China's Space Program Thread II

[by78]

High-resolution images from the 7th flight of the Ceres-1 rocket, which successfully launched seven remote sensing satellites from various companies and entities. All seven Ceres-1 launches have been successful.

 

[by78]

LandSpace is developing an improved variant of the Zhuque-2 rocket, which will have a payload capacity of four tons to SSO (500km). Flight test is planned for next year.

 

[taxiya]

LandSpace is developing an improved variant of the Zhuque-2 rocket, which will have a payload capacity of four tons to SSO (500km). Flight test is planned for next year.

Can you share the link to the video? I don't quite get the "improved variant"/"改进型" because Landspace's website lists 4t@500km SSO as the only figure, there is no other variant. I suspect that the so-called improved variant is the true and only variant, while the one they just launched is rather like a prototype that carried payload much lower than it technically could. To be honest, I suspect that Landspace is playing the same trick of "improvement" as SpaceX does, put a much lower starting point (than the real goal) so they have room for "improvement", undertandable as a commercial company.

Here is Landscape's page about ZQ-2

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[Edit]
Considering the thrust, take-off mass and impulse, ZQ-2 is in the similar class as CZ-8A (without booster), 4t@500km is the reasonable capability, anything lower than that is disappointing. This is why I don't get the "improvement".

 

[Dante80]

A Long March 2C successfully launched 环境减灾二号06 (Disaster Mitigation 2 satellite No. 6) into orbit. The satellite is equipped with an S-band radar to obtain global 3D radar images to assist in environmental monitoring and disaster relief. This launch marked the 482nd flight of the Long March Series.

It seems the first stage landed in/near a village (evacuated at the time as per the standard).

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1689301527448690688

 

[by78]

Can you share the link to the video? I don't quite get the "improved variant"/"改进型" because Landspace's website lists 4t@500km SSO as the only figure, there is no other variant. I suspect that the so-called improved variant is the true and only variant, while the one they just launched is rather like a prototype that carried payload much lower than it technically could. To be honest, I suspect that Landspace is playing the same trick of "improvement" as SpaceX does, put a much lower starting point (than the real goal) so they have room for "improvement", undertandable as a commercial company.

Here is Landscape's page about ZQ-2

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

[Edit]
Considering the thrust, take-off mass and impulse, ZQ-2 is in the similar class as CZ-8A (without booster), 4t@500km is the reasonable capability, anything lower than that is disappointing. This is why I don't get the "improvement".

Good question. I don't have the video link, but it appears to be from the live broadcast of the successful launch of ZQ-2.

 

[huemens]

Can you share the link to the video? I don't quite get the "improved variant"/"改进型" because Landspace's website lists 4t@500km SSO as the only figure, there is no other variant. I suspect that the so-called improved variant is the true and only variant, while the one they just launched is rather like a prototype that carried payload much lower than it technically could. To be honest, I suspect that Landspace is playing the same trick of "improvement" as SpaceX does, put a much lower starting point (than the real goal) so they have room for "improvement", undertandable as a commercial company.

Here is Landscape's page about ZQ-2

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

[Edit]
Considering the thrust, take-off mass and impulse, ZQ-2 is in the similar class as CZ-8A (without booster), 4t@500km is the reasonable capability, anything lower than that is disappointing. This is why I don't get the "improvement".

I don't know if the above announcement is the same thing, but there is an improved variant already announced last year, which is being tested. First stage engine used in that improved version is 100KG lighter, 40 m/s increased specific impulse and 9% increased thrust. The improved 2nd stage engine has thrust vector control, so the vernier engines would be completely eliminated from the 2nd stage.

 

[by78]

DeepBlue has conducted another whole-system test run of the reusable Thunder-R1 LOX/kerosene engine, with a duration of 30 seconds. The engine will now enter a more intensive test phase focused on multiple ignition and reliability testing in order to prepare for the first orbital VTVL test of the Nebula-1 rocket in the second half of this year.

DeepBlue has successfully completed a 120-second test run of its reusable Thunder-R1 LOX/kerosene engine.

 

[taxiya]

I don't know if the above announcement is the same thing, but there is an improved variant already announced last year, which is being tested. First stage engine used in that improved version is 100KG lighter, 40 m/s increased specific impulse and 9% increased thrust. The improved 2nd stage engine has thrust vector control, so the vernier engines would be completely eliminated from the 2nd stage.

Thanks for the infor. The improvement that you described is the kind of thing in my mind, that is the true final spec of the engine and rocket.

 

[alfreddango]

It seems the first stage landed in/near a village (evacuated at the time as per the standard).

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1689301527448690688

isn't that stuff highly toxic?

 

[taxiya]

isn't that stuff highly toxic?

the propellant is fully burnt or dumped in high altitude before reaching the ground, it is a designed precedure of the rocket.