3.2 Ideas and Technologies of Ancient Space Flights
95
Fig. 3.2 A military jet fire-arrow of the Southern Song Dynasty, China
the jet flame, and the Cannons were shot to enemy’s position by the reaction thrusts;
with the explosive exploding, the lime becomes into dust fog to attack the enemy. A
military jet fire-arrow of the Southern Song Dynasty is demonstrated in Fig. 3.2. For
years of warring, the fire-arrow weapons of the Southern Song Dynasty had played an
important role, but its fire-arrow technology was also gradually mastered by the Jin
State and the Mongolian Empire. The Mongols invaded the Southern Song Dynasty
to the south, and at the same time, also entered into the vast areas of Western Asia and
Eastern Europe on a large scale. So, China’s gunpowder and fire-arrow technology
were also introduced to European countries at the time.
The Ming Dynasty (1368−1644 A.D.) was the peak period of the development
of the fire-arrow weapon technology in China, and thus the jet fire-arrow technology was advanced to a high level. There were three technical characteristics
of the fire-arrows during the Ming Dynasty. Firstly, the types of fire-arrows were
very various, including single fire-arrows, cluster fire-arrows, fire-arrow bombs and
multiple stage fire-arrows. Secondly, the books on various fire-arrow technologies
were written, in which their manufacture, application, assembling, charge proportioning and processing technique were described in detail. Thirdly, the multi-service
units were equipped with the fire-arrows, including then navy, infantry and cavalry,
and there were still professional fire-arrow forces and regulations on the use and
management of the fire-arrows. The various types of fire-arrow weapons like the
95
Fig. 3.2 A military jet fire-arrow of the Southern Song Dynasty, China
the jet flame, and the Cannons were shot to enemy’s position by the reaction thrusts;
with the explosive exploding, the lime becomes into dust fog to attack the enemy. A
military jet fire-arrow of the Southern Song Dynasty is demonstrated in Fig. 3.2. For
years of warring, the fire-arrow weapons of the Southern Song Dynasty had played an
important role, but its fire-arrow technology was also gradually mastered by the Jin
State and the Mongolian Empire. The Mongols invaded the Southern Song Dynasty
to the south, and at the same time, also entered into the vast areas of Western Asia and
Eastern Europe on a large scale. So, China’s gunpowder and fire-arrow technology
were also introduced to European countries at the time.
The Ming Dynasty (1368−1644 A.D.) was the peak period of the development
of the fire-arrow weapon technology in China, and thus the jet fire-arrow technology was advanced to a high level. There were three technical characteristics
of the fire-arrows during the Ming Dynasty. Firstly, the types of fire-arrows were
very various, including single fire-arrows, cluster fire-arrows, fire-arrow bombs and
multiple stage fire-arrows. Secondly, the books on various fire-arrow technologies
were written, in which their manufacture, application, assembling, charge proportioning and processing technique were described in detail. Thirdly, the multi-service
units were equipped with the fire-arrows, including then navy, infantry and cavalry,
and there were still professional fire-arrow forces and regulations on the use and
management of the fire-arrows. The various types of fire-arrow weapons like the