173 1g doesn't sound like much, but it is a major breakthrough in China's lunar exploration project. You know, 40 years ago, a scientist and his team published 14 high-level papers with only 0.5 grams of moon rock.
0.5g, which is the weight of two soybeans.
This scientist is Ouyang Ziyuan, an academician of China Academy of Sciences, academy of sciences for the developing world and International Academy of Astronautics, an astrochemist and the first chief scientist of China's lunar exploration project.
1g moon rocks collected by the United States from Apollo 17 in 1978 were presented to China. After obtaining this precious moon rock specimen, the General Office of the State Council listened to the suggestions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and decided to hand over the important task of moon rock research to Ouyang Ziyuan, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. At that time, 43-year-old Ouyang Ziyuan was rushed to Beijing to take charge of lunar rock research.
Because of its preciousness, this lunar rock specimen is divided into two parts, of which 0.5g is kept in the exhibition of Beijing Planetarium, and the other 0.5g is used by Ouyang Ziyuan and his team for research.
"Due to the limited sample size, we first do nondestructive testing and research, and then do destructive testing and research, including mineral composition, structural structure, chemical composition, trace elements, physical properties, production environment, etc. As long as we can do the tests at that time, we have all done it. " Ouyang Ziyuan recalled.
Ouyang Ziyuan is proud that after studying this 0.5g specimen, he and his team published 14 high-level related research articles. After referring to the data published by the United States, they also answered the question of where the moon rock samples were taken from. "In the end, our research results convinced Americans." Ouyang Ziyuan said.
This stone from the moon not only published a research paper, but also rekindled Ouyang Ziyuan's dream of exploring the moon. He realized that with the progress of science and technology, exploring the moon is of great significance in strategy, politics, economy and science. In the journey of space exploration, China people can't be absent.
1992, Ouyang Ziyuan put forward a proposal to the national "863 plan" expert group to carry out the lunar exploration project. 1994, he submitted a report on the necessity and feasibility of Chinese lunar exploration, which was approved.
In the following ten years, he led the team to complete the research on "China's lunar exploration development achievements and long-term planning" and the demonstration of "China's first lunar exploration scientific goal and implementation plan".
In 2004, the State Council officially approved the first phase of lunar exploration. Ouyang Ziyuan was appointed as the chief scientist of China's lunar exploration project, which started China's "lunar exploration" trip. 20071October 7, 165438, at the moment when it was confirmed that Chang 'e-1 was successfully captured by the moon, Ouyang Ziyuan and Sun Jiadong, the chief designer of the lunar exploration project, two scientists over the age of ancient times, cried bitterly. The successful implementation of Chang 'e Project has opened a new stage of deep space exploration in China.
Chang 'e V successfully returned to the moon for sampling, and China will carry out relevant scientific research on the moon samples, which will help us better understand the composition of the moon, and we just need to wait and see how many new scientific problems and papers can be produced in the future. But this does not mean the end of China's lunar exploration, but a brand-new beginning. China's next step is to send a man to the moon, and there is a longer-term plan-to build a base on the moon.
For Ouyang Ziyuan, landing on the moon is only the first step of his space dream, and he has bigger goals. He mentioned more than once: "We will continue to work hard and move forward step by step. China will definitely fly further, and we will explore the stars and seas of the solar system! "
Text: Acquisition Project Office/Innovation Strategy Institute of China Association for Science and Technology.
References:
1. "Chang 'e V brought back more than 2 kilograms of lunar soil, and finally it didn't need 0.5 grams to send papers" to Mr. Sai.
2. 173 1g！ Chang 'e-5 lunar sample handover, Fu Yifei, Science and Technology Daily.
3. Academician Ouyang Ziyuan of Chinese Academy of Sciences: 1978 The United States gave China 1 gram moon soil, Beijing News.