China's Space Program Thread II

[by78]

An update on LandSpace TQ-15A engine development.

Some presentation slides on Tianlong-3 from Tianbing Technology. First launch is planned for late May of 2024.

- Two stages
- 1st stage uses seven TH-12 engines
- 2nd stage uses one TH-12V engine
- Payload capacity to LEO (800km): ≥ 10 tons

Tianbing has recently completed calibration tests on the first production batch of the reusable LOX/Kerosene TH-12 engines, which will power the Tianlong-3 launch vehicle that is scheduled to conduct its maiden flight in the 1st half of this year.

Some additional images showing Tianbing's engine assembly facility:

 

[by78]

LandSpace recently completed the 4th three-start hot test run of its TQ-15A LOX/Methane vacuum engine. So far, nine prototypes have cumulatively undergone over 10,000 seconds of hot test runs.

 

[tacoburger]

Deepblue aerospace and galactic energy are the clear odd ones out here. Ispace actually canceled their hyperbola 2 that can take 2 tons to LEO because they thought that it couldn't compete alongside the other commercial rockets that are taking >10 tons to LEO. I wonder if DeepBlue or GE will be quickly pivoting to a heavier class of rocket as soon as the maiden flight of their smaller rockets is done or if they are confident that they can carve out a niche in the small sat launch/rapid launch market with their smaller rockets.

 

[gelgoog]

Does China have companies which make hardware to support small sat creators? Like standardized payload racks and things like that.
Is the CubeSat movement really a thing in China or not?

 

[by78]

An illustration showing Chang'e-6's intended landing area (red rectangle), which is located in the South Pole–Aitken basin, where the lander will extract soil samples that will be returned for further study.

 

[by78]

A photo of a Martian dust storm taken by the Tianwen-1 orbiter in January of 2022.

 

[taxiya]

Does China have companies which make hardware to support small sat creators? Like standardized payload racks and things like that.
Is the CubeSat movement really a thing in China or not?

I assume that you imagine many small sat creators only make payload but not the sattelite platform. From my reading, it is not the case, most small sattelite builders make their own platform. There are many players in the field. I don't think shouldn't be a concern. There is really no point for someone just making a payload without being able to make or secure the supply of the platform. It is like Tesla would not be a EV maker if it does not have a secured supply of battery.

 

[tphuang]

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looks like they are sanctioning Viasat here. Now, ChinaSat has relationship with Viasat in the Chinese airspace. So I wonder what it does to that relationship

 

[by78]

Beijing RocketPi/Rocketπ has successfully completed the first ignition test of the Xiangnong

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LOX/Methane engine intended for the company's Darwin-1 launch vehicle.

 

[by78]

Valles Marineris/Mariner Valley on Mars. It's 4,000 km long and 200 km at its widest point. Image taken by the Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter.