# light travel By [cumquat](https://paragraph.com/@cumquat) ยท 2023-03-22 --- For space exploration, "light travel" is the most basic requirement. To save fuel consumption, weight loss becomes a priority. In order to improve the efficiency of space launch, it is necessary to carry the necessary scientific equipment and other payloads. So it's a good idea to start with the launch vehicle. Carrier rocket weight reduction is not to carry less fuel, but to start from the fuel tank and oxidizer tank weight reduction. If the traditional aluminum alloy tank is replaced by carbon fiber composite material, it will achieve a good weight reduction effect. Of course, if the launch vehicle is made of carbon fiber composite material, it can also improve the effective launch ability of the rocket. When the launch vehicle is lighter, the spacecraft can increase its payload. So, can the spacecraft lose weight? The answer is yes, but weight loss is not payload loss. The application of carbon fiber composite materials in aerospace field is mainly applied in satellite structure, supporting structure and optical mirror body in addition to carrier rocket. Let's start with the application of carbon fiber composites in satellite structures. As the most important spacecraft launched into space by human beings, satellites have made important contributions to human understanding of space and serving society. Carbon fiber composites can be used to make the outer shell of a satellite, as well as the satellite load barrel, the main load bearing structure of a satellite. On the satellite, the cabin board is generally used to realize the connection between the cabins, and to provide support and protection for the equipment on the satellite. The decks here can be made of carbon fiber composite. The main structure of the satellite control platform and the installation structure of various instruments can also be made of carbon fiber composite materials. In the spacecraft structure, the large solar wing is a necessary equipment. If carbon fiber composite materials were used to make the frame of solar wings, there would be a significant weight reduction effect. On the space station, structures like trusses and pressure vessels can also be made from carbon fiber composites. Carbon fiber composites are also used in the manufacture of remote sensing camera tubes, camera mounts and satellite-borne antennas. The implementation of the "two-carbon strategy" and the development of new energy is the key, and the rapid development of new energy, can not be separated from the support of emerging materials. The application of carbon fiber composites in new energy industry shows the powerful power of advanced carbon matrix composites. Take wind turbine blades, which are the main battleground for the social benefits of carbon fibre composites. As a kind of clean energy, wind energy is increasingly favored by people. The core equipment of wind power generation is wind turbine, which is usually called fan. You may remember a fan as three blades in motion. In fact, the fan has an extremely complex structure. The long blades are merely sentinels to capture wind energy. Their mission is to convert wind energy into mechanical energy, which can then be turned into electricity by an engine. Fan is strong or not strong, blade is the key. In order to increase the power generation in areas with low wind speed, the general fan needs to work at a height of more than 100 meters. The working environment there is extremely harsh, so there are strict requirements on the material of blade production. For example, the materials used must meet both the strength and stiffness requirements of the fan blades, as well as the toughness and life requirements of the fan blades. In recent years, carbon fiber composites are gradually replacing glass fiber composites, becoming the ideal material for making fan blades. Blade length determines the power generation level of wind turbines and the whole machine cost to some extent. In the future, the trend of wind power generation is the upsizing of wind turbine blades. This is also easy to understand, because the longer the blade, the larger the sweep area, the more power the fan naturally generates. The length of fan blade in China has broken through the 100-meter mark and is expected to reach 160 meters in the future. There is another problem to consider here, that is, the weight loss problem after the fan blade is large. Because weight loss can make wind power more economical. It is reported that carbon fiber composite instead of glass fiber composite, generally can reduce the weight of the blade about one-third. Presumably the economy will also improve a lot! As a strategic emerging industry, hydrogen energy industry plays an important role in building a low-carbon society. The development of fuel cell vehicle is an important aspect of hydrogen energy utilization, but it cannot be separated from hydrogen storage and transportation. Hydrogen is a gaseous state at normal temperature and pressure, and its density is only one tenth of that of water. At present, the main way of hydrogen storage in China is high pressure gaseous hydrogen storage, which is the most mature way of hydrogen storage. However, high pressure gas hydrogen storage requires high pressure hydrogen storage tank technology. For the on-board hydrogen storage bottles, most of them use Type III (35MPa) or Type IV (70MPa) hydrogen storage bottles. Both Type III and Type IV hydrogen storage bottles are made of carbon fiber winding, which has the advantages of light weight, high hydrogen storage density and good safety. --- *Originally published on [cumquat](https://paragraph.com/@cumquat/light-travel)*