Application value of near space

Near space, the airspace below it is usually called "sky", which is the main activity space of traditional aircraft; the airspace above it is what we usually call "space", which is the operating space of spacecraft.

The term "near space" is currently only an academic concept, and there is no generally accepted "official definition". There are also many names for it, such as "near space", "suborbital" or "space-space transition zone". Some people in the United States also call it

It is called the "Hengtuan Zone", while Chinese academic circles used to have titles such as "sub-space", "ultra-high altitude" and "high-altitude".

Near space includes the stratosphere region (referring to the airspace 18 to 55 kilometers above the ground), the mesosphere region (referring to the airspace 55 to 85 kilometers above the ground), and a small portion of the thermosphere region (referring to the airspace 85 to 800 kilometers above the ground).

airspace), spanning the non-ionized layer and the ionized layer (according to the ionized state of the atmosphere, below 60 kilometers is the non-ionized layer, and between 60 kilometers and 1000 kilometers is the ionized layer). Most of its components are homogeneous atmosphere (90 kilometers

The atmosphere below, the non-homogeneous atmosphere above).

It should be a very important and valuable airspace.

China’s research on near space is also quietly starting.

Recently, the "Research on Legal Issues in the Development of Near Space Vehicles" project led by Dr. Zhang Dongjiang, a researcher at the Military Construction Research Department of the Academy of Military Sciences, passed the appraisal in Beijing, thus filling the gap in China's research on near space legal regulations.

In just a few years, the development of near-space vehicles can be described as “spectacular.”

The near space aircraft currently under development in various countries can be roughly divided into two types according to their flight speed: low-dynamic aircraft (Mach number less than 1.0) and high-dynamic aircraft (Mach number greater than 1.0).

Low-dynamic near-space aircraft mainly include: stratospheric airships, high-altitude balloons, solar-powered drones, etc.

They have the characteristics of long hanging time, large payload capacity, high flying altitude, and strong survivability. They can carry visible light, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral, radar and other information acquisition payloads; they can be used as a means of regional information acquisition to enhance battlefield information.

Sensing capabilities to support combat operations; it can also carry various electronic countermeasures loads to achieve electromagnetic suppression and electromagnetic strikes on the battlefield and destroy enemy information systems; it can also carry communication and other energy relay loads for field emergency communications and communication relay

and energy relay services.

Highly dynamic near space vehicles mainly include: hypersonic cruise vehicles, suborbital vehicles, etc.

They have the characteristics of fast speed, long range, high maneuverability, strong survivability, and various types of adaptable payloads. They have the advantages of long-range rapid arrival, high-speed precision strike, reusability, long-range rapid delivery, etc.; they can both carry nuclear warheads.

, instead of ballistic missiles to implement strategic deterrence, it can also choose to carry long-range precision ammunition as a "killer weapon" to attack high-value or sensitive targets. It can also carry information sensors as a strategic rapid reconnaissance method to conduct rapid reconnaissance of important global targets.

Near space is a new space for technology and military applications. Key technologies for low-dynamic and high-dynamic aircraft are rapidly being broken through, especially as the United States continues to launch flight demonstrations of new aircraft.

Military experts generally believe that the development and utilization of near space will become a new growth point in combat capabilities; especially when near space aircraft join the land, sea, air and space information network systems, they will certainly pose new challenges to the security of various countries.

At present, countries around the world have proposed a variety of near-space aircraft development plans, with research hotspots focusing on stratospheric airships, air balloons and high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles.

Among them, the stratospheric airship is another important fixed-point platform besides geostationary satellites.

Near space vehicles have significant characteristics and can serve as an effective complement to satellites and aircraft.

Compared with satellites, the advantages of near-space vehicles are: high cost-effectiveness, good maneuverability, less technical difficulty in payloads, and easy to update and maintain.

The distance between this kind of aircraft and the target is generally only 1/10 to 1/20 of that of low-orbit satellites. It can receive low-power transmission signals that cannot be monitored by satellites, and it is easy to achieve high-resolution earth observation. Its disadvantages are: small field of view,

Nearby space falls within the territorial airspace of each country and is subject to airspace restrictions.

Compared with traditional aircraft, the advantages of near space aircraft are: ⑴ Long continuous working time.

The airborne time of traditional aircraft is measured in hours, while the airborne time of near-space aircraft is measured in days. The near-space platform currently under development is scheduled to remain airborne for up to 6 months, and the follow-up platforms under planning are scheduled to remain airborne for as long as 6 months.

It can last for more than 1 year. It is easy to obtain intelligence and data in a long-term and uninterrupted manner, and can respond quickly to emergencies. It also has less personnel support and light logistical burden.

⑵Wide coverage.

The flying altitude of near space aircraft is higher than that of traditional aircraft, and its reconnaissance coverage is much wider than that of traditional aircraft.

⑶ Strong survivability.

The body of the balloon or blimp is made of non-metallic materials and runs at low speed. The radar and heat reflection cross section is very small, making it difficult to detect by traditional tracking and targeting methods.

Compared with traditional aircraft, the disadvantages of balloons or blimps are: it takes a long time to fill with helium, needs to be kept stable when inflated, and sometimes needs to occupy a hangar; it needs to be released, ascended, descended, recovered and

During the deflation process, due to its large size, it is easily affected by wind and turbulence.