by78
General
An image of a Martian dust storm taken by the Tianwen-1 orbiter. By the way, a form of the proposed Martian meteorological satellites will probably be launched within the next two years.
China's Space Program Thread II
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
Thousands of launches a year? That's an average of more than five launches a day every single day. With a 150 ton to LEO CZ-9 (call it 100 in a reusable configuration), that's putting up more than 200,000 tons into LEO per year (2.5 Fujian carriers). I can't imagine what such a world would look like.
by78
General
The Sino-French Space-based Multi-band Astronomical Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) satellite is currently undergoing final assembly and testing at the Shanghai Microsatellite Research Institute. SVOM is expected to be launched sometime in 2024 by a Long March 2C. It will hunt for gamma ray bursts.
A progress update:
The Gamma Ray Monitor and the Visible Telescope (both made by China) have been integrated. Next up, the French made Gamma Ray Imager and Micropore X-ray Telescope will be installed.
Well that's the thing, I'm not yet sure what the future world would look like, but I think we're at a stage where it may well be possible in a few decades for certain nations to annually put up a couple of supercarrier's worth of tonnage into LEO.
But even that might be a bit low -- perhaps hourly super heavy launches or minute by minute super heavy launches should be considered as a possibility in the more distant future.
One can imagine how that could affect strategic balances, and especially if there is a significant time elapsed between one nation achieving high rate super heavy launch capability and another nation achieving it.
In particular the potential for space based warfare (which is very much outside the scope of this thread but which I allude to for the sake of demonstrating the impact of reusable super heavies) growing into fruition cannot be ignored. The ability to put up singular 150t or higher payloads into LEO and to be able to do so en masse in an annual way opens up massive consequences for any space faring nation to wage war even if it is only in terms of sensor payloads to assist existing terrestrial warfighting methods (and obviously space based weaponry itself is a whole other kettle of fish).
by78
General
A new organization called China Aerospace Advanced Materials Innovation Alliance has been established. The Alliance will promote innovation in material science (as applied to China's space program) by bringing together research talent across industry and academia.
I don't think we will see thousands or even hundreds of superheavy launches a year any time soon. Beyond internet satellite launches there isn't much point.
Knowing similar things have been said before, I am very careful about saying this but I also see no future in ideas like the settlement of Mars and earth-to-earth suborbital transport. I really wonder how Starship will fare in the market. I will be watching that closely because it is not an answer to a demand. Its success is almost 100% dependent on doing what the F9 is doing for cheaper.
Well, soon is relative. I don't expect such a prospect within the next decade. But in two to three decades? I think it cannot be ruled out, and that is what is somewhat frightening.
I am less interested in Mars and more about the implications for space based mining, and also government funded space based military or warfare enabling activities.
An image of a Martian dust storm taken by the Tianwen-1 orbiter. By the way, a form of the proposed Martian meteorological satellites will probably be launched within the next two years.
Damn thing killed Zhurong…
Let the cabbageization of space rockets commence!
The Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology on Saturday released three commercial liquid rocket engines in Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in an effort to promote the development of China's commercial space industry and enhance the ability to enter space on a large scale and at a low cost.
The Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology on Saturday released three commercial liquid rocket engines in Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in an effort to promote the development of China's commercial space industry and enhance the ability to enter space on a large scale and at a low cost.
It's not related to budget. It is based on "The best part is no part. The best process is no process.". The SpaceX engineers actually wanted to build a launchpad with proper flame trench. But Musk wanted whatever they construct on earth to be as simple and close to what they can replicate on Mars. Three years ago when he announced it he said that it could turn out to be a mistake. Now it has turned out to be a mistake and I guess they would build a proper launchpad for next launch.