The improved Kuaizhou-1A rocket has greatly increased its carrying capacity and successfully launched a radar remote sensing satellite in Xichang..
During on 4th December 2024 at 1246 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time launching from one of many complexes Xichang Satellite Launch center, Sichuan Province –China – People’s Republic of China on中國製造 Expace Technology Corporation, , the Kuaizhou No. 1A solid carrier rocket ignited and lifted off at the At 12:46 Beijing time on December 4, 2024, at the launch pad of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, the “Kuaizhou-1A” solid carrier rocket ignited and took off, sending the “Haishao-1” remote sensing satellite into low Earth orbit (LEO).
“Haishao-1” (CAS Satellite 08) is a small synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing satellite that can realize on-board imaging and inversion and extraction of ocean dynamic information, and has a wide range of application scenarios.
Kuaizhou-1A is a four-stage small launch vehicle developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Rocket Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the 9th Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. It adopts a four-stage tandem configuration, with solid rocket engines in the first, second and third stages and a room-temperature liquid engine in the fourth stage. The liquid final stage of the rocket is equipped with a nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4)/monomethylhydrazine (CH6N2) engine, which has the ability to ignite multiple times and can carry out multi-satellite launch missions in different orbits.
The improved launch vehicle “Kuaizhou-1A” was used this time, which adopted technologies such as high payload ratio optimization, de-tasking, landing area control, and online variable parameters, and achieved significant improvements in carrying capacity, satellite available envelope, reliability, and performance. Compared with the previous version, the external diameter of the fairing of the improved “Kuaizhou-1A” rocket has been increased from 1.4 meters to 1.8 meters, and the carrying capacity of the 500-kilometer, 45-degree low-Earth orbit (LEO) has been increased from 390 kilograms to 500 kilograms, the carrying capacity of the 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) has been increased from 260 kilograms to 360 kilograms, and the carrying capacity of the 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) has been increased from 200 kilograms to more than 300 kilograms.
Since its successful maiden flight, the Kuaizhou-1A rocket has carried out a total of 28 launches, 26 of which were successful, with a success rate of 92.86%. It is China’s solid-propellant carrier rocket with the most launches and the most successes. Since the successful launch of the Kuaizhou-1A Yao 23 rocket on June 22, 2022, the rocket has achieved 14 consecutive victories, which is the second longest winning streak of China’s active solid rockets, second only to the 17 consecutive victories of the Long March 11 rocket, which is still ongoing. On the afternoon of September 20, 2024, the Kuaizhou-1A Yao 31 rocket carried out the 27th launch of the arrow, 75 days away from this launch.
This launch is the fourth launch of the Kuaizhou-1A rocket in 2024, the 18th launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, the 61st launch in China, and the 231st orbital space launch in the world.
On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 12 first flight rocket …. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China At 7:00 am Beijing time on 26 November 2024.. This morning, the Long March 12 Y1 carrier rocket was successfully transferred from the technical area to the launch area at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. It will be launched in the near future. The first flight is a must . The Long March 12 is a new generation of medium-sized carrier rocket in China and also the first 3.8-meter-diameter single-core liquid carrier rocket in China.
China’s most powerful single-core rocket for low-orbit transport…
The Long March 12 (LM-12/CZ-12) is a new generation of carrier rocket developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a medium-sized cryogenic liquid carrier rocket with a two-stage tandem configuration. The first and second stages are all powered by liquid oxygen-kerosene engines. The rocket was originally the Eighth Academy’s bid for a new generation of manned carrier rockets, and was later renamed XLV20. The original 5CBC configuration (5 cores in parallel for the takeoff stage) was changed to a single core stage configuration.
The first stage of the Long March 12 is equipped with four YF-100K liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, using an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, using pump-back swing, supporting bidirectional swing of ±8 degrees, and a thrust adjustment range of 65%~105%. The sea level thrust of a single engine is about 128 tons (1250 kN), and the sea level specific impulse is 301.84 seconds. The second stage is equipped with two YF-115 liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, using an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, supporting bidirectional swing of ±4 degrees, a thrust adjustment range of 80%~100%, a vacuum thrust of about 18 tons (180 kN), and a vacuum specific impulse of about 342 seconds.
The Long March 12 rocket is 59 meters high, with a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. It can be equipped with optional fairings with diameters of 4.2 meters and 5.2 meters. It has a takeoff mass of 433 tons and a maximum takeoff thrust of about 510 tons (5,000 kilonewtons). The rocket has a carrying capacity of no less than 10 tons in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 300 kilometers and a carrying capacity of no less than 6 tons in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 700 kilometers.
The Long March XII rocket is the first 3.8-meter-diameter model of the Long March rocket. It will also become China’s single-core-stage carrier rocket with the largest takeoff mass and the strongest low-orbit carrying capacity in service.
The first flight of the YF-100K engine!
On April 28, 2024, the YF-100K liquid oxygen-kerosene engine developed by the Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation completed a four-engine parallel ignition test. The total thrust of the engine exceeded 500 tons. This was the first large-thrust liquid oxygen-kerosene engine four-engine parallel ignition test, and the four-engine parallel scheme was fully verified.
The YF-100K was born with the proposal of China’s manned lunar landing plan and the need to demonstrate the new generation of manned carrier rockets. It is based on the improvement and optimization of the YF-100. This engine is the main power of China’s new generation of manned carrier rocket “Long March 10”. It adopts pump back swing. Compared with the YF-100 in use, it has the advantages of small mass eccentricity, small swing envelope, and easy layout of swing components.
The maiden flight of the Long March 12 rocket is also the maiden flight of the YF-100K engine, which will test its performance in actual launches and accumulate flight samples for the main power of the Long March 10 takeoff stage. At the same time, the YF-100K will pave the way for the improvement and upgrading of the new generation of carrier rockets currently in service, such as the Long March 5, whose four boosters are equipped with a total of 8 YF-100 engines. By replacing them with the YF-100K engines with better performance, the rocket will further release its already powerful carrying capacity.
China’s Hainan commercial space launch site launches first rocket
It is expected that in August 2024, the Long March 12 (Yao-1) carrier rocket will carry out its maiden flight at the No. 2 station of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center in China, and China’s new generation of carrier rockets will welcome a new member. At the same time, this is also the first rocket launch of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center, which means that China’s first commercial space launch center has officially been put into use.
At 0810 Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 22nd October 2024 , China- People’s Republic of China- CNSA –China National Space Administration Successfully launched Chang Zheng – Long March 6 yao 13 Carrier Rocket ignited and took off at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center Shanxi Province..
Long March 6 carrier rocket successfully launches Tianping-3 satellite At 8:10 a.m. on October 22, the Long March 6 carrier rocket took off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and successfully sent the Tianping-3 satellite into the predetermined orbit. carrying three satellites, namely Tianping 3 A01, B01 and B02, took off and sent the satellites into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
The Tianping-3 B01 and B02 satellites were developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. This batch of satellites is mainly used for ground radar equipment calibration and radar cross-section (RCS) measurement, providing support for ground optical equipment imaging tests and low-orbit space environment detection and monitoring tests, and providing services for atmospheric space environment measurement and orbit prediction model correction.
The launch mission was a complete success. The Tianping-3 satellite is mainly used for ground radar equipment calibration and RCS measurement, provides support for ground optical equipment imaging tests and low-orbit space environment detection and monitoring tests, and provides services for atmospheric space environment measurement and orbit prediction model correction.
The Long March 6 is a small liquid carrier rocket developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It adopts a three-stage tandem configuration. The first and second stage main engines use cryogenic liquid propellants, liquid oxygen/kerosene, and the third stage main engine uses room temperature liquid propellants, nitrogen tetroxide/undimethylhydrazine. The rocket is 29.932 meters high, with a first stage diameter of 3.35 meters and a takeoff mass of about 102 tons. Its 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) capacity is 1.08 tons.
This rocket is a “de-missionized” rolling batch production product, which effectively shortens the rocket production cycle. At the same time, it is equipped with a fairing and additional power supply interface to meet the “personalized” needs of satellites.
The Long March 6 is the first flight model of China’s new generation of Long March carrier rockets and the only small model. The rocket successfully completed its first flight on September 20, 2015 and has achieved 13 consecutive victories so far, continuing to create the longest winning streak record for a single model of the new generation of Long March liquid rockets.
This launch is the second launch of the Long March 6 carrier rocket in 2024, the 10th launch at the Taiyuan Launch Center, the 50th launch in China and the 192nd orbital space launch in the world.
This launch is the 541st launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 12 first flight rocket joint rehearsal…. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China At 7:00 a.m Beijing time . on October 8th 2024 .. , the joint rehearsal mission execution team had assembled in the Sanping factory. At the pre-shift meeting for the rocket joint rehearsal, General Dispatcher Cao Guobin was arranging various tasks in detail. At 8:00, the rocket was placed on the long rocket transport vehicle to prepare for the first joint rehearsal mission after the National Day. At 8:30, as the rocket slowly drove into the No. 2 launch station in the launch area, a new space journey will begin again……rocket with a diameter of 3.8 meters among the “Long March” rockets.
China’s most powerful single-core rocket for low-orbit transport…
The Long March 12 (LM-12/CZ-12) is a new generation of carrier rocket developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a medium-sized cryogenic liquid carrier rocket with a two-stage tandem configuration. The first and second stages are all powered by liquid oxygen-kerosene engines. The rocket was originally the Eighth Academy’s bid for a new generation of manned carrier rockets, and was later renamed XLV20. The original 5CBC configuration (5 cores in parallel for the takeoff stage) was changed to a single core stage configuration.
The first stage of the Long March 12 is equipped with four YF-100K liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, using an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, using pump-back swing, supporting bidirectional swing of ±8 degrees, and a thrust adjustment range of 65%~105%. The sea level thrust of a single engine is about 128 tons (1250 kN), and the sea level specific impulse is 301.84 seconds. The second stage is equipped with two YF-115 liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, using an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, supporting bidirectional swing of ±4 degrees, a thrust adjustment range of 80%~100%, a vacuum thrust of about 18 tons (180 kN), and a vacuum specific impulse of about 342 seconds.
The Long March 12 rocket is 59 meters high, with a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. It can be equipped with optional fairings with diameters of 4.2 meters and 5.2 meters. It has a takeoff mass of 433 tons and a maximum takeoff thrust of about 510 tons (5,000 kilonewtons). The rocket has a carrying capacity of no less than 10 tons in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 300 kilometers and a carrying capacity of no less than 6 tons in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 700 kilometers.
The Long March XII rocket is the first 3.8-meter-diameter model of the Long March rocket. It will also become China’s single-core-stage carrier rocket with the largest takeoff mass and the strongest low-orbit carrying capacity in service.
The first flight of the YF-100K engine!
On April 28, 2024, the YF-100K liquid oxygen-kerosene engine developed by the Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation completed a four-engine parallel ignition test. The total thrust of the engine exceeded 500 tons. This was the first large-thrust liquid oxygen-kerosene engine four-engine parallel ignition test, and the four-engine parallel scheme was fully verified.
The YF-100K was born with the proposal of China’s manned lunar landing plan and the need to demonstrate the new generation of manned carrier rockets. It is based on the improvement and optimization of the YF-100. This engine is the main power of China’s new generation of manned carrier rocket “Long March 10”. It adopts pump back swing. Compared with the YF-100 in use, it has the advantages of small mass eccentricity, small swing envelope, and easy layout of swing components.
The maiden flight of the Long March 12 rocket is also the maiden flight of the YF-100K engine, which will test its performance in actual launches and accumulate flight samples for the main power of the Long March 10 takeoff stage. At the same time, the YF-100K will pave the way for the improvement and upgrading of the new generation of carrier rockets currently in service, such as the Long March 5, whose four boosters are equipped with a total of 8 YF-100 engines. By replacing them with the YF-100K engines with better performance, the rocket will further release its already powerful carrying capacity.
China’s Hainan commercial space launch site launches first rocket
It is expected that in August 2024, the Long March 12 (Yao-1) carrier rocket will carry out its maiden flight at the No. 2 station of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center in China, and China’s new generation of carrier rockets will welcome a new member. At the same time, this is also the first rocket launch of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center, which means that China’s first commercial space launch center has officially been put into use.
DURING MAY 2024 CNSA _China National Space Administration – Assisting manned lunar landing Recently, Asia’s largest Carrier Rocket space engine high-altitude simulation test International benchmark was completed and put into use in Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, China, People’s Republic of China, marking a major breakthrough in the key technology of high-altitude simulation test of the main reduction engine of China’s manned lunar landing project, which will effectively guarantee and support the smooth implementation of the manned lunar exploration project. What is a space engine test bench? Why is it the “ultimate test site” for Carrier Rocket spacecraft engines?
1. What is a space engine test bench?
There is a consensus in the aerospace field: “To develop aerospace, power comes first .” In space exploration, space engines provide power for launch vehicles and other spacecraft to fly into space. If the engine is regarded as the “heart” of the rocket, then the space engine test bench is like the monitor of the rocket’s “heart”. It is a ground test facility specially used to test the performance of rocket engines . It is usually composed of a test workshop, a load-bearing pier, a guide trough, a measurement and control center, a measurement and control system, a test frame, etc. It can simulate the working environment of the engine to verify and evaluate the performance, function, strength, reliability and other aspects of the rocket engine, and ensure that the engine can work stably and reliably in actual flight.
2. Why build a space engine test bench?
The development of space engines is a complex and delicate project, which requires not only a deep theoretical foundation and advanced computational simulation technology, but also actual ignition tests to verify the accuracy and reliability of the design. Therefore, in the process of engine development, the combination of theory and practice is indispensable. The engine test bench is equipped with various high-precision sensors, which are the “senses” of engine testing and can monitor the key parameters of the engine in real time during the ignition test. Through these precise measurements, researchers can intuitively observe the performance of the engine in actual work, so as to have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the engine’s performance. These test parameters not only provide researchers with various indicators of the engine’s working status, but also serve as an important basis for evaluating engine performance. By comparing the test results with the design expectations, researchers can find deficiencies in the design and make necessary improvements and optimizations to the engine.
3. Why do different engines require “tailor-made” test benches?
From the perspective of type , since each type of engine has its own unique design and performance parameters, it determines the specific environment and conditions required for testing. This means that one test bench cannot solve the “package” engine test work. Different types of test benches need to be built according to different types of engines to make the test environment and the actual working environment of the engine as consistent as possible. For this reason, test benches can also be classified. For example , according to the scale of the test bench , the test bench structure, the propellant tank capacity, and the measurement and control equipment, it can be divided into large test benches and small and medium-sized test benches; according to the type of engine propellant, it can be divided into liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen engine test benches, liquid oxygen and kerosene engine test benches, and room temperature storable engine test benches; according to the length of the engine thrust test, it can be divided into two types of test benches: steady-state test and dynamic test. The former mainly tests the engine’s steady-state thrust and pressure performance indicators, and verifies the quality of engine design and manufacturing through long-term stable work, while the latter focuses on the study of the thrust and pressure rise transition process and the aftereffect impulse change characteristics of the descending stage; according to the installation posture during the engine test, it can be divided into horizontal test benches and vertical test benches. The horizontal test bench has a wide range of uses, and the change of engine mass during operation has little effect on thrust measurement, but at the same time, this test bench is less sensitive to lateral forces. Vertical test benches are divided into upright and inverted types.
From a safety perspective , the test bench must ensure safety during the test process. Different engines will generate different thrust and heat flow when ignited, so special guide grooves and cooling systems are needed to deal with it.
From a measurement perspective , in order to obtain accurate test data, the sensors and measurement equipment on the test bench need to match the specific parameters of the engine. For example, the thrust measurement system must be able to accurately measure thrust within a specific range.
From the perspective of the simulation environment , the test bench is designed to simulate various conditions that the engine may encounter in actual flight, including high-altitude simulation, vibration environment, etc. The flight conditions of different engines may be different, so a specific simulation environment is required.
From a cost-effectiveness perspective, designing and building dedicated test rigs for different engines can improve the efficiency and accuracy of testing, saving time and resources in the long run.
From the perspective of technological development , the advancement of space engine development technology will be accompanied by new testing requirements. The construction of a dedicated test bench can provide the necessary testing support for new engines.
4. Why has the high-altitude simulation test bench become a development trend?
When launching, the engines of spacecraft such as the upper stage of a launch vehicle are in a state of low pressure at an altitude of more than 80 kilometers, and their high-altitude performance is very different from that on the ground. Since the aerodynamic and thermal loads that affect the structural strength of the engine cannot be simulated when it is stationary on the ground, a high- altitude simulation test bench is needed to create high-altitude conditions . Usually, a low-pressure environment of 30-40 kilometers is formed by vacuuming to simulate high-altitude flight conditions. The high-altitude simulation test bench is mainly used to assess the nozzle structure and performance of the engine in a low-pressure and vacuum environment to ensure the reliability of high-altitude operation. Through high-altitude simulated hot tests , the safety of the test can be improved , faults can be discovered and eliminated in a timely manner , and key support can be provided for the development of advanced engines .
With the continuous construction and improvement of the space engine test bench, it will provide a more advanced and reliable platform for the development and testing of various types of spacecraft engines.
