China's Space Program Thread II

[by78]

An update on launchpad no. 2 of the Hainan Commercial Spaceport. It looks like they have begun assembling the steel framework for the launch tower. Construction for the launchpad is expected to be completed by the end of May.

An image update on the construction progress of launchpad no. 2 at Hainan Commercial Spaceport.

 

[by78]

Taikonaut Wang Yaping has revealed in an interview that China has begun building training infrastructure for the Moon landing, which includes the construction of a realistic lunar lander simulator to train taikonauts.

 

[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.

Further digging on the 4 metre reusable rocket gives an interview of 805th from 2017.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

上海航天技术研究院805所专家徐大富在接受解放日报·上观新闻记者专访时

2011年，上海航天决定采用垂直起降重复使用运载器的方案，这在国内属于首创。徐大富向解放日报·上观新闻记者详细阐述了“两步走”的战略目标。基于航天技术基础和整体研究规划，第一步，将先在现役火箭上进行关键技术搭载试验，既对部分关键技术进行先期验证，又可解决当前比较迫切的运载火箭残骸的落区安全问题。据透露，上海航天技术研究院计划在2019年利用长征四号乙火箭验证一子级栅格舵控制落区的技术，预计可将火箭残骸散落范围缩小至现在的15%。此后，2020年在长征六号上验证箭体垂直回收技术，通过飞行试验确保精确返回飞行控制与安全着陆技术的可靠性。

第二步，上海航天团队将研制全新的甲烷动力重复使用运载器，进行大系统全流程飞行试验，全面验证子级回收与检测维护复用的关键技术。据徐大富透露，与航天飞机的带翼外形、水平返回方案不同，目前上海航天技术研究院重复运载器方案首选火箭外形、液氧甲烷发动机为动力的垂直起降方案，重复使用次数超过20次，将使我国目前火箭运载成本降低30%以上。

According to the interview 8th is working on a methane reusable rocket. Considering 8th's new 3.8 metre tank is 4 metre class, I am almost sure that the 2025 launch is a rocket from 8th with 3.8m tankage and YF-209 engine.

It is also clear that CZ-6X was only an experiment, not intended to be a final product.

 

[anzha]

News as in western press:

China targets 2030 for mars sample return:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

China outlines its stance on use of space resources:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Papers:

Research on space-based kinetic impactor disrupting small-sized asteroids under short warning time conditions

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Dynamics of reconfiguration and assembly of a stacked satellite system

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Experimental transformation of nontronite to kaolinite: implication for ferrallitization of Fe/Mg-rich clays in compositional stratigraphy on Mars

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

An energy-based pulsar period estimation method using Hilbert curve and double CNNs

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Formulation effect on combustion and agglomeration characteristics in nitramine solid propellants

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Effect of characteristic structure of nested composite hybrid rocket fuel grain on combustion properties

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Design and analysis of scissor-like hoop truss deployable antenna mechanism with arbitrary curvature support ribs

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Characterization of out-of-plane libration of tethered satellite systems in elliptical orbits

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

An anomaly detection methodology of load-carrying structure of satellite based on high-precision predictive model

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Adaptive fault-tolerant attitude tracking control for spacecraft with input quantization

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[Asug]

Further digging on the 4 metre reusable rocket gives an interview of 805th from 2017.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

上海航天技术研究院805所专家徐大富在接受解放日报·上观新闻记者专访时

2011年，上海航天决定采用垂直起降重复使用运载器的方案，这在国内属于首创。徐大富向解放日报·上观新闻记者详细阐述了“两步走”的战略目标。基于航天技术基础和整体研究规划，第一步，将先在现役火箭上进行关键技术搭载试验，既对部分关键技术进行先期验证，又可解决当前比较迫切的运载火箭残骸的落区安全问题。据透露，上海航天技术研究院计划在2019年利用长征四号乙火箭验证一子级栅格舵控制落区的技术，预计可将火箭残骸散落范围缩小至现在的15%。此后，2020年在长征六号上验证箭体垂直回收技术，通过飞行试验确保精确返回飞行控制与安全着陆技术的可靠性。

第二步，上海航天团队将研制全新的甲烷动力重复使用运载器，进行大系统全流程飞行试验，全面验证子级回收与检测维护复用的关键技术。据徐大富透露，与航天飞机的带翼外形、水平返回方案不同，目前上海航天技术研究院重复运载器方案首选火箭外形、液氧甲烷发动机为动力的垂直起降方案，重复使用次数超过20次，将使我国目前火箭运载成本降低30%以上。

According to the interview 8th is working on a methane reusable rocket. Considering 8th's new 3.8 metre tank is 4 metre class, I am almost sure that the 2025 launch is a rocket from 8th with 3.8m tankage and YF-209 engine.

