【CGTN】Cutting-edge bioscience experiments carried out on Tianzhou-1

In addition to docking and refueling missions, there are also many key space experiments being carried out on China's first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1. One of these cutting-edge experiments focuses on bioscience in space. 

A group of Chinese scientists from the Beijing Institute of Technology have loaded huma‍n cells into a highly integrated and automated device on Tianzhou-1, with this question in mind: How will the cells be cultured and interact with its immune system in space?

In order to get a precise and direct comparison of the results, another device is also in operation in a lab, here on Earth.

Through comparison with experiment results on the ground, Chinese scientists can try to find out more on how the nervous and the immune system interact in space's microgravity environment.

Li Xiaoqiong, associate professor from Beijing Institute of Technology, told CGTN that space will provide a special environment for the cells, one is microgravity, the other is radiation.

This time, they have put the cells on this micro-fluidic chip, and all the micro experiments will be carried out on it with the help of remote control. Li said the device is now in stable operation.

The bioscience experiment is pivotal as it focuses on the life support system for astronauts living in space. This device is regarded as one of the world's most advanced in the space bioscience sector.

Professor Deng  Yulin told CGTN that through this experiment, they can find out how the astronauts' nervous and immune systems interact in space, and what kind of impact and potential damage could be made to their bodies. Therefore, they could take related measures to prevent and cure diseases as early as possible.

Scientists will have the final results soon, and spend the next few months analyzing their findings.

There's more on the cards though, with scientists from Switzerland and Germany keen to cooperate with the Chinese team on more bioscience space experiments. 

Radar Signal Processing Technology of BIT Help Tianzhou and Tiangong Kiss in Space Again

At 12:23pm on April 22th, after two-days orbiting, cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 complete the first automated rendezvous on the preset procedure and docking successfully with orbiting space laboratory Tiangong-2. Microwave radar signal processor Tianzhou-1 and microwave transponder signal processor Tiangong-2 developed by professor Wu Siliang and Cui Wei from electronics for aeronautics and astronautics research team of School of Electronic and Information Engineering of Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) can provide Tianzhou and Tiangong precise relative locations and motion parameters measurement information, which will guide Tianzhou finishing the third time Space kiss with Tiangong.

According to team leader professor Wu, microwave radar signal processor Tianzhou-1 and microwave transponder signal processor Tiangong-2 are the second version of microwave rendezvous and docking radars. Compared with the first version, the second version products applied to Tianzhou-1 and Tiangong-2 this time have a new development.

According to professor Cui Wei, ‘two-way communication function has been added to the products to make sure that Tianzhou-1 can have real-time transmission of information with Tiangong-2 in rendezvous and docking  mission. At the same time, the second version products will be smaller, tighter and have less power consumption by design optimization.’

For a long time, BIT has always been aiming at national great strategic demand, attaching great importance to academic research, sparing no effort to promote the space industry of our country. The microwave radar signal processor and microwave transponder signal processor developed by electronics for aeronautics and astronautics research team have been applied to all previous docking mission including Shenzhou 8, Shenzhou 9 ,Shenzhou 10, Tiangong-1, Shenzhou11 and Tiangong-2. Now, the team is developing signal processors of space station program and the three-step moon mission, which will make contributions to subsequent projects construction.

In the history of space industry of our country, BITers applied theory to practice, produced products according to the scheme and set high standards like zero tolerance of failure for themselves, which marks the national mission that BIT shouldered and profound content of insisting war industry spirit. All these have helped BIT leave a string of solid footprint in the field of science.

When applauding for the successful docking between Tiangong and Tianzhou, let’s go back through the remarkable contributions of BIT in key links of rendezvous and docking technology of manned space flight these years.

On the morning of November 3rd, 2011, after chasing target-spacecraft Tiangong-1 for about 1.3 million kilometers, Shenzhou-8 spaceship embraced Tiangong-1 tightly in the vast space, which meant the first rendezvous and docking mission of the manned spaceflight engineering projects was completed successfully.It is proud that microwave radar signal processor and microwave transponder signal processor that developed by the research group of Professor Wu Siliang from Institute of Radar Techniques of BIT made an outstanding performance. Microwave radar signal processor and microwave transponder signal processor have formed stable tracking of Shenzhou-8 spaceship since it is 217 kilometers away from Tiangong-1 until docking ring contact. It provided relative location and motion parameter measurement information of two aircrafts and contributed to success of the test. This was the second time that Doppler shift based on phase difference measurement has been applied to the field of high-precision relative positioning for cooperative target in space after being applied to the missile radio vector miss distance measurement.

After applied to rendezvous and docking mission between Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1, both microwave radar signal processor and microwave transponder signal processor that developed by the research group of Professor Wu from Institute of Radar Techniques of BIT worked reliably and stably in three missions of automatic rendezvous and docking, manual rendezvous and docking and manual separation between Shenzhou-9 and Tiangong-1.Besides, microwave radar signal processor and microwave transponder signal processor precisely provided relative location and motion parameter measurement information of two aircrafts, which contributed to the first successful manned rendezvous and docking mission.

On the morning of June 25th, 2013, the assemblies of Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-10 separated successfully. Shenzhou-10 flied from the top of Tiangong-1 to the rear to finish close range rendezvous. This was the first time that China carried out spacecraft orbit intersection test successfully and the last time that Tiangong-1 cooperated with Shenzhou spaceship to rehearse their missions since Tianzhou-1 was launched into space in September 2011. Before that, Shenzhou-10 have had automatic rendezvous and docking and manual rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1.It’s the microwave radar signal processor and microwave transponder signal processor that developed by the research group of Professor Wu from Institute of Radar Techniques of BIT that made all three missions possible.

BIT Holds the 55th Capital University Student Track & Field Meet

In May 2016, at the closing ceremony of the 54th Capital University Student Track and Field Meet, Yang Zhihong, secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), took the banner of the Beijing University Student Sports Association, which represented the 55th Capital University Student Track and Field Meet would be hosted by BIT. This is the second time that BIT holds the event while the first time was 1992. After 25 years, the Capital University Student Track and Field Meet will once again usher in the "BIT Moment".

From May 25 to May 28, 2017, the 55th Capital University Student Track and Field Meet will be held in BIT. There is expected to be more than 2,000 athletes from 70 colleges and universities participating in this event.

The track and field meet is organized by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, undertaken by the Federation of University Sports of Beijing and BIT, and co-organized by the track and field department of the Federation of University Sports of Beijing. The meet will last for 4 days.

The competition is divided into three competition groups with 115 competitions in total. The competition includes 100-meter race, 200-meter race, 400-meter race, 800-meter race, 1500-meter race, 5000-meter race, 10000-meter race, 3000-meter barrier race, 10,000-meters walk, 20,000-meter walk, 110-meter hurdles race, 400-meter hurdles race, 4×100-meter relay race, 4×400-meter relay race, high jump, pole high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot, discus, javelin, hammer, decathlon and many other track and field projects.

As a traditional event, the Capital University Student Track and Field Meet has not only set up a platform for the exchange of physical education and sports level between colleges and universities, but also demonstrated the capital university students being vibrant, cooperative and tenacious. The event also plays a positive role in promoting young students’ wellbeing as well as their love for sports, raising their awareness of cherishing the health, and helping create good social morals of athleticism.

The first Beijing University track and field was held in October 1955 and has a history of 62 years. The first Beijing University track and field Meet, held at Beijing Iron and Steel Institute (the previous Beijing University of Science and Technology), was intended to promote the development of the track and field movement in the capital colleges and universities and the improvement of the technical level of the track and field and the overall level of athletic competition in the capital colleges and universities. More than 1,400 athletes from 46 institutions, namely colleges, universities and vocational secondary schools in Beijing participated in the competition. During the event, 13 athletes broke 10 city records, while the Central Sports College, Tsinghua University and Beijing Iron and Steel Institute ranked in the top three.

In May 1986, the Beijing Institute of Technology held the 25th Capital University Student Track and Field Meet

As a school with sports traditions, BIT and the Capital University Student Track and Field Meet have a history that goes way back. In May 1965, BIT held the 9th Capital University Student Track and Field Meet for the first time. Since then, BIT has hosted the 18th, 25th, 30th Capital University Student Track and Field Meet and will host the 55th one in the near future, which outnumbers most of the colleges and universities in Beijing. All along, BIT vigorously promotes the comprehensive reform of talent training, strengthens the building of physical education faculty, speeds up the construction of sports venues and facilities, encourages more students to actively participate in various physical exercise, explore new model of “Physical Education”, enhances the level of students' quality education, and promotes the comprehensive development of students.

As a host, BIT will welcome participating teams with excellent event service and security work, make sure everyone enjoy sports, and hope that all the teams will spare no effort to fight for the glory of school. BIT dedicates itself to implementing the concept of "sports as an education" and strives for a sports event that advocates the spirit of sports, shows the spirit of the capital university students and promotes the development of mass sports.