China's Space Program Thread II

by78

General
OrienSpace has confirmed that Gravity-2 is on track to be ready for first flight by the end of 2025.

54472406517_b8e3bb0388_o.jpg

Development of the OrienSpace Gravity-2 launch vehicle continues. This latest hot test run not only tested the YF-102 engine, but also the gimbal and valve systems.


54643151033_9a477ef9d2_h.jpg

54643151028_4e04dae5a6_h.jpg

54643221650_c816d12bde_h.jpg
 

TheRathalos

Just Hatched
Registered Member
I believe the current plan is that the first few flights will not test reusability. This is pretty normal, they launch in expendable mode first to validate the rocket itself before implementing reusability. As per post #6275 the first version (with the current engines) has 9.4 tons to LEO and the second upcoming version (with better engines) has 21.3 tons to LEO. Both of those are in expendable mode, it'll be lower in reusable mode once that becomes available.
While this was indeed the plan last year, 1-2 expendable demonstration flights; mounting evidences (notably the inaugural launch rocket aft seemingly having accomodations for legs unlike the static fire test article) and rumors point toward Landspace attempting (emphasis on attempting) to recover the first stage on the inaugural launch of Zhuque-3.
This is pretty unlikely, when was the last time you heard a rocket launch, especially a maiden flight, happening ahead of schedule? Space is complicated and there's a lot of testing that needs to be done. Schedules really only move in one direction: delays. I'll be happy if they just launch in Sept (see all the Zhuque-3 delays), good enough.
Honestly I don't think the delays are bad, remember that when it was initially announced, Zhuque-3 was meant to launch
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
", and was only later pushed forward in early 2024. It would already be remarquable if they can keep their initial deadline. Zhuque-2 suffered much more important delays.
 

ENTED64

Junior Member
Registered Member
While this was indeed the plan last year, 1-2 expendable demonstration flights; mounting evidences (notably the inaugural launch rocket aft seemingly having accomodations for legs unlike the static fire test article) and rumors point toward Landspace attempting (emphasis on attempting) to recover the first stage on the inaugural launch of Zhuque-3.
Maybe but I haven't seen any news of this so until they make such an announcement I'm going to err on the side of caution and assume they're sticking with the original plan.

Honestly I don't think the delays are bad, remember that when it was initially announced, Zhuque-3 was meant to launch
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
", and was only later pushed forward in early 2024. It would already be remarquable if they can keep their initial deadline. Zhuque-2 suffered much more important delays.
Yeah my point was just that maiden rocket launches proceeding ahead of schedule is extremely rare. I'd also be pretty happy if ZQ-3 can launch by 2025. More important than 2025 though is 2026 I think because that's going to be a big year to see if they can launch at a higher tempo and start on reusability.
 

anzha

Captain
Registered Member
In western news:

Chinese Scientists propose Neptune orbiter in 2033:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

A general China roundup:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Papers:


Lunar Research:


Explosive volcanic eruption at Lassell Massif: Implications for lunar silicic volcanism

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

First returned rock samples shine a light on the Moon’s ‘dark side’

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Mars Research:

A sliding window method considering image shadow to detect Mars rock from MRO HiRISE datasets

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Space Technology:

Research on the catalytic combustion mechanism of Hydroxylamine Nitrate and Hydroxyethylhydrazinium Nitrate system on Ir (100) surface

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Physics-informed neural networks for solving thermal response of charring materials (thermal protection systems)

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Effect of mode transition on discharge features and power coupling in the source of a helicon plasma thruster

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Insight into combustion characteristics and droplet dynamics of titanium-based green nanofluid propellants under electric ignition mode

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

A data-driven framework for multi-parameter thermal model updating via adaptive surrogate modelling and hybrid algorithm: Application to aerospace multi-layer insulation structures

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Rheological properties and propulsion performance of an ammonium dinitramide-based gel propellant with sustainable reignition and adjustable thrust flexibility

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Investigating the impact of electrode materials on the erosion characteristics of pulsed plasma thrusters
(note the collaborators and where they are)

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Experimental study on in-situ observation technology and protection performance verification of space debris high-speed impact

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Model-independent pose estimation of non-cooperative targets based on sequential images and enhanced feature matching

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Analysis of model modification and performance characteristics of a square-wave grid system using oxygen as propellant

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Space Medical:

Mechano-sensitive long noncoding RNA AK091765 inhibits bone formation via microRNA-489-3p binding

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 

escobar

Brigadier
SP recently completed static test of its newly designed TL-3 engine bay. 127 reliability improvements and growth measures have been implemented, along with 13 new ground verification tests, in an effort to make the Tianlong-3 the most cost-effective, most reliable, and most trusted large-scale launch vehicle.
GvkOSsFXsAABphB.jpgGvkOSsFWQAAovhM.jpg
GvkOSsEXwAAabES.jpg
 
Top