深蓝航天 Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue Aerospace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China… As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..
Improved version of the Suzaku-2 launch vehicle
At 10:00 Beijing time on November 27, 2024, at the 96A workstation in the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Area of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China., the “Zhuque-2” improved (Yao-1) carrier rocket carrying the Guangchuan 01 and 02 test satellites ignited and took off. About 8 minutes and 25 seconds later, the satellite and rocket separated, sending the satellite into a low-Earth orbit with a perigee of 300 kilometers, an apogee of 500 kilometers, and an inclination of 50 degrees.
Guangchuan 01 and 02 are low-orbit communication test satellites used to test and verify low-Earth orbit communication satellite constellation technology.
Optical low-orbit communication experimental satellite
The improved version of the Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2E) launch vehicle uses the basic first stage and a deeply improved second stage. The improvements of the second stage are mainly reflected in the structural system and power system. In terms of the structural system, the improved second stage adopts a single-layer common bottom tank and tunnel delivery pipe scheme, which simplifies the structure and reduces the stage height and rocket body mass.
“Tian Que-15A” (TQ-15A) vacuum liquid oxygen-methane engine test run
In terms of the power system, the second-stage main engine was replaced by the vacuum-type “Tian Que-12” (TQ-12) with the vacuum-type “Tian Que-15A” (TQ-15A) liquid oxygen-methane engine. The latter has significantly improved thrust and specific impulse and has the ability to start three times. At the same time, the second-stage “Tian Que-11” (TQ-11) swimming engine was removed and replaced by the “Yun Que 10” (YQ-10) auxiliary power system. “Yun Que 10” is used for the second-stage precise attitude adjustment, terminal speed correction, propellant sinking, orbit change, and deorbit.
Improved version of the Suzaku-2 launch vehicle
The improved version of the “Zhuque-2” (ZQ-2E) rocket is 47.3 meters high, with a first and second stage and fairing diameter of 3.35 meters, a takeoff mass of 219 tons, a takeoff thrust of 282 tons, and a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) capacity of 4 tons. Compared with the basic version of the “Zhuque-2”, the improved version has a height reduction of 2.2 meters, a takeoff mass reduction of 1 ton, a takeoff thrust increase of 14 tons, and a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit capacity increase of 2.5 tons.
Improved version of the Suzaku-2 launch vehicle
The improved version of the Zhuque-2 rocket has created many firsts in China’s aerospace industry. This rocket is China’s first dual-cryogenic liquid carrier rocket that uses full supercooling and filling, the first time in China to use a dual-cryogenic single-layer common bottom tank for a liquid carrier rocket, and the first time in China that the Tianque-15A engine uses large-size, high-precision niobium alloy nozzle processing and manufacturing technology for large-scale engines. In addition, this mission is the first time that a Chinese carrier rocket has used a probability-based high-wind area flight load calculation method, a stage separation cancellation forward rocket plan, and a rocket glide stage propellant intermittent bottoming plan.
Since its maiden flight on December 14, 2022, Beijing time, the “Zhuque-2” series of rockets has carried out four launches in less than two years, achieving three consecutive victories since the basic Yao-2 mission. In the process, the “Zhuque-2” rocket became the world’s first liquid oxygen-methane rocket to achieve an orbital launch, the first to successfully launch a payload, the first to launch continuously and the first to achieve three consecutive launch victories. The improved Yao-1 of the “Zhuque-2” is the first rocket of the new batch of the “Zhuque-2” series, and since then, the series of rockets has entered a new stage of normalized commercial launches.
Improved version of the Suzaku-2 launch vehicle
This launch mission is the first launch of the Zhuque-2 carrier rocket in 2024, the 19th launch of the Jiuquan Launch Center, the 58th launch in China and the 224th launch in the world. At the same time, this launch is also the first launch of a private commercial liquid rocket in China in 2024.
At 13:40 on September 22, Jiangsu Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. carried out the first high-altitude vertical recovery flight test of Nebula-1 at the Deep Blue Aerospace Ejin Banner Spaceport in Inner Mongolia China, People’s Republic of China … The recyclable and reusable first-stage rocket body had an abnormality during the final landing phase of the flight test, and the test mission was not completely successful. According to the “Nebula-1 First High-altitude Vertical Recovery Flight Test Test Outline”, there are a total of 11 major test verification tasks. In this flight test, 10 of them were successfully completed and 1 was not completed.
