China's Space Program Thread II

[escobar]

Is the 140-ton engine has the same size as YF-100? If yes it might eventually replace the YF-100 on reusable LM-10A

CASC/China Rocket 5m Methane RLV project may use this 140t engine instead of 80t YF-209

 

[taxiya]

Is the 140-ton engine has the same size as YF-100? If yes it might eventually replace the YF-100 on reusable LM-10A

Changing engine and fuel type is designing a new rocket.

Probably going to offer them to private rocket company that doesn't want to make their own engine.

Of course CASC will offer it to anyone who wants, it is intended for commercial market.

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This web site claims that the 140t is the improved version of YF-209, so its current intended user is likely CZ-12A reusable version. It would be similar to Merlin-1C to 1D by dubling thrust.

 

[escobar]

CASC/China Rocket 5m Methane RLV project may use this 140t engine instead of 80t YF-209
View attachment 152143

This 5-meter-diameter reusable launch vehicle is being developed by China Rocket Co. using liquid oxygen/kerosene or liquid oxygen/methane engines, with the first flight planned for the end of 2027.

 

[nativechicken]

航天科技六院140吨级重复使用液氧甲烷发动机于2024年9月正式开始研制，当月完成方案论证，11月图纸下厂，2025年3月首台产品交付，4月首次整机试车成功。六院将加快以“八年九机”为代表的液体火箭发动机研发工作，特别是200吨级液氧甲烷发动机、可重复使用发动机等要快速迭代，全面突破技术难点。

this is pretty cool, started development in September & finished blueprint in November and first product delivered in March and first did test run in April.

They have done some really impressive development include 200t liquid oxygen-methane engine.

Currently, there are at least 2 or 3 200t methane engines under development in China
A national team
Others are private enterprises engaged in research and development

CASC/China Rocket 5m Methane RLV project may use this 140t engine instead of 80t YF-209

What is the minimum thrust? Landing depends on the minimum thrust.
Unless it is a mixed configuration of two different thrust engines with different specifications like CZ6X

 

[by78]

According to this

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, China conducted a full-system test run on a 140-ton LOX/Methane reusable engine last month. Apparently, from design validation to full-system test run, it took only seven months. Which engine is this? The thrust figure doesn't match anything I remember off the top of my head.

Here's a photo of the mystery engine undergoing hot test run.

 

[by78]

A Long March 2D has successfully launched 12 satellites of the Space Computing Constellation (太空计算星座) into orbit. This was the 576th flight of the Long March Series.

 

[by78]

(Continued from above...)

The Space Computing Constellation (太空计算星座) is developed by Guoxing Space (国星宇航). The satellites have up to 744 TOPs of computing power each and are equipped with inter-satellite laser communication technology with speeds up to 100Gbps, forming a networked computer in space. The satellites will run a large language model with more than 8 billion parameters to process astronomical observation data.

 

[by78]

Panoramic views of Wenchang Launch Center + Hainan Commercial Spaceport: four operational launchpads + one launchpad for Long March 10 under construction.

 

[gpt]

Tianlian II-05 launched today on a LM 3B.

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Tianlian II 05 has settled above Africa at an inclination of 5.5°
All second gen Tianlian II 01 - 05 sats are in position to relay telemetry from space station and lower orbit sats to ground stations in China.

 

[by78]

A high-resolution image of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport taken by Siwei Gaojing-1 02.