At 9:43 on June 23, my country successfully launched the 55th navigation satellite of the Beidou system and the last global networking satellite of Beidou 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. At this point, the deployment of the Beidou-3 global satellite navigation system constellation has been fully completed six months ahead of schedule.
The starry sky is vast, and exploration and pursuit of dreams continue. Over the past decades, what force has made China's aerospace industry grow from small to large, from big to strong, and has been prosperous and flourishing, and has achieved brilliant achievements marked by manned space flight, lunar exploration, and Beidou global constellation networking?
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s words are loud and clear: “Practice tells us that great cause begins with dreams. Dreams are the source of inspiring vitality. The Chinese nation is a nation that is brave enough to pursue dreams.”
Following the Chinese exploring space, approaching these dream-chasing people! Chen Yanguang was once the chief designer of the overall network and power measurement and control system of the Long March 3A series launch vehicle. He used the last two text messages in his life to tell the persistence and perseverance of Chinese astronauts.
"It seems that there is no pressure,
In fact, he always cares about his work"
"How is the production progress of the cable transformation?"
Early in the morning of July 5, 2012, one month after Chen Yanguang was hospitalized, one of his colleagues received a text message from Chen Yanguang. The colleague was very surprised: It seems that Chen Yanguang's operation was very successful, and he can care about the progress of the project again.
"I won't go home for lunch today, so the meeting will be responsible for the meal."
At noon on July 5, 2012, my wife received such a text message from Chen Yanguang. My wife was very confused: Why did he go to a meeting after just undergoing brain tumor surgery? Two days after the
text message was sent, Chen Yanguang, who was sometimes awake and sometimes muttering, closed his eyes forever.
Chen Yanguang's attending doctor explained: Patients with brain tumors often experience some hallucinations due to brain edema affecting their nerves. Generally, patients will "return" to the moments they cannot let go of or the things they pay most attention to during the hallucinations. The content of Chen Yanguang's last two text messages was exactly what he couldn't let go of the most.
Yes, he can't let go of the overall network and power measurement and control system of the Long March 3A series rocket.
As the only "special vehicle" for the construction of Beidou navigation project, the Long March 3 A series rocket must not only stabilize the technical status and control the scope of the changes during the development process, but also constantly innovate and improve the rocket's adaptability and reliability. This is considered a challenge that "the fish and bear's paw cannot have both." The overall network of the Long March 3A series rocket and the power measurement and control system are related to whether the high-density launch mission of the entire Beidou navigation project can be completed on time.
In 2005, Chen Yanguang received a new task: responsible for the design of the overall network and power measurement and control system of the Beidou navigation engineering rocket system. At that time, he was already at ease in the design of stand-alone products. The power system is not his original profession, and starting from scratch is a challenge for anyone. But Chen Yanguang took on this task and began to challenge new areas in his forties. The staff was tight, so he started to tackle new areas with a young team of only three people.
"Teacher Chen seems to have no pressure on the surface, but in fact he always cares about his work." Colleague Liu Qiaozhen recalled.
Once, there was a purchased device that did not have redundant automatic switching function, so he simply invented the redundant control technology himself. During that time, he often thought about this technology all night long. Even when he was sleeping, once there was a flash of inspiration, he quickly got up and recorded his thoughts. After more than a month of research, the redundant control technology invented by Chen Yanguang has achieved successful practice, laying the foundation for the rapid networking of the Beidou navigation system.
has never been "zeroed",
"He is the person I have the smoothest cooperation in technology"
In a difficult and high-risk industry like aerospace, there is a word created by aerospace people called "zero", which means everything "starting from scratch" - searching for problems from scratch, learning from each link to eliminate all hidden dangers. "Returning to zero" means that there is a fault.
In 1981, Chen Yanguang graduated from the National University of Defense Technology and entered the first room of the General Design Department of the First Research Institute of Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. at that time, engaged in the design of stand-alone software and hardware of electrical systems, and served as the chief designer of the overall network and power measurement and control system of the Long March 3 A series rocket. Chen Yanguang has participated in the development of almost all models of the First Aerospace Hospital, but has never had the experience of "returning to zero".
has no experience of "zeroing" because of his reputation as meticulous and rigorous. As the chief designer, he only had to control the direction, but he always fought with his team members in the laboratory. Once, some team members were not considerate enough, which led to problems in software design. Chen Yanguang did not blame the young man, but just silently spent several nights in a cold factory with his team to wait for experiments, not missing any details, and technical guidance to overcome difficulties bit by bit. My eyes turned red and the problem was finally solved.
In order to ensure product quality, he will build simulation circuits in the laboratory, test the products over and over again, discover the risk points of the products in advance and make improvements to ensure that the products out of his hands have no quality hazards.
Chen Yanguang's colleague described him like this: "He is the person I have the smoothest technical cooperation. The task book he wrote is very clear. I basically don't need to ask anymore. I can work directly."
"Iron Warrior" who seems to be a "desperate" person, but in fact, Chen Yanguang has always been in poor health. His esophagus is ulcerated all year round and he often has a low fever, but as long as he starts working, he often forgets these completely. He said: "Debugging the product well is the thing that makes me feel the most accomplished."
The starry sky is where the human heart is heading, and the rocket is the ladder to realize my dreams. If life is about to come to an end, what will you do?
On June 4, 2012, Chen Yanguang came to the office for the last time. He calmly told everyone: he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to leave for a while. The project progress is related to the subsequent launch tasks. You must not delay it, but you must not affect the quality because of the progress...
After being hospitalized for more than a week, Chen Yanguang often had hallucinations and always told his wife that he had a task to go to the base in mid-June. Last time, someone else went for him. This time, he could not delay any more. The work at hand should be assigned to the young people...
On July 7, 2012, Chen Yanguang closed his eyes forever, and he fell asleep deeply. Perhaps, only at this time can he rest with peace of mind.
On May 2, 2013, the Long March 3 BYAO 25 rocket was launched successfully. The "Rocket Overall Network and Power Measurement and Control System" technology under the responsibility of Chen Yanguang and his colleagues was successfully verified, filling a gap in the field of ground remote control in China.
"The merits of the old generation of astronauts have been firmly engraved in the history of New China." General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his reply to the old scientists who participated in the "Dongfanghong-1" mission, "No matter how the conditions change, the ambition to be self-reliant and hard-working cannot be lost. Aerospace workers in the new era should take the old generation of astronauts as an example, vigorously carry forward the spirit of the 'two bombs and one satellite', dare to overcome all difficulties and obstacles, and be brave to climb the peak of aerospace science and technology, so that the Chinese people can explore space more steadily and farther, and realize the great dream of building a strong aerospace power as soon as possible."
Now, the constellation deployment of the Beidou-3 global satellite navigation system has been successfully completed. When we recall the life of this "old aerospace" again, the two text messages at the last moment of our life are even more touching. In the "greatness" we can see, there is always the "ordinary" persistence of Chen Yanguang. In the pride we can feel, the youth and passion of countless astronauts like Chen Yanguang are condensed.
Another passionate name is China's aerospace spirit.
Reporter: Zhang Ruiling Li Qing (internship)
Design: Chen Konghong (internship)
Correspondent: Wang Weitong Yiyuanxuan
China Youth Daily·China Youth Network
China Youth Writers Daily
China Renmin University of China
School of Journalism
Zhejiang Media College News and Communication College
Jointly produced
