students with opportunities and platforms for innovative practice and application of knowledge.。"Said Zhai Guang。

　　In the eyes of her students, Zhang Xiaomin is a knowledgeable and approachable instructor。Zhang, who is in her 40s, watches movies that young people like and finds scientific problems。Zheng Heming, a doctoral student involved in the "North Technology No. 1" project, told reporters that at the regular meeting of the project, teacher Zhang Xiaomin often quoted widely, he can talk about basic science from engineering problems, but also from learning methods to "Mission Impossible" "Big Impact" and other films, so as to inspire students to think from multiple perspectives。

　　When not working, Zhang likes to relax by watching cartoons。"Watching anime can relax me physically and mentally, and at the same time I can learn from the nutrition of innovation.。Every animation film can show the creator's imagination, and for scientific researchers, imagination is the source of innovation。"My Neighbor Totoro, Your Name, Monkey King Is Back...When these movies are hot, Zhang Xiaomin will drag his middle school son, father and son sit together in the cinema, enjoy a rare leisure time。

　　Perhaps it is this "innocence" that has kept Zhang Xiaomin on the road of technological innovation。

　　"My next goal is to make the Vela satellite bigger, with a diameter of 100 meters or even 500 meters;At the same time, I also hope to lead the team to apply this lightweight and flexible technology to more spacecraft, and provide better solutions for reducing space debris and deep space exploration。"Zhang Xiaomin said。