China's Space Program Thread II

[sangye]

Models of LandSpace Zhuque-3 launch vehicle and partial mock up of its first stage.

Wow! Which model is that?

 

[by78]

Wow! Which model is that?

That's a pole holding up LED light fixtures. I thought it was a rocket at first as well, since there's a information placard directly under it, but it seems the staff had simply placed the models in wrong positions that don't align properly with the placards.

 

[Michael90]

i m on the ground. i know better than most of the people.

by next year, there will be 2-3 heavy lift rockets available from private companies.. i m not talking about reusable even a normal heavy lift rocket will be enough to sustain operations.

That is everything goes well during their first launches/tests and looking at past history of first rocket launch worldwide the probability of mishaps or failure is often higher until all the issues are iron out. So let's hope they succeed in their first rocket launches, else there will be major delays.

 

[escobar]

CASC Commercial Rocket & AALPT are building a launch pad in Jiuquan for CZ-12-familly launchers

 

[Michael90]

Reusability is a red herring. As long as the objective is achieved, the approach would be irrelevant.

So you are saying China has made a mistake by trying to follow the reusable route of spacex? I guess China should have stuck with increasing investment on her older hypergolic rockets then. CNSA is on the wrong path then, since they seem to have bought into the reusable rocket hype.

 

[taxiya]

So you are saying China has made a mistake by trying to follow the reusable route of spacex? I guess China should have stuck with increasing investment on her older hypergolic rockets then. CNSA is on the wrong path then, since they seem to have bought into the reusable rocket hype.

I think Engineer's meaning is that reusability should be treated as "walk and see". "Red herring" refers to "missing of the key, loosing focus, drifting away from objective". You should also pay attention to the second sentence of the post "As long as the objective is achieved, the approach would be irrelevant.". I can't speak on his/her behalf, but purely from a language poinit of view, this post does not reject reusability in the future. It only tells people to focus on the objective first and most, approach is secondary.

The problem is not reusability itself but people worshipping reusability as a religion and forget about what their job is for the rocket. The same misstake has happened not long ago by USA, namely the shuttle and SLS, creating a dream launcher and search jobs for them instead of building something to do a job. This is not my word, it is one of NASA director's comment on shuttle. Shuttle enjoyed the same fame as Falcon 9 and Starship and everyone including USSR and China wanted to copy or copied. History may not repeat exactly and VTVL rocket reusability may fare better than shuttle, but if people behave the same as before (means before purpose) then failure will repeat, and future NASA or CNSA head will make same comments.

 

[escobar]

SP fully assembled TL-3

 

[by78]

Liaowang-1 space tracking ship.

 

[by78]

Updated specs of Tianbing's Tianlong-3 launch vehicle:
– 1st stage is now powered by nine TH-12 engines, as opposed to the seven previously.
– Length increased by 1m to 72m.
– Takeoff thrust increased from 770 tons to 840 tons.
– Takeoff mass increased from 590 tons to 600 tons.
– Capacity to LEO: 17 to 22 tons.
– Capacity to SSO: 10 to 17 tons.
– TH-12 engine thrust (sea level) reduced from 110 tons to 93 tons; specific impulse: 286s; T/W ratio: 163.

 

[by78]

Haiyang Oriental Spaceport will build a new permanent launchpad for liquid rockets on Lianli island (连理岛), an artificial island constructed just offshore of Haiyang. The image below shows a bidding announcement for the launchpad project.