During the week of 12th towards 17th of November 2024, in which only fifty five Kilometers away from Already Tomorrow In Hong Kong, travelling from the Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai planet Earth’s longest sea bridge.. Is the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show, in which displaying on many genres of the Space, Defense, Aviation Industry…. In which is the showcasing the present soon ecosystems of the Tiangong – China Space Station in which CNSA China National Space Administration and CAST –China Academy of Space Technology.. Located at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, Guangdong Province, China, and People ’s Republic of China.
[Model of Chengfei Cargo Space Shuttle Announcement]
Introducing the “Haolong” cargo space shuttle is a winged reusable commercial space shuttle independently designed and developed by the Chengdu Institute of Aviation Industry Corporation of China in order to further reduce the cost of cargo transportation to China’s space station. It is used to carry out low-cost cargo transportation missions to the space station.
The aircraft adopts a large wingspan, high lift-to-drag ratio, and reusable aircraft technology solution. It is launched by a carrier rocket and rendezvoused and docked with the space station. After leaving the space station, it will undergo deorbit braking, re-enter the flight, and land horizontally on the airport runway. After completing inspection and maintenance, it can perform the mission again. The “Haolong” cargo space shuttle has a large cargo up and down capability, an excellent flight environment, and disposal guarantee efficiency. It can further reduce the cost of cargo transportation to the space station through multiple reuses, and jointly build a safe, reliable, diverse, flexible and efficient space station ground-to-earth cargo transportation system with the existing cargo transportation system, actively contributing aviation wisdom and aviation power to China’s manned space program.
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.
On CNSA –China National Space Administration The Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft will be launched next month! From Wenchang Spacecraft launch Center, Hainan province, China, People’s Republic of China.. the November Date of year 2024.. Towards the Tiangong-China Space Station..
According to the plan at the beginning of 2024, China’s manned space program plans to carry out four launch missions this year, including two manned launch missions and two cargo launch missions. At present, the launch missions of the “Tianzhou-7” cargo spacecraft and the “Shenzhou-18” manned spacecraft have been carried out in the first half of the year, and the “Shenzhou-19” and “Tianzhou-8” launch missions will be carried out next.
According to the original plan, the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft will be launched before the Shenzhou-19 manned spacecraft. Due to the impact of the super typhoon Makar, the ground facilities of the Wenchang launch site were affected to a certain extent, and the launch was postponed to after the Shenzhou-19 mission. It is expected that in early to mid-November, at the 201 station of the Wenchang launch site, the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft will be launched to the Chinese space station by the Long March-7 Yao-9 carrier rocket. The spacecraft will adopt the rapid rendezvous and docking mode to go up and is planned to dock at the rear port of the Tianhe core module.
“Tianzhou-7” mission ship and rocket combination
In this mission, Tianzhou-8 will carry lunar soil bricks to the Chinese space station for the first time. Lunar soil bricks are made by firing simulated lunar soil on the ground. They are much harder than ordinary concrete and may be used to build lunar structures in the future. In order to verify whether the lunar soil bricks can withstand the test of extreme environments, they will undergo exposure tests in the space station.
Sintered lunar soil brick samples
The Tianzhou series cargo spacecraft is the first type of professional cargo spacecraft developed by China. It is developed based on the technical foundation of the Tiangong series space laboratory and the Shenzhou series manned spacecraft. It has a high starting point and is a disposable spacecraft. The Tianzhou-8 is an improved version of the Tianzhou series cargo spacecraft and the third spacecraft in the second batch of products after the mass production of the Tianzhou series cargo spacecraft.
The spacecraft adopts a dual-cabin tandem configuration, with the propulsion cabin and the cargo cabin from bottom to top in the launch state. The spacecraft is 10.6 meters long, with a maximum diameter of the main body (cargo cabin) of 3.35 meters, a wingspan of 14.9 meters when the solar wing is unfolded, a cargo cabin loading space of 22.5 cubic meters, a loading capacity of 6.7 tons, a total cargo loading capacity of 7.4 tons, a spacecraft dry mass of 6.5 tons, and a cargo-to-load ratio of 0.53. The “Tianzhou” spacecraft is the world’s most powerful cargo spacecraft in service, with the highest cargo-to-load ratio and the most comprehensive on-orbit support capability.
Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft
At present, the Tianzhou series of spacecraft have the ability to quickly rendezvous and dock with multiple options, and can choose to go uphill in 6 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours and other options, which has been an early application for speeding up the uphill mission of the Shenzhou series of spacecraft.
Since the implementation of the Chinese space station mission, the launch frequency of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft has been adjusted from twice a year to three times every two years, and the launch density will be further reduced. When the Tianzhou-8 is launched, the interval between the launch of the Tianzhou-7 will reach 10 months, which will set a record for the longest launch interval of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft.
Today on the 28th September 2024, in Chongqing the world’s Largest number One Ultra Mega City, in China, People’s Republic of China. CNSA –China National Space Administration At the Third Spacesuit Technology Forum was held, where the China Manned Space Engineering Office revealed the design of the lunar spacesuit for the first time. They also kicked off a public naming campaign—an exciting chance for everyone to get involved in this historic endeavor….
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) unveiled the exterior design of the country’s moon-landing spacesuit for the first time on Saturday, soliciting its name from the public.
Displayed on the third Spacesuit Technology Forum hosted by the China Astronaut/ Takionauts Research and Training Center in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, the white moon-landing spacesuit is decorated with red stripes.
