Curious about how a 37m-tall spaceship plus rocket trek 1.5 km on rails? Engineer Wang Ming from the Chinese mainland’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center shares the backstage tour of the Shenzhou-21 transfer process. 🚀
First up: massive gates. Each section weighs around 20 tonnes—imagine 10 full-size elephants! A top-floor hoist pulls steel cables to raise the gate over 30 minutes, revealing the stacked combo inside.
Next, a mobile launch platform slowly rolls the combo onto the seamless rails. But before that, the team pauses for about 30 minutes so the power-supply vehicle can switch sides—think of it like rearranging support trucks for an outdoor concert setup. 🎤🎶
Onward it goes, but there’s a tiny gap where old rails meet new seamless tracks. Even minor jolts matter when you’re dealing with a 100-plus tonne load. The crew inspects wheels and rails to keep vibrations—and friction—at bay.
Inside the testing facility, a rail-switch vehicle acts like a robotic shuttle, moving backup rockets between two compartments. This dual setup means if something goes wrong with the main rocket, the backup can roll into place fast—just like a substitute player stepping in during a high-stakes cricket match. 🏏
Thanks to these careful checks—mechanical structure, electrical systems and emergency-repair drills—the Shenzhou-21 team can roll toward the launch pad with confidence. This mission marks the Chinese mainland’s 10th crewed launch since its space station build began and the 6th in its operational phase.
Whether you’re in Dhaka or Jakarta, the next time you binge-watch sci-fi or scroll through space memes, salute the real tech heroes behind that smooth 1.5 km glide to orbit! 🌌✨
Reference(s):
Engineer explains challenges of Shenzhou-21 spacecraft-rocket transfer
cgtn.com
