China's Space Program Thread II

[Engineer]

In all fairness both cases were pretty bad.

Not at all! This statement of yours is so off the mark.

CZ5B stage was low density, while the battery pack was high density, as evident by the amount of time they stayed in orbit. CZ5B stage also burnt up easily because it is low density, while that battery pack basically punched through the atmosphere.

In the case of the CZ5B it wasn't a 'failed' booster as much as it was the fact that the core stage reaches orbital velocity which then reenters in an uncontrolled manner, one of the largest uncontrolled reentries (after Skylab, Skylab II's Saturn V stage, Salyut and Columbia).

Two of the four cores got pretty close to civilization.

View attachment 133518

There is no comparison of CZ5B to any of the examples you listed. Salyut and Skylab were human-rated pressure vessels with all the accessories, CZ5B stage is not. Saturn V was much bigger in comparison. Columbia for obvious reasons. You also forgot all the fuel tanks that the space shuttles discarded.

The necessary modifications for proper deorbiting process would requires an RCS system or dedicated deorbital motors.

Another possible solution is launching into an elliptical orbit with a very low suborbital perigee that's well within the atmosphere (sth like 30 km) so that the core stage can easily and predictably deorbit into the ocean and the spacecraft after separation can then circularize the orbit to LEO from there. But this mission profile would decrease performance.

Launching into an elliptical orbit would require the payload to get themselves into orbit. No customers would volunteer to shorten the lifespan of their spacecraft to do what supposed to be a booster's job.

The other option would require both RCS system AND dedicated deorbital motors. Those motors have to be pointed in the right direction to achieve proper deorbit. Before you know it, the booster becomes a full flung spacecraft and the cost goes up, which is why it is not done.

 

[gpt]

We already had this discussion c. 2020-2021 and I don't want to derail further. My guess is that they designed the 'no upper stage' variant specifically for the space station modules, the core provides impressive delta-v that can deliver the 25t modules to orbit by itself.

The future

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configuration that will launch soon for the Guowang project doesn't require the core to be injected the same way as for the Tiangong launches and won't face the same issues.

 

[taxiya]

We already had this discussion c. 2020-2021 and I don't want to derail further. My guess is that they designed the 'no upper stage' variant specifically for the space station modules, the core provides impressive delta-v that can deliver the 25t modules to orbit by itself.

The future

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configuration that will launch soon for the Guowang project doesn't require the core to be injected the same way as for the Tiangong launches and won't face the same issues.

I think you may be disappointed. There is the space telescope coming which is 15t. Then there is the possibility of expanding the station with another 3 modules.

 

[by78]

Zhongke/CAS Space

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a dedicated Lijian-2 launchpad and assembly plant at Jiuquan next month. Meanwhile, the construction of Zhongke's new engine test bench near Guangzhou is making good progress. The main structures will be completed in August.

As expected, Zhongke has broken ground on its new rocket assembly and testing plant at Jiuquan. The plant will occupy an area of 5,500 sqm.

 

[by78]

According to an

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, CASC has decided to re-organize its efforts in the commercial launch market by bolstering the R&D and production capabilities of the China Rocket Corporation, its existing commercial launch subsidiary.

CASC will now shift all personnel related to commercial launch services to the China Rocket Corp, which will effectively acquire independent R&D and production capabilities to better compete with new private launch startups. This reorganization is being done in response to the expected fierce competition in the next three to five years.

The press release also mentioned that Jielong-4 will have its maiden launch this year.

A model of Jielong-4 (a.k.a. JD-4) in the background. The maiden launch is set for later this year.

 

[by78]

Excerpts from a research paper on lunar nuclear power plants. The excerpts show two of the proposals: HPCMR and ACMIR. The paper very possibly lists more concepts, but since I don't have access to it, I cannot verify it.

 

[escobar]

The reusable space plane with two protruding solar panels or antenna objects
View attachment 133475

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[Asug]

G60 begins!

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[escobar]

G60 begins!

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G60/Qianfan Polar Group 1 successfully launched. The 18 satellites (GEN1) entered predetermined near-polar orbit of 800km x 90°

 

[by78]

High-resolution images from the milestone launch of the first 18 satellites of the G60/Qianfan mega-constellation. The launch was carried out by a Long March 6 rocket and marked the 530th flight of the Long March series.

A total of 108 satellites of the constellation are planned to be launched this year. By 2025, 648 satellites are expected to be in orbit; by 2030, more than 10,000 satellites will be in operation. Current production capacity is at >300 satellites per year. Some 1296 satellites are planned for phase I, which will establish global coverage. Phase II satellites will be in lower orbits (300km and 500km).