China's Space Program Thread II

[by78]

According to this presentation slide from NASA, China will open the next round of applications to international researchers to access its lunar soil samples, and that U.S. researchers are expected to submit applications for this next round as well.

 

[by78]

Jiuzhou has successfully completed a calibration test run (in accordance with flight profile requirements) of the LY-70 engine. The engine is now ready (or very close to ready) for delivery to end user, which in this case is the private launch provider Space Epoch (a.k.a. Beijing Arrowhead). The engine will be used in Space Epoch's reusable XZY-1 rocket that recently passed its first splashdown test.

Does anyone have access to the article in the screen capture below? It's from Jiuzhou and states that its LY (Lingyun) engine has completed a VTVL/hover test. Given that Jiuzhou is mainly an engine supplier, I want to know if the hopping test was conducted by another company's rocket. The image does hint that the test vehicle belonged to CASC, and if so, I wonder if it's a one-off test vehicle or an existing CASC project.

 

[vincent]

Does anyone have access to the article in the screen capture below? It's from Jiuzhou and states that its LY (Lingyun) engine has completed a VTVL/hover test. Given that Jiuzhou is mainly an engine supplier, I want to know if the hopping test was conducted by another company's rocket. The image does hint that the test vehicle belonged to CASC, and if so, I wonder if it's a one-off test vehicle or an existing CASC project.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[nativechicken]

I'm not sure how this relates to my post.

Nowhere did I say that the VTVL capabilities of a jet engine is inferior to a rocket engine.



What is more important is whether VTVL hop tests can be done with a representative or near representative rocket engine on a near representative rocket fuselage, which assists in further reducing risk but requires a compatible rocket engine and appropriately sized fuselage. That doesn't mean using a jet engine for VTVL hop tests is useless.

I didn't mean to single you out; the key issue is whether to validate VTVL technology using rocket engines. In China, there's a misconception among some people that VTVL isn't genuine unless verified with rocket engines. I'd like to point out that the VTVL for a Falcon 9-class rocket is not particularly challenging. The reason why countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan have not pursued reusable launch vehicles is mainly because, aside from SpaceX, most aerospace companies lack the necessary rocket engines with the right thrust levels (which must be hydrocarbon-based), and thus they can't match SpaceX's pace. China, fortunately, has a foundation in hydrocarbon rocket engines, such as the kerosene-based YF-100 and the methane-modified YF-77. As a result, it's expected that within about a decade, China will be able to start validating rocket VTVL technology.

 

[sunnymaxi]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1764939440403976519

CGTN space journalist talked to

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

founder & CEO Kang Yonglai..

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

, as capable as Space X's Falcon 9, will be launched around mid-2024. It can lift 17 tons of payload to

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

or 14 tons to

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

. It‘s designed to meet increasing demand for launching satellite..

 

[Kalec]

TJS-11 has reached the orbit, another milestone in Chinese space history.

 

[Quickie]

Many people often assume that the VTVL (Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing) capabilities of turbojet engines are not as good as those of rocket engines. However, the research on recovery algorithms actually pertains to the control of forces and velocities, as well as the relationship between distance and altitude. The response speed of small-scale turbojet engines is comparable to that of rocket engines. SpaceX's Falcon 9 was able to achieve success rapidly because, from 2001 to 2011, they had the appropriate engines (in the 50-80 ton thrust class). Only a rocket with this class of engine could maintain its mass around 30 tons, which is the optimal landing zone after throttling down the engines by 40-50%. Other space companies have not been able to quickly develop a rocket to compete with the Falcon 9, mainly due to the absence of this class of engine and a compatible rocket body. Developing a rocket engine and body from the ground up typically requires a standard development cycle of around 10 years. This is the true reason behind SpaceX's lead in VTVL rockets. In fact, the difficulty of VTVL at the Falcon 9 scale is relatively low, as evidenced by the fact that numerous second and third-tier Chinese space R&D teams have been able to achieve it. China has already solved the challenge of small-scale VTVL spacecraft, as demonstrated by the Chang'e 3 lunar lander.

The reason I asked wasn't exactly the appropriateness of VTVL development path they chose.

Rather I don't remember any of the prototype VTVL rockets having the large air inlet on the rocket body necessary for air-breathing jet engines.

 

[taxiya]

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

CALT new rocket chief designer Rong Yi stated during the ongoing two sessions that CASC is developping two reusable rockets, 4m and 5m diameters. Maiden flights in 2025 and 2026 respectively. Also she mentioned YF-209 (open cycle methane engine) for reusable rocket.

I guess the 5m reusable rocket is probably CZ-10A, but it is the first time that I heard of a 4m reusable rocket. I also wonder if YF-209 is meant for this 4m rocket which is meant to replace CZ-8R.

 

[gelgoog]

I didn't mean to single you out; the key issue is whether to validate VTVL technology using rocket engines. In China, there's a misconception among some people that VTVL isn't genuine unless verified with rocket engines. I'd like to point out that the VTVL for a Falcon 9-class rocket is not particularly challenging. The reason why countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan have not pursued reusable launch vehicles is mainly because, aside from SpaceX, most aerospace companies lack the necessary rocket engines with the right thrust levels (which must be hydrocarbon-based), and thus they can't match SpaceX's pace. China, fortunately, has a foundation in hydrocarbon rocket engines, such as the kerosene-based YF-100 and the methane-modified YF-77. As a result, it's expected that within about a decade, China will be able to start validating rocket VTVL technology.

Actually there is no need to use hydrocarbon engines in a VTVL rocket. For example McDonnell Douglas proposed the DC-Y VTVL vehicle which used LOX/Hydrogen propulsion. What you do need is a liquid engine which can be throttled down deep enough and with enough thrust to weight ratio.

 

[Maikeru]

Interesting video on Landspace: