China is soaring to the sky, with the help of compound materials!

The astronaut crew on the Shenzhou 19 manned mission is composed of "post-70s" Cai Xuzhe, "post-90s" Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze. The crew of astronauts carrying out the Shenzhou 18 manned mission is composed of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, who are also "post-80s".

For every 1 kilogram reduction in the weight of the space vehicle, the launch vehicle can be reduced by 500 kilograms. Therefore, carbon fiber composite materials have become the material with the widest range of application and the highest technological maturity in the structure of space vehicles at present. For launch vehicles, carbon fiber composites can not only achieve structural lightweighting, but also are key raw materials for functionalization.

At present, the carbon fiber used in the spacecraft structure is mainly PAN-based carbon fiber, and it is mainly high-strength medium-mode (T series) and high-strength high-mode (MJ series). For example, most rockets and missile engines use high-strength medium-mode carbon fiber, and missile brackets, supports or brackets and other structures use high-strength high-mode carbon fiber.

In the field of launch vehicles, carbon fiber composites can be used to manufacture solid engine shell structures, arrow body fairings, instrument compartments, stage segments, engine nozzle throat lining, satellite brackets, cryogenic storage boxes and other components. The typical representation of carbon fiber composites in the application of launch vehicles is the engine shell. When the engine works, in addition to the pressure from the inside and outside, the shell will face external loads such as shaft pressure, bending, torsion and cross-cutting. Therefore, most of the carbon fibers used in the engine shell are high-strength medium-mode carbon fibers with a strength of more than 5.5 GPa and a modulus of about 290 GPa.