It is also clear that CZ-6X was only an experiment, not intended to be a final product.

That's what I thought at first, too. But in a recent post, the launch of the modernized CZ-8 is set for this year...

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[taxiya]

That's what I thought at first, too. But in a recent post, the launch of the modernized CZ-8 is set for this year...

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

That weipo post is about CZ-8G to be launched in 2024. It is not reusable CZ-8R.

 

[nativechicken]

Further digging on the 4 metre reusable rocket gives an interview of 805th from 2017.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

上海航天技术研究院805所专家徐大富在接受解放日报·上观新闻记者专访时

2011年，上海航天决定采用垂直起降重复使用运载器的方案，这在国内属于首创。徐大富向解放日报·上观新闻记者详细阐述了“两步走”的战略目标。基于航天技术基础和整体研究规划，第一步，将先在现役火箭上进行关键技术搭载试验，既对部分关键技术进行先期验证，又可解决当前比较迫切的运载火箭残骸的落区安全问题。据透露，上海航天技术研究院计划在2019年利用长征四号乙火箭验证一子级栅格舵控制落区的技术，预计可将火箭残骸散落范围缩小至现在的15%。此后，2020年在长征六号上验证箭体垂直回收技术，通过飞行试验确保精确返回飞行控制与安全着陆技术的可靠性。

第二步，上海航天团队将研制全新的甲烷动力重复使用运载器，进行大系统全流程飞行试验，全面验证子级回收与检测维护复用的关键技术。据徐大富透露，与航天飞机的带翼外形、水平返回方案不同，目前上海航天技术研究院重复运载器方案首选火箭外形、液氧甲烷发动机为动力的垂直起降方案，重复使用次数超过20次，将使我国目前火箭运载成本降低30%以上。

According to the interview 8th is working on a methane reusable rocket. Considering 8th's new 3.8 metre tank is 4 metre class, I am almost sure that the 2025 launch is a rocket from 8th with 3.8m tankage and YF-209 engine.

It is also clear that CZ-6X was only an experiment, not intended to be a final product.

The CZ-10 utilizes an isomorphism engine configuration, which means it employs multiple engines with identical thrust characteristics. In contrast, the Z-6x features an isomerism engine setup, combining a variety of engines with different thrusts and possibly different models. The true strength of China's space program lies not just in its ability to develop several reusable rocket carrier solutions with VTVL capabilities, akin to the Falcon 9.

It is in the unique ability to adjust the parameters of the VTVL principles and propose multiple alternative solutions based on these principles. Among the many nations and enterprises worldwide that aspire to replicate SpaceX's achievements, China is the only one that can effectively apply these principles and propose derivative solutions with isomerism engines. Moreover, China has the financial capacity to conduct technical verification for all these proposed solutions. Isn't it more remarkable to address a challenge with a variety of solutions rather than relying on a single method?

The core secret of VTVL technology is straightforward: under the premise of Earth's gravitational well, the ratio of a rocket's maximum liftoff thrust to its minimum landing thrust must exceed 20:1. Ten years ago, China's space program had already understood this and embarked on a series of technical preparations (research on the 10:1 thrust variant of the YF-100 began no later than 2014). This level of foresight is truly daunting. Observing online discussions, both domestically and internationally, it's clear that the core technical aspects of the Falcon 9 have been widely misinterpreted.

The CZ-6x may not continue in its current form. However, the development of the isomerism engine solution persists.

 

[by78]

I forgot to cover this presentation slide from earlier this month.

Apparently, Zhongke/CAS Space has successfully completed a hopping/VTVL test, which achieved an altitude of 1000 meters, with the test vehicle landing on a barge at sea (see part circled in red below). Next, a sub-orbital (100km) hopping/VTVL test is planned for this year.

It's getting hard to track these developments, but I think so far six startups have successfully completed VTVL tests: DeepBlue, Galactic Energy, iSpace, LandSpace, ExSpace, and Zhongke.

An unnamed rocket seen at a Zhongke facility. Could this be the test vehicle for the upcoming sub-orbital (100km) VTVL test?

 

[escobar]

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

View attachment 126233

 

[gpt]

CZ-2C launch with unknown payload

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1767916713931378981