Chinanews, Shanghai, Jan. 20 – In future, China will send a small satellite along with the manned spaceship. The small satellite will closely monitor the spaceship’s working status and astronaut's activities outside the spacecraft. It will accompany the space shuttle in the space, Wen Hui Bao reported.

 

Experts usually call satellites weighing between 100 - 1,000 kilograms as small satellites, satellites weighing less than 100 kilograms as mini satellites, and those less than 10 kilograms as nano-satellites. Compared with big satellites, which were often produced in the past, small satellites usually cost less and take less time to make. They are light in weight and take little power to work, thus these small satellites can be produced in batches. With these advantages, small satellites become very popular nowadays, said Yang Genqing, deputy director of the Shanghai Mini-Satellite engineering Center.

 

Since small satellites can work in a very flexible way, scientists usually place several small satellites together so that they can function as the big satellites. When placing together, their functions are sometimes even greater than some big satellites.

 

The Institute of Aerospace Science and Technology under the Shanghai Jiaotong University is currently working on technological issues in order to establish a nano-satellite station in space in future. The nano-satellite station will consist of a major satellite and several small satellites. Based on specific needs, the major satellite can release one or more sub-satellites into space to diagnose and repair technical problems for the space shuttle, said Duan Dengping, the institute’s vice president.