【推荐1】Three astronauts stationed (驻扎) in China’s Tiangong space station are preparing for their return trip in the middle of April, packing up personal things, experimental (实验的) products and other materials (材料), putting equipment (设备) into place and exercising to prepare their bodies for Earth’s gravity.

The astronauts, Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu, have to tidy up a large number of materials, including goods on the Tianzhou 3 spacecraft, said Zhong Weiwei, a researcher at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Living in space for about six months, a record in China’s history, they have completed more than 20 scientific tasks and will bring back samples (样本) with them, according to Zhong.

He said the astronauts have to put all equipment in place since there will be a gap of more than one month before the astronauts of Shenzhou XIV enter the space station.

The physical (身体的) conditions and psychological (心理的) states (状态) of the three astronauts are better than expected, meeting the requirements for a return trip, said the researcher from the center’s aerospace medical engineering office.

Based on their physical examinations (检查) and data (数据), experts (专家) have changed exercise plans for them to keep fitness in order to ensure a safe landing, Zhong said.                    

Besides their tasks, they have also given two live lectures (讲座) from the space station, showing the students their living and working areas at the Tianhe core module (天和核心舱) and several scientific experiments under zero-gravity conditions and answering real-time questions from students.

【推荐2】China sent a satellite on Oct 24 to carry out technological tests for space debris management. The satellite is going to use technologies to reduce space debris.

Since the beginning of the space age in the 1950s, thousands of rockets and satellites have gone to space. There are more than 500,000 pieces of debris around the Earth. Although your chance of getting hit is extremely small, we are still facing an ever-increasing risk of space junk.

More than 27,000 pieces of debris, or “space junk”, are tracked in space, according to NASA. Much more debris is too small to be tracked but large enough to threaten human spaceflight and robotic tasks. Since a piece of debris can move like a speeding bullet, getting hit by these tiny pieces often leaves huge holes in many satellites, telescopes and other objects around our planet.

Space junk is also a huge danger to spacemen. “This is particularly important. Careful consideration needs to be made about the space junk before we do spacewalk exercises.” Joon Wayn Cheong, a satellite systems expert said.

Scientists are fully aware of the problem, and they are solving it in different ways.

In 2018, the UK's Survey Space Center used a net to catch space junk in an experiment. It was the first successful tryout of space cleanup technology. It included finding debris and catching it with a net and a harpoon.

Another solution is to use robotic arms. Clear Space 1, the European Space Agency’s task to remove space junk, is expected to be sent in 2025, which will use robotic arms to catch the debris, BBC Science Focus Magazine reported. It plans to locate, catch and throw debris into the atmosphere, where it will be burnt up by the strong pressure and friction of reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere.

【推荐3】We want to explore and try to better understand the world in which we live. Space exploration (探索) is one of the ways. Through the exploration of space, we can begin to unravel the mysteries of our universe and to better know our living environment.

Space exploration provides us with knowledge about the beginning of our solar system (太阳系), our own planet and ourselves. It also helps answer the questions that have puzzled us for many years. Solar system exploration is important because it is good for us.

Space technology has become an important part of our daily lives. Some technology uses satellites (卫星) to communicate. Satellites are also used to examine the changes in the Earth’s climate (气候) and seas, for weather report and for military (军事). We also use satellites in food production. Because of the use of space technology in crops, fewer and fewer people will suffer (受苦) hunger.

The space program provides a chance for nations to work together. The cooperation (合作) promotes (促进) peace and understanding between governments and their people. Many governments have taken part in the space technology, including the United States, Russia, Japan, the European nations and India. In the near future, other nations will take part in it. In fact, the United States remains the leader in new space technology.