Tracking
satellites in fleet
On the night of September
17, rains were pouring down on the grassland
of the central Inner Mongolia.
A measurement and control
vehicle fleet was stationed here in the central
Inner Mongolia to communicate with the satellites
in the outer space.
At 8:00pm, the vehicles carrying
dozens of technicians traveled on rugged dirt
roads to control satellite that was to fly
over the grassland
Measurement and control stations
deployed around China were to carry out satellite
control mission. The Measurement and Control
Center would use these stations to measure
and control the orbits, postures, and speed
of revolution, power and physical indexes
of outer space satellites.
The Landing Ground Station
deployed on the grassland was responsible
for measuring and controlling passing satellites.
In order to cover blind spots of measurement
and control, the soldiers of the station have
to travel thousands of kilometers along roads
or rails to reach target destinations.
"Attention, please. 30 minutes
to go." Xin Yucang, an operation and training
staff officer, was communicating with related
units in a small 10m2 shelter.
"No. 5 got it." "No. 20 is
ready."… He received replies from various
units. All the operators were watching the
electronic clocks attentively.
The Center adopted an advanced
"transparent remote control" system. All measurement
and control orders would feedback to the station
as the satellite flied over the grassland.
This small shelter served as an important
connection with the satellites in the outer
space.
At 9:18, the station successfully
captured the satellite and began to track.
"Tracking is normal."
"Message reception and sending
are correct."
After 8 minutes of successful
monitoring and controlling, the satellite
continued its trip in the outer space.
Deng Weigong, commissar of
the station, told reporters that they had
been stationed there for 7 months and 20 days.
He said that according to the requirements
of different satellites, his technicians had
to work from 2 to 7 hours a day at the station
and when there was too much work, they had
to work through the night.
In the past more than 30 years,
the fleet successfully carried out measurement
and control of satellites, rockets, and four
Shenzhou spaceships, covering a distance of more
than 1 million kilometers.
By Li Chaojun and Sun Yang
(September 27, PLA Daily)
