You may not expect that China's aerospace industry cannot be separated from the long-term and silent dedication of the 42nd Institute of the Fourth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, located in northwest Hubei, through activities such as exploring the Heavenly Palace, Chang'e exploring the moon, and Tianwen exploring fire. You may not know that most of China's solid propellant rockets and missiles use solid fuel propellants developed by this research institute. At present, tens of thousands of aerospace products have been delivered by 42 institutions, covering the five major systems of "arrows, stations, ships, crew, and suits" of China's space station. This 42 institution, founded in 1965, strives to pursue its dreams with the spirit of "one hundred and sixty", runs hard, overcomes difficulties, and helps China's space exploration to explore a wider universe. In the new era, 42 institutes are continuously laying out emerging industrial chains to serve the main channel of economic construction. Their names and careers are rarely known, but 42 people firmly believe that the needs of the motherland and the people will always be the surging force that inspires the continuous progress of their careers. On January 23, 2025 at 13:15, the Long March 6 carrier rocket ignited and took off, and then accurately launched the Qianfan polar orbit 06 group of satellites into the predetermined orbit in a "one rocket, eighteen satellites" manner, achieving a complete success in the launch mission. The solid propellant formula used for this launch comes from the 42nd Institute. Early rockets and missiles were powered by liquid propellants. However, due to the inconvenience of storing and transporting liquid propellants, the United States and the Soviet Union successively developed solid fuel propellants Guo Xiang, the director of the 42nd Institute, said that solid fuel propellants have convenient storage and transportation, high reliability, and wide applicability, and have important applications in the fields of aerospace and national defense. Propellants are the foundation that determines the flight capabilities of rockets and missiles. Solid propellant, directly related to the power source level of missiles and rockets, is known as a 'game changing' technology. Only by keeping up with our opponents in this field can the peace and security of our motherland be guaranteed by a powerful force Guo Xiang said. From Dongshangou in Beijing to Gaoba in Sichuan, from the Gobi Desert outside Inner Mongolia to the canyons in Hubei... Under extremely difficult conditions, several generations of researchers have broken through generations of solid propellant technologies, formed a series of propellant formulas and related supporting technologies, not only providing a continuous source of power for national defense and security, but also providing unique assistance for the development of China's aerospace industry. Guoyu is an unmanned valley in northwest Hubei where 42 research institutes have been stationed for 18 years. During the day, researchers are busy conducting experiments, designing, making experimental equipment, and developing oxidants. At night, they become "apprentices", "laborers", and "welders", transforming ordinary workshops into explosion-proof laboratories, using stairwells to make simple combustion rate testing rooms, and building their own oxidant synthesis devices and the first rocket engine test bench... Thousands of explorations and experiments, overcoming unimaginable difficulties... On April 24, 1970, the Long March 1 carrier rocket was successfully launched, making the song of "Dongfanghong" resound throughout the world. This is the first application of the first generation of polysulfide solid propellants, and China has since entered the ranks of the few countries in the world that have mastered solid propellant technology. In the 1960s, developed countries began researching high-energy solid propellants, and China also launched a "high-energy battle" in 1970. However, due to limitations in scientific research conditions at the time, it took 9 years and ultimately failed. In the mid-1980s, a new generation of high-energy solid propellants was introduced. This is a key technology that concerns our country's ability to safeguard peace, "Guo Xiang said. Although the difficulty and risks are unprecedented," we would rather take risks than lose the future of national security in advanced technology. "" We conducted five to six hundred experiments a year, "recalled Zhang Xiaoping, the then head of the research group and retired director. He experienced several times of despair and several times of survival. In the end, after 30 years of research and development by two generations, China finally stood at the forefront of this technological field, becoming the second country after the United States to master high-energy solid propulsion technology. Beating the drum to urge the expedition, time waits for no one. On the basis of breakthroughs in the development of solid propellants, researchers from the 42nd Institute have repeatedly surpassed themselves and continuously made breakthroughs, promoting China's rocket and missile industry to achieve step by step leaps: from the third stage engine of the rocket that first lifted Dongfanghong-1 into space, to now solid propulsion, missiles are hitting farther and farther... "Higher energy is the goal that the 42nd Institute has always pursued." Scientific research has no smooth path, let alone the sensitive high explosive and highly toxic chemicals faced by propellant research? Faced with danger and difficulties, generations of researchers from 42 institutes have risen to the challenge, sacrificed and dedicated themselves, igniting magnificent fires with their youth and lives. On July 11, 1979, a loud explosion echoed through Guoyu Mountain Gully in northwest Hubei Province, causing a sudden explosion of high-energy chemicals being mixed in the factory building. Two female researchers, Dai Xuehua and Du Pinfang, sacrificed themselves on the spot. In a previous explosion six years ago, two researchers were also injured and disabled. People who dedicate themselves to the aerospace industry always keep danger at bay. In the late 1980s, when developing high-energy propellant projects, Hou Linfa, who was then the deputy director, took the lead in establishing a "suicide squad" and actively engaged in research in the face of highly sensitive, explosive, and highly explosive new materials. Hou Linfa said, "This is necessary for national security, and we must do it no matter how dangerous it is." No one knows the risks better than these researchers, but there is a group of people who have resolutely decided to stay. Hou Linfa recalled that when mixing this dangerous material, researcher Zhu Yichen drove away his colleagues, but he stayed behind to observe the mixing process up close. Some people even shed tears because they were not allowed to participate in dangerous work. After difficulties, there are still difficulties, and after failures, there are consecutive failures, several times of despair and several times of survival. The leader of the research group, Wang Yue, said, "In the 60 years since its establishment, the most memorable memories are passing on the torch and running with tears in my eyes. Whenever I encounter major failures and feel like I can't hold on, I think of the high-energy spirit of the previous generation to overcome difficulties and climb new heights, and I can feel the mission and responsibility on my body. No matter how great the pressure is, I cannot give up. Difficulties will make way for those who persistently pursue their dreams. Without tools and equipment, "everyone risked the danger of burning and exploding at any time, grinding chemical materials on the stone milling plates used by farmers to process food." "If the solidified medicine did not meet the specifications, we would use knives to cut it and then use carpenters to carefully plane it."