China's Space Program Thread II

[by78]

The AsiaPacific-6E (亚太-6E) communications satellite, scheduled for launch tomorrow, features an electric propulsion system (Hall thrusters) as well as a detachable chemical propulsion module, a configuration that is a first for China. The chemical propulsion module is responsible for sending the satellite to its initial low-earth orbit, after which the module will detach from the satellite. From there, the electric propulsion system will take over to send the satellite (now much lighter without the chemical propulsion module) into its final geostationary orbit, a process that will take six to eight months.

Images of the APSTAR-6E satellite, which is China's first geosynchronous communications satellite.

 

[by78]

At 2:10 on January 13, a Long March 2C rocket successfully sent the Asia-Pacific-Star 6E satellite into orbit. The APSTAR-6E satellite is mainly used to provide broadband communication services for Southeast Asia. This mission is the 460th flight of the Long March series of launch vehicles.

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, The Long March 2C rocket used for this mission is special. It weighs 20% less (when empty) than previous Long March 2C rockets. An extensive program was carried out to lighten the rocket's structural weight, which enabled it to carry payload greater than four tons for the first time.

【瘦身成功后，长二丙有效载荷重量首次突破4吨】此次任务，长征二号丙运载火箭有效载荷重量首次突破4吨，大大超过了长二丙常规运载能力。为了提升运载能力，长二丙采取了很多措施减轻自身重力，包括结构轻质化、动力挖潜等措施，实现减重20％以上，最终实现末级结构质量的减重目标...

 

[by78]

At 3:00 pm on January 13, 2023, Beijing time, a Long March 2D rocket successfully sent the Remote Sensing No. 37 (遥感三十七号) and the Shiyan-22 A and B (试验二十二号A/B星) satellites into orbit. The three satellites launched this time are mainly used for on-orbit verification of new technologies such as space environment monitoring. This mission marks the 461st launch of the Long March series of launch vehicles.

 

[taxiya]

WOW, this is the most powerful engine with 3D printed combustion chamber as far as I know.
The article stated 我国最大尺寸全3D打印的全不锈钢结构推力室, largest 3D printed steel combustion chamber in China. But I searched around and found that the largest 3D printed combustion chamber outside China is "Launcher E-2" 9.9t. Don't know why CASC is being so moderate.
Another thing impressive is that the chamber is made of stainless steel, it is much cheaper compared with other exotic materials.

After some more digging, this YF-102 seems to have a unique design "Open cycle staged combustion". It's combustion chamber is divided in two, top and bottom. The top chamber is fuel rich (all fuel and partial oxygen), part of the hot gas is diverted to drive the pump then dumped, the rest is mixed with main line of oxygen to combust in the bottom chamber. In contrast, in a gas generator cycle, the hot gas driving the pump is dumped without being used in the combustion chamber, therefor not staged combustion.

By this design it should be more fuel efficient (higher impulse) than a gas generator cycle engine, but mush simpler and lighter than a closed cycle staged combustion engine. It is also much simpler and therefor cheaper than a gas generator engine because it essentially prints the gas generator, combustion chamber and the plumbings all in one piece.

P.S. I know someone may say that there was some gas generator engine redirects the turbine gas to burn. That redirection is to the nozzle, not the main combustion chamber, it hardly create any extra thrust.




Also a patent

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[zbb]

 

[Dante80]

Why is China still using hypergolic rockets? They're shrinking in total percentage of rocket launches every year, but at this rate, they're using to get a reusable 1st stage rocket in service before they're completely retired. Hypergolics are toxic, a major health hazard and also costs a lot more due to the increased safely requirements. It saves costs and manpower if they completely stopped production of the hypergolic rockets and focused entirely on their modern liquid fuelled rockets. Splitting up production lines like that isn't efficient, especially not for an obsolete technology.

 

[Bellum_Romanum]

I was just about to post this video as a rebuttal but you beat me to it lol.. Thank you

 

[by78]

The Qilu-2 and Qilu-3 satellites are scheduled to be launched tomorrow. Qilu-2 is a high-resolution, multi-spectral agile optical satellite with a maximum resolution of 0.7 meters. Qilu-3 is a wide-swatch optical satellite with a max observation width of 120km. Both weigh under 190kg. These two will form a constellation with the Qilu-1 SAR satellite launched earlier, with all three capable of communicating with each other via laser. The Qilu constellation will eventually growth to 20+ satellites.

 

[by78]

The Rizhao-3/Sunshine-3 (日照三号) software-defined intelligent remote-sensing satellite is scheduled to be launched tomorrow. It's the first satellite of a new constellation of software-defined observation satellites. It's equipped with a high-performance on-board computing system developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Its functions and performance can be modified, continuously upgraded and refined via software updates.

 

[4Runner]

Why is China still using hypergolic rockets? They're shrinking in total percentage of rocket launches every year, but at this rate, they're using to get a reusable 1st stage rocket in service before they're completely retired. Hypergolics are toxic, a major health hazard and also costs a lot more due to the increased safely requirements. It saves costs and manpower if they completely stopped production of the hypergolic rockets and focused entirely on their modern liquid fuelled rockets. Splitting up production lines like that isn't efficient, especially not for an obsolete technology.

Accountability of production = safety. China will rely on LM3/2 series for carrying Taikonaut until LM7 or LM5 reaches similar accountability of production. The trustworthiness of human space vehicles is at the highest among all types of launch vehicles. Chinese culture dictates that safety outweighs costs plus other inconvenient factors. As long as LM3/2 is still in use, production will continue and payloads will be guaranteed to keep production line running.