China’s first high-altitude recovery flight test of a launch vehicle that can enter orbit…. At 13:00 on September 22, Jiangsu Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. carried out the first high-altitude vertical recovery flight test of Nebula-1 at the “Deep Blue Aerospace Ejin Banner Spaceport” in Inner Mongolia. An abnormality occurred in the recyclable and reusable first-stage rocket body during the final landing phase of the flight test, and the test mission was not completely successful. The core mission objectives of this test are to verify the correctness and coordination of the operation of various systems in the vertical recovery phase after Nebula-1 enters orbit, especially to verify the multi-machine to single-machine variable power operating conditions for the first time in flight, and to accumulate key data for subsequent 100-kilometer recovery flight tests and the final orbital entry + recovery test missions
The Nebula-1 rocket that carried out this flight mission is Deep Blue Aerospace’s first commercial liquid rocket that can enter orbit and be recycled and reused. It is also an important carrier for breaking through and verifying rocket vertical recovery and reuse technology. The Nebula-1 rocket has a body diameter of 3.35 meters and a first-stage height of about 21 meters. It is equipped with the Thunder-R liquid oxygen-kerosene engine, China’s first reusable liquid rocket engine developed fully independently by Deep Blue Aerospace, with more than 90% of the main structure integrally formed using high-temperature alloy 3D printing technology.
This flight test is China’s first high-altitude recovery test of a launch vehicle that can enter orbit. The core mission of the test is to verify the correctness and coordination of the various systems in the vertical recovery phase after the Xingyun-1 enters orbit, especially to verify the multi-machine to single-machine variable power condition for the first time in flight, so as to accumulate key data for the subsequent 100-kilometer recovery flight test and the final orbital entry + recovery test mission.
According to the “Xingyun-1 First High-Altitude Vertical Recovery Flight Test Outline”, the key technical points verified during this test are as follows:
The rocket took off with three engines ignited according to the predetermined procedure. After reaching the predetermined height, the engines on both sides were shut down, and the attitude was stabilized and the ascent was slowed down by relying on the thrust of a single engine. After reaching the highest point, it relied on the thrust adjustment of a single engine to descend smoothly. After moving sideways for about 200 meters, it successfully unlocked, deployed and locked the landing legs at the predetermined height above the recovery site. However, an abnormality occurred during the final landing shutdown phase, resulting in partial damage to the rocket body. The entire flight test lasted 179 seconds. Before shutdown, the error between the rocket body and the theoretical landing point was less than 0.5 meters, and the rocket body finally landed precisely at the center of the recovery site. The flight mission profile of this test was consistent with the predetermined procedure. The entire process of test preparation and implementation was within the scope of the preliminary safety control plan. After the test, post-processing was carried out in accordance with the predetermined emergency response process, and no safety issues occurred throughout the process.
After the test, a preliminary retrospective analysis of the test process data showed that during the final landing shutdown phase, the engine thrust servo followed the control command abnormally, causing the rocket body to land at a height exceeding the design range and partial damage to the rocket body. The Deep Blue Aerospace technical team will complete the mission “zeroing” as soon as possible to lay a solid foundation for the success of subsequent recovery flight tests. Based on the summary of this test and the zeroing of technical faults, Deep Blue Aerospace will perform a high-altitude vertical recovery mission again in November.
This flight test was conducted at the Ejin Banner Spaceport built by Deep Blue Aerospace. The ground equipment, refueling system, and measurement and control system of the test site were all independently developed by Deep Blue Aerospace. The test site is the first fully commercial test site in China that can meet the needs of liquid rocket launches and flight tests. It is located in the heart of the Gobi Desert, adjacent to the Badain Jaran Desert, China’s third largest desert, on the south side. The surrounding area is a vast Gobi Desert uninhabited area, which has inherent safety characteristics. The test area this time points to the uninhabited area in the desert to the south. The test is strictly carried out in accordance with the safety management requirements of rocket tests, and comprehensive risk identification, control, and emergency plans are carried out to ensure the test safety and public safety of this test.
