China's Space Program Thread II

[johncliu88]

The two groups met in the space station and held a welcoming party to the new comers

 

[by78]

Ziwei's commerical cargo spacecraft lineup, which is under active development:
– A10 (capacity 10kg)
– B300 (capacity 300kg)
– C2000 (capacity 2000kg)

Another infograph on AZSpace/Ziwei's spacecraft product lineup/development path.

 

[by78]

More high-resolution images from the Shenzhou-20 launch.

 

[by78]

The first Lijian-2 fuselage being assembled.

More assembly photos. The last image shows a full size mockup used to test the transporter-erector-launcher vehicle.

 

[by78]

A beautiful HD video of Shenzhou-20 launch.

 

[sangye]

A beautiful HD video of Shenzhou-20 launch.

At what altitude the boosters detach?

 

[by78]

At what altitude the boosters detach?

I don't know. I wonder if telemetry data is displayed during the livestream, which might either tell us the altitude or give us the means of calculating it.

 

[CasualObserver]

Chang'e-8 lunar mission is officially confirmed to launch in 2029. The mission sets aside 200kg for payloads from international partners. Some 41 applicants have applied for a spot. After expert reviews,

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from 11 countries and regions and one international organization have been selected.

The participant from Turkey is confirmed to be the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ/METU)

 

[by78]

The Longyun engine (LY-70) has accumulated 17,000 seconds of hot test runs, and its thrust has been increased to 785kN (from 745kN), with a thrust-to-weight ratio having reached 110:1.

(Continued from above...)

The 3.8m-diameter VTVL test vehicle was powered by three 70-ton LOX/Methane Longyun (龙云/DragonCloud) engines from the private engine developer

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. The engine has reached a thrust of 745kN (sea level), with a specific impulse of 293s, and a thrust-to-weight ratio of >100. The company will continue to enhance the engine's performance. Longyun engines will be used later this year for a 75km sub-oritbal recovery test flight and an orbital recovery test flight in 2025.

The Eighth Academy of CASC published in 2022 a development roadmap for reusable launch vehicles, all powered by LOX/Methane engines:
1) 4m diameter, two-stage vehicle, with reusable 1st stage. 1st stage powered by seven or nine 80-ton engines, 2nd stage powered by one 80-ton vacuum engine. 3.5 to 6.5 tons of payload to SSO (700km).
2) 7m diameter, two-stage. 1st stage powered by 19 to 22 80-ton engines, 2nd stage powered by two 80-ton vacuum engines. >20 ton payload to SSO (700km). Will eventually have a fully reusable version (i.e. both stages return) with a payload capacity of 10 tons to LEO.
3) 9-to-10m diameter, two stage, fully reusable. 1st stage powered by 25 to 28 200-ton engines, 2nd stage powered by six to nine 200-ton engines. 100 ton payload capacity to LEO.

Jiuzhou is about to deliver a batch of seven Longyun engines to a certain customer to power a certain rocket. The only candidate is the CASC's Long March 12A, whose reusable first stage is powered by seven engines. Longyun was previously used by CASC's VTVL test vehicle.

 

[Asug]

Chang'e-8 lunar mission is officially confirmed to launch in 2029. The mission sets aside 200kg for payloads from international partners. Some 41 applicants have applied for a spot. After expert reviews,

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from 11 countries and regions and one international organization have been selected.

IKI RAS confirmed the inclusion of two instruments in the mission, the ion energy-mass analyzer ALIEN-CE8 and the experiment to study the plasma-dust exosphere of the Moon LPDE-CE8. Interestingly, similar equipment will be installed on the Russian probe of the Luna-27 mission. IRLS is becoming a reality.