CZ-5B (Long March 5B), flight no. 5B-Y3, prepared to leave production line. The 5B-Y3 rocket will launch the Wentian 问天 experiment module to the Tiangong Space Station in mid 2022.
China's Space Program News Thread
- Thread starter crazyinsane105
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Scaled models of all CZ series rocket, from the left:
CZ-1
CZ-1D
CZ-2
CZ-2C
CZ-2D
CZ-2E
CZ-2F crew
CZ-2F cargo
CZ-3
CZ-3A
CZ-3B
CZ-3C
CZ-4A
CZ-4B
CZ-4C
CZ-5
CZ-5B
Next Generation Crew Launcher Heavy
Next Generation Crew Launcher Medium
CZ-6
CZ-6A
CZ-6X
CZ-7
CZ-7A
CZ-8
CZ-8A
CZ-8R
CZ-9
CZ-9A
CZ-9B
CZ-9 ver.2021
CZ-11
Between CZ-6X and CZ-7 there is the new generation carrier rocket with 3.8m diameter stages.
I am not sure if that one will ever get a CZ number though. I know 8th academy has made its tank etc, so they are working on it. However its equivalents CZ-6A (also by 8th) and CZ-8 have gotten their designations long before their first flight. It seems to me that CZ-6A and CZ-8 are the ones in plan like J-20, while the new 3.8m rocket is like a side work or an exercise to keep competence like FC-31 to SAC. The money is from 8th own savings instead of from state budget for CZs.
We'll see. My opinion? The experimental scale in situ resource utilization that CAS demonstrated for lunar materials is the actual future.
Starship has so many issues that it would be a miracle if it even successfully takes off and reaches orbit in one piece, never mind achieving cost effectiveness. Note they've been delaying their complete test launch for months now.
Note this was written in November 2021.
CZ-8R is an official model of reusable rocket. And there are also privately funded aerospace enterprises working for some new models. There was at least one company finished a 10km hop-and-vertical-land stage last year.
I mean, "why not both".
In situ resource utilization for the moon, and achievement of a reusable heavy and super heavy first stages and upper stages, can both be very game changing.
I also think the delays behind starship, and other spacex projects are focused on in too much detail.
Delays of many months or even multiple years, is not a huge deal if they end up successfully demonstrating the technology and operationalizing it before anyone else, and without anyone else having an equivalent system for multiple years.
Yes, every new rocket development has risks.
Falcon 9 already proved the reusable rocket concept. Nothing to discuss, frankly. SpaceX was so successful they have beaten the might US military industrial complex in their own game
Anyhow, future is what SpaceX is doing. If the rocket is not reusable you cannot be competitively cost effective. Beyond cost, the manufacturing and technical capabilities of SpaceX/Starship will be a force multiplier for USSF.
or Elon Musk himself could be telling the truth in his angry 2021 Thanksgiving email that they're burning money and they're going to go bankrupt if Starship doesn't work because they don't make enough money on Falcon 9 to be sustainable.Yes, every new rocket development has risks.
Falcon 9 already proved the reusable rocket concept. Nothing to discuss, frankly. SpaceX was so successful they have beaten the might US military industrial complex in their own game
Beyond cost, the manufacturing and technical capabilities of SpaceX/Starship will be a force multiplier for USSF.
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