For the first stage of the Nebula-1 orbital rocket, only less than 1/5 of the propellant was added in this test; the precise attitude control of the propellant shallow box in the high-altitude vertical recovery condition was successfully verified. This test used high-precision self-alignment technology based on a dynamic base, as well as takeoff roll-to-launch launch technology, which can meet the full-direction launch requirements without changing the vertical installation state of the rocket. In the future, it can greatly simplify the workload of different flight missions and improve adaptability. This test preliminarily verified the recovery trajectory optimization based on optimal control and the meter-level precision guidance algorithm, and conducted engineering verification for the subsequent orbital entry + recovery optimal control method.
This test is the first time in China that an open-cycle liquid oxygen-kerosene pintle engine has been used to perform a rocket high-altitude recovery test mission. The liquid oxygen-kerosene propellant combination has the characteristics of high comprehensive carrying efficiency, low product cost, safety in use and good maintainability, and is the only choice for liquid recovery rockets for commercial use; but due to the difficulty of kerosene liquid-liquid combustion, smooth thrust regulation and stable combustion have always been the difficulties of kerosene thrust regulation engines. Pintle technology, as the best engineering practice to solve the thrust regulation of kerosene engines, is one of the technical peaks of open-cycle liquid engines. The success of this test is the first time that the Lei Ting-R engine has participated in a flight test. The central engine has carried out thrust regulation throughout the 179s flight. The actual thrust regulation command range is from 110% to 58%, and the thrust regulation accuracy is better than 1%. Under flight conditions, it responds well to step commands with a maximum amplitude of 40%, and the thrust overshoot accuracy is less than 2%.
This test was the first in China to use a landing cushion mechanism (landing legs) developed specifically for orbital-stage rockets for vertical recovery testing. In order to meet the stringent weight requirements of orbital-stage rockets, the mechanism is made of a full carbon fiber structure. In the early stages, single-machine tests of the buffer, single-machine tests of the connection and locking device, a series of deployment and retraction tests of a single leg, and joint deployment and retraction tests of four legs and the rocket body were carried out. Single-machine and system tests. Based on a series of previous tests and improvements, this mechanism is the first landing cushion device product in China to enter engineering applications. At the cost of a weight of no more than 1.2t and less than 10% of the rocket’s empty weight, the first stage of the rocket can land safely and reliably with a total weight of no more than 15 tons, a speed of no more than 3m/s, and an attitude angle of no more than 5° under the condition of carrying the remaining propellant.
In the future, Deep Blue Aerospace will continue to adhere to the serious safety awareness, rigorous and pragmatic scientific attitude, and the pursuit of excellence in innovation, focusing on the fundamental purpose of providing safer, economical, reliable, and high-frequency space transportation services, and accelerate the promotion and realization of the rapid installation of China’s reusable rockets. After accumulating valuable experience this time, Deep Blue Aerospace firmly believes that in the near future, reusable rockets will soar into the sky and help China’s aerospace “increase in volume”.
深蓝航天 Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue AerospaceLandspace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China… As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..
[The first stage of the Deep Blue Aerospace Nebula-1 rocket is scheduled to conduct a high-altitude vertical recovery flight test in August and a 100-kilometer-level VTVL vertical recovery flight test at an appropriate time]
Recently, Deep Blue Aerospace successfully completed the B2 round of financing, fully accelerating the technological innovation of recyclable rockets and the commercialization of the recyclable and reusable rocket Nebula-1 (hereinafter referred to as “Nebula-1”). Wuxi High-tech Zone Investment and Control Group led this round of financing and became a cornerstone investor in multiple rounds, completing and locking in nearly 1 billion yuan in funds, injecting strong development momentum into the research and development and production of Deep Blue Aerospace, and jointly promoting the rapid development of China’s aerospace in the era of great aerospace
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This round of funds will be mainly used to strengthen technology research and development, expand production scale, optimize supply chain management, and accelerate market promotion. It is worth noting that the Deep Blue Aerospace Rocket Intelligent Manufacturing and Assembly Base of more than 20,000 square meters has landed in Wuxi High-tech Zone. With the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal as the background, it will accelerate the expansion of the rocket industry cluster along the canal. The Deep Blue Aerospace Rocket Canal Factory will become a demonstration base for high-end manufacturing and commercial rocket industries in Wuxi High-tech Zone. The
Canal Factory will be mainly used for the mass production of Nebula-1 and Nebula-2 rockets. As a representative of China’s recyclable rockets, the Nebula-1 rocket will significantly reduce launch costs and increase launch frequency, and will be of milestone significance for promoting the sustainable development of China’s commercial aerospace industry. At present, preparations for