China's Space Program News Thread

[anzha]

Hello esteemed members of the forum,
If you don't mind my asking, how far behind is the Chinese space program as compared to US, Russia and France?

Well, it's a bit silly to compare like that, but here we go.

The US is well ahead in unmanned space exploration, currently ahead in space based astronomy, and is moderately ahead in manned systems: the US will have a variety noone else will for sometime there. Dragon, Starliner and Orion would be sufficient for a lead few could match. The Gateway will provide an assembly point to the rest of the solar system as well as the moon.

Russia's space program is in decay. For all their bluster about Artemis, they couldn't get there on their own. They are just now, maybe getting their last ISS module up, over a decade behind schedule. I'd say the Chinese are ahead.

France doesn't have an independent manned space program. It's with Russia and the US. Their unmanned program with ESA is as technologically advanced as the US or close. They've not done a lot of landings on planets or moons, except with Huygens.

China is on par with the US in many ways, but is behind in the reusable rockets and manned space. As for other stuff, they may even be ahead: quantum communications, 6g, etc.

If the US decides it's not going to go to the moon - admin change after all - or shift to Mars (which is what Obama wanted), then China can catch the rest of the way up. Time will tell.

 

[LST]

Well, it's a bit silly to compare like that, but here we go.

The US is well ahead in unmanned space exploration, currently ahead in space based astronomy, and is moderately ahead in manned systems: the US will have a variety noone else will for sometime there. Dragon, Starliner and Orion would be sufficient for a lead few could match. The Gateway will provide an assembly point to the rest of the solar system as well as the moon.

Russia's space program is in decay. For all their bluster about Artemis, they couldn't get there on their own. They are just now, maybe getting their last ISS module up, over a decade behind schedule. I'd say the Chinese are ahead.

France doesn't have an independent manned space program. It's with Russia and the US. Their unmanned program with ESA is as technologically advanced as the US or close. They've not done a lot of landings on planets or moons, except with Huygens.

China is on par with the US in many ways, but is behind in the reusable rockets and manned space. As for other stuff, they may even be ahead: quantum communications, 6g, etc.

If the US decides it's not going to go to the moon - admin change after all - or shift to Mars (which is what Obama wanted), then China can catch the rest of the way up. Time will tell.

What a simple but loadfully informative reply!
Thanks Anzha.

 

[gelgoog]

Well, it depends on what we are talking about.

In terms of launch capabilities the Long March 5 and 7 rockets have leading edge technology.
Both use staged combustion engines. The Long March 5 has about the same payload as Ariane 5 but has much more advanced tech.
The Long March 7 has about the same payload as Soyuz but you could argue it is more advanced. For example it uses single nozzle engines. You can only say China is behind in terms of rocket reusability vs SpaceX in the US. But Chinese engines are more advanced than Merlin engines. They are almost as sophisticated as the Raptor engine. Other launchers in use, other than SpaceX, are typically behind the Chinese ones in technology level.

China can put its own space station modules in orbit. They together with the Russians are the only ones able to do this. China is also in the list of countries which can launch their own astronauts together with Russia and the US. The US and Europe can theoretically place space station modules in orbit, and Europe and the US have built modules, but in practice the US has not put a module up (if you discard the inflatable test module) since the Shuttle was decommissioned. Europe has never put a space station module up by itself.

China has fairly advanced satellite networks. They had smaller satellites because the rockets they had available couldn't put the largest class of satellites in orbit. Only small and medium satellites. But now they have Long March 5 it is quite likely this will change.

China has a lot of experience with lunar probes and some with mars probes. They have less experience with space telescopes than either NASA or ESA. But arguably more sophisticated than Russia (discounting what they did in Soviet times).

 

[broadsword]

Well, it depends on what we are talking about.

In terms of launch capabilities the Long March 5 and 7 rockets have leading edge technology.
Both use staged combustion engines. The Long March 5 has about the same payload as Ariane 5 but has much more advanced tech.
The Long March 7 has about the same payload as Soyuz but you could argue it is more advanced. For example it uses single nozzle engines. You can only say China is behind in terms of rocket reusability vs SpaceX in the US. But Chinese engines are more advanced than Merlin engines. They are almost as sophisticated as the Raptor engine. Other launchers in use, other than SpaceX, are typically behind the Chinese ones in technology level.

