"Challenging tradition, this young engineer studying rockets' payload | design." Zeng Yaoxiang | Youth
"Simply put, it's like when we design a truck, we first need to know its load capacity before we can proceed with the design." Zeng Yaoxiang, a young aerospace engineer born in the 1980s, introduced himself to us during the recording when asking us what the load parameters of a rocket are.
Zeng Yaoxiang worked at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and made significant contributions to the improvement of China's launch vehicles. He has successively made innovations in shallow wind active load reduction, high thrust engine shutdown dynamic load suppression, rocket elastic load optimization, and load time-varying threshold, providing strong support for the successful launch and performance improvement of multiple launch vehicles.
In Zeng Yaoxiang's eyes, these lofty achievements are just the result of doing their job well and meticulously. "I am fortunate to have gained countless things along the way, but what I cherish most is the realization of what true innovation is in my work," said Zeng Yaoxiang.
Previously, the "load design" of the team led by Zeng Yaoxiang had always followed the methods of the 1960s. With the increasing density of rocket launches and the increasing number of new models in our country, designers are becoming more and more aware of the conservative payload design and the inability to achieve the target launch capacity, making it difficult to send satellites of the expected weight into space.
"Indeed, 'one engine affects the whole body'. Because if the payload design is not good, the new model of carrier rocket needs to be modified in structure, and many people's previous' efforts' will be overturned, requiring retesting. This not only slows down the project progress, but also increases development costs." said Zeng Yaoxiang.
So, at that time, the entire team, including Zeng Yaoxiang, was working hard on the goal of making the rocket lighter in weight and stronger in physique without changing its structure.
At a project discussion meeting, the model chief engineer once again raised this requirement, hoping that each system could find a breakthrough. The venue was extremely quiet at that time.
"I can make some optimizations to the 'load design method'," Zeng Yaoxiang mustered up the courage to break the silence and volunteered. The load design model and parameters are numerous, making it a typical complex design. In his daily work, Zeng Yaoxiang enjoys delving into the physical principles behind design. He has always believed that the more complex the problem, the wider the scope of design optimization.
Afterwards, Zeng Yaoxiang was fully trusted by the team and began the optimization work of design, deriving various formulas and algorithms in front of his desk.
"To be honest, it was quite stressful during that period." Zeng Yaoxiang also knew that there should be no mistakes in this optimization, otherwise there would be no mistakes, because the payload design method cannot be verified in advance and must be completely correct. If it is wrong, the rocket will disintegrate in the air.
So, Zeng Yaoxiang must fully understand the logic of the previous load design specifications in order to find optimization space in it. Who understands the logic most? Zeng Yaoxiang thought of the authors of the load design specifications back then, and first sought their advice before seeking their verification. "I, as a 'new recruit', have decided to challenge tradition and showcase my ideas to the writers of the payload design specifications that have been written before."
The predecessors expressed support for Zeng Yaoxiang and also questioned his proposed design method.
"There may be a problem with your load design method." An old expert in load design discovered that the parameters in the existing load design specifications were inconsistent with those derived by Zeng Yaoxiang. The old expert said seriously to Zeng Yaoxiang. But Zeng Yaoxiang did not deny his conclusion as a result, but patiently demonstrated the derivation steps to the old expert step by step, and ultimately gained their recognition.
In the process of questioning and proving, and questioning and proving again, Zeng Yaoxiang passed the test and gained the recognition of experts.
Finally, on August 24, 2018, Zeng Yaoxiang's design method received more than 10 expert reviewers' arguments, and the final conclusion was drawn: the new "load design method" has sufficient theoretical basis, detailed and accurate parameters, and can be promoted and applied.
Upon learning of the final conclusion of the evaluation team, Zeng Yaoxiang was both happy and calm, as he had already mastered the process of challenging tradition. This new scientific researcher spent six months creating an innovation that no one has achieved since the 1960s.
This year, Zeng Yaoxiang also received the Outstanding Youth Achievement Transformation Award from the China Association for Science and Technology.
"What impressed me deeply was that without an atmosphere where the country encourages technological innovation and an environment where young people are challenged by aerospace systems, I would not be able to challenge existing design 'rules' and achieve true innovation," said Zeng Yaoxiang.