... Under the conditions where a single spark, a trace of static electricity, or even excessive friction could cause an explosion, the people of the 42nd Institute relied on manual labor and very primitive tools, and with an indomitable spirit of independent innovation, successfully developed China's first solid propellant. From never knowing what "liquid rubber" is to mastering solid propulsion technology, and even catching up with the forefront of solid propulsion technology in the world, generations of researchers have been working tirelessly... The journey of science has no end, and "higher energy" has always been the goal pursued by 42 researchers. From breakthroughs in solid propulsion technology to the development of new high-energy propulsion technologies, the 42nd Institute has successively developed multiple generations of solid propellant technologies with higher energy, better performance, and stronger practicality. Driven by propellants, 42 has blossomed in multiple areas of the aerospace industry, constantly breaking through in technology. From the hydrogen elimination ignition device that ignited the "first flame" of Long March 5, to the rocket escape and rescue system power device known as the "Tower of Life" for astronauts in the Chang-2F rocket; From providing propellants for the Long March series rockets, to successfully completing escort missions in the "Shenzhou" series spacecraft, "Tiangong" space laboratory, "Feitian" extravehicular spacesuit, and "Chang'e" lunar exploration project. From summer to winter solstice, several seasons of spring and autumn, passing on the torch, striving for dreams, and having successors. The average age of the research team for the development and application of high-energy propellants is only 34 years old. This young scientific and technological innovation team, which grew up under the heavy trust of the older generation of astronauts, has established a national key research laboratory and discipline construction research and development base, enabling China to occupy a place in the field of high-energy solid propellant technology innovation. The relay of youth continues to compose the miracle of "burning" and "overcoming difficulties and scaling new heights". Generation after generation of 42 people have gone through the "tempering" of high-energy spirit, tempered their scientific and practical work style, and cultivated valuable qualities of daring to innovate and break through. This passionate "burning" group continues to compose the miracle of "burning" through generation after generation of youth "relay". In recent years, facing new opportunities and challenges in the development of the aerospace technology application industry, the 42nd Institute has relied on its original core aerospace technology to layout and develop cutting-edge new fields, integrate into the economic "main track", vigorously develop new quality productivity, and focus on building the "chain length" of the industrial chain, the "key link" of the industrial chain, and specialized, refined, and new hidden champion products around the national strategic emerging industries. Hubei Hangpeng Chemical Power Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of 42, is a leading enterprise in the automotive airbag gas generator industry, and its products have been successfully applied to mainstream car models at home and abroad. In the company's production workshop, one generator after another is produced in an orderly manner, and the large screen displays the production process in real time. With only three people on the intelligent production line, electronic recording of product quality information and 100% error prevention traceability are achieved. The Chairman of the company, Wang Ya, introduced that the gas generator product has broken the foreign technological monopoly in the field of passenger car side airbags and won the honorary title of National Technology Innovation Demonstration Enterprise in 2024. Since the 14th Five Year Plan, enterprises have applied for nearly 100 patents, including 37 invention patents. Flame retardants and special adhesives have gradually developed into the flagship products of Hubei Aerospace Chemical New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., another national level specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprise controlled by 42. In recent years, Hubei Aerospace Chemical New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. has deployed new markets such as medical pressure-sensitive adhesives and thermal conductive adhesives for power batteries around the industrial chain; As the first system integration product in the aerospace technology application industry of 42 institutes, the lithium battery fire suppression device and system have opened up sales channels in energy storage power stations, new energy vehicles, and engineering vehicles. The research team for the development and application of high-energy propellants is the first in China to achieve a solid propellant technology that can meet the diverse needs of engineering applications, with multiple varieties, multiple uses, serialization, and independent intellectual property rights; Relying on professional oxygen production technology, 42 Institute has also developed chemical emergency oxygen supply products; The "wearable intelligent protective airbag" developed over three years has enabled more elderly people to wear "anti fall vests"... Li Jun, deputy director of the 42nd Institute, introduced that through the layout of the "key link" in the industrial chain, it has identified the future market positioning for each technology direction, gradually forming advantageous industries such as automotive safety airbag gas generators, intelligent manufacturing equipment for pyrotechnic products, fine chemicals, high-performance thin film materials, lithium battery fire suppression devices, and various civil propellants for oil fields and coal mines. Since 2019, the cumulative sales value of new products has exceeded 500 million yuan. Strive to cultivate and form multiple leading product clusters with a scale of 500 million yuan Li Jun introduced that around the national strategic emerging industries and major strategic needs, as well as the economic development of key regions such as Hubei Province, the 42nd Institute has carried out planning and design of 8 industrial chains and 8 new technologies, including new energy vehicles and new energy, high-end equipment manufacturing, aerospace, etc. The process of overcoming difficulties and making rapid progress in technology is also a process of training the team and cultivating talents. The 42 people who have undergone high-energy spiritual tempering will surely overcome difficulties and be invincible Wang Yue said that the high-energy propellant team has been awarded the "National Worker Pioneer" by the All China Federation of Trade Unions and has achieved more than 20 provincial-level and above scientific research achievements