China can put its own space station modules in orbit. They together with the Russians are the only ones able to do this. China is also in the list of countries which can launch their own astronauts together with Russia and the US. The US and Europe can theoretically place space station modules in orbit, and Europe and the US have built modules, but in practice the US has not put a module up (if you discard the inflatable test module) since the Shuttle was decommissioned. Europe has never put a space station module up by itself.

China has fairly advanced satellite networks. They had smaller satellites because the rockets they had available couldn't put the largest class of satellites in orbit. Only small and medium satellites. But now they have Long March 5 it is quite likely this will change.

China has a lot of experience with lunar probes and some with mars probes. They have less experience with space telescopes than either NASA or ESA. But arguably more sophisticated than Russia (discounting what they did in Soviet times).

Say something about long distance spacecraft that probes planets and asteroids.

 

[LST]

Well, it depends on what we are talking about.

In terms of launch capabilities the Long March 5 and 7 rockets have leading edge technology.
Both use staged combustion engines. The Long March 5 has about the same payload as Ariane 5 but has much more advanced tech.
The Long March 7 has about the same payload as Soyuz but you could argue it is more advanced. For example it uses single nozzle engines. You can only say China is behind in terms of rocket reusability vs SpaceX in the US. But Chinese engines are more advanced than Merlin engines. They are almost as sophisticated as the Raptor engine. Other launchers in use, other than SpaceX, are typically behind the Chinese ones in technology level.

China can put its own space station modules in orbit. They together with the Russians are the only ones able to do this. China is also in the list of countries which can launch their own astronauts together with Russia and the US. The US and Europe can theoretically place space station modules in orbit, and Europe and the US have built modules, but in practice the US has not put a module up (if you discard the inflatable test module) since the Shuttle was decommissioned. Europe has never put a space station module up by itself.

China has fairly advanced satellite networks. They had smaller satellites because the rockets they had available couldn't put the largest class of satellites in orbit. Only small and medium satellites. But now they have Long March 5 it is quite likely this will change.

China has a lot of experience with lunar probes and some with mars probes. They have less experience with space telescopes than either NASA or ESA. But arguably more sophisticated than Russia (discounting what they did in Soviet times).

Thanks Gelgoog!

 

[gelgoog]

Say something about long distance spacecraft that probes planets and asteroids.

On that, deep space probes, the US and Europe are clearly ahead. The US is ahead in terms of Mars rovers, long distance probes (think New Horizons to Pluto), asteroid probes (OSIRIS-REx). Europe also has some pretty sophisticated probes (Rosetta-Philae, Mars Express) but less capabilities in general.

 

[B.I.B.]

On that, deep space probes, the US and Europe are clearly ahead. The US is ahead in terms of Mars rovers, long distance probes (think New Horizons to Pluto), asteroid probes (OSIRIS-REx). Europe also has some pretty sophisticated probes (Rosetta-Philae, Mars Express) but less capabilities in general.

Then there's the obvious, over the same length of time, China has made less manned launches than the Russians/USSR and the USA.

 

[anzha]

Then there's the obvious, over the same length of time, China has made less manned launches than the Russians/USSR and the USA.

TBF, this is decision China has made rather than what they can do and comparing China, today, to the USSR is a bit silly. The USSR is dead and gone almost 30 years ago and its space capabilities were the product of the Cold War. It would be like comparing China to the US during Apollo: even the US doesn't have that capability currently. America is working to replace it, but it has been a long and torturous process to do so.

 

[taxiya]

Like the Canadian brand Roots? Aussie told me it means male genitalia down under

That is the fault of the Aussie, too nasty mind. Both countries are English speaking, so there is no mistake by translation, except that the Aussie developed some dirt.

 

[B.I.B.]

That is the fault of the Aussie, too nasty mind. Both countries are English speaking, so there is no mistake by translation, except that the Aussie developed some dirt.

The Mitsubishi Pajero did not go down well in Spanish speaking countries. Pajero is a Spanish derogatory word with sexual connotations.