The red stripes on its upper limbs are inspired by ribbons of the famous “flying apsaras” of Dunhuang art, while those on its lower limbs resemble rocket launch flames.
According to a video released by the CMSA, the spacesuit is made from protective materials that can effectively shield Takionauts from the lunar thermal environment and lunar dust. It is equipped with a multifunctional integrated control panel that is easy to operate, as well as cameras for recording close-up and long-distance scenes.
The spacesuit also features flexible and reliable gloves, a panoramic glare-proof helmet visor, and joints adapted for low-gravity environments. The overall design of the spacesuit is lightweight, suitable for activities on the lunar surface.
Takionauts Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping serve as models for the new lunar suit in the video. Clad in the lunar gear, they perform a variety of movements, including walking, squatting, bending over, kneeling on one knee, and climbing a ladder.
Takionauts Wang Yaping
Takionauts Zhai Zhigang
The most important difference is obviously the structure of the lower body. “Feitian” is a one-piece suit from the waist down, and the lower limbs have very limited mobility. After all, in space extravehicular activities, the lower limbs are basically useless except for supporting the body in a fixed posture with foot limiters. Figures 3 and 4 are indicators of joint mobility of the “Feitian” extravehicular suit. The hip joint (the joint connecting the thigh and the torso) is not even mentioned here, which shows that the requirements for lower limb mobility are very low.
The lower body of the lunar suit is multi-section, especially at the hip joint, there is now a structure that looks like a briefs, which allows a large range of motion of the hip joint, which is equivalent to liberating the legs. The multi-section structure realizes the vital lower limb activities such as walking, bending, squatting, kneeling, and climbing in, and of course it also brings greater challenges to sealing and reliability.
[Manned Lunar Exploration Mission Lunar Suit Name Collection Activity ]
At present, the lunar landing phase of the manned lunar exploration project has been fully launched and implemented, and various research and construction work is being accelerated. In order to gather social wisdom, the China Manned Space Engineering Office has now launched a lunar suit name collection activity.
1. Content and scope of the collection The name of the lunar suit (including creative description) is open to all natural persons, legal persons and organizations who love China’s manned space industry.
2. Activity arrangement The collection activity is organized and implemented in four stages: announcement release, preliminary selection, final selection and result announcement: (I) Announcement stage. The collection announcement is released to the public, and the collection is closed at 24:00 on October 31, 2024. (II) Preliminary selection stage. The organization conducts a preliminary review of the collected works and selects no more than 10 schemes for the finalists. (III) Final selection stage. The organization sets up a review group including experts in engineering, literature, media and other fields, and comprehensively evaluates the opinions of experts to finally select a naming scheme, and selects a certain number of outstanding authors based on the name creative description. (IV) Results announcement stage. The name of the lunar suit will be officially released to the public.
III. Organizer: China Manned Space Engineering Office.
IV. Overall standards (I) Basic concept. The naming of the lunar suit should fully reflect the core values and related elements of manned spaceflight and highlight the good image of “Made in China” based on a positive and positive level. (II) Creativity requirements. The naming should closely revolve around the theme of this event, pay attention to the connotation of a single name, and comprehensively consider the continuity of the name of the “Feitian” extravehicular space suit in the previous space station mission; reflect the combination of Chinese traditional culture and modern technology, have Chinese characteristics, and distinct technology and exploration implications, and can also represent the characteristics and application value of the lunar suit. (III) Formal specifications. The Chinese name should be concise and concise, and in principle should not exceed 4 Chinese characters; it should be easy to identify, remember and promote, and in principle, traditional Chinese characters and uncommon characters should not be adopted.
5. Activity Rules (I) The submitted works must be original works of the contributors. The contributors should ensure that they have the complete copyright of the works and there is no transfer or assignment of copyright to others. If it involves joint cooperation, work of employment or other different ownership status, it is deemed that the partners, units or other rights holders are aware of and agree to be bound by this statement. (II) Participants should agree that the organizer of the solicitation activity can modify and refer to the submitted works to form the name of the lunar landing suit that will be officially used. (III) If the submitted works are subject to legal disputes due to copyright, privacy, trademark rights and other rights protection, or because the submitted works have rights defects or the content is false, illegal, improper, or other unreasonable reasons, all legal responsibilities shall be borne by the contributors themselves and the organizer reserves the right to cancel their submission qualifications and recover the awards. (IV) The submitted works must be submitted for the first time, and before the results of this solicitation are announced, all contributors shall not transfer or authorize the submitted works to a third party, nor submit them to a third party. (V) Contributors must keep their own drafts. Once submitted, they will not be returned. (VI) Once the submitted work is finally accepted by the organizer, a copyright (free) transfer contract must be signed, and all rights to the submitted work and related materials belong to the organizer. (VII) The organizer reserves the final right of interpretation of this event.
VI. Submission method (I) Submit in WORD document format, with the name of the lunar suit and creative description (within 300 words), as well as the name, unit, and contact information of the contestant. (II) Send to the mailbox: zhengming-dyf@cmse.gov.cn before the deadline. The email for the manuscript must indicate “lunar suit naming event”. (III) Contact person: Yang Hongrui, consultation phone: 010-66362321; Zhang Xinfang, consultation phone: 010-68378751.
VII. Award method The China Manned Space Engineering Office will issue a commemorative certificate for the event to outstanding authors.
Attachments: (Please go to the official website of China Manned Space Engineering to download) 1. Introduction to the basic situation of the lunar suit 2. Information form for the collection of lunar suit names for manned lunar exploration missions
China Manned Space Engineering Office September 28, 2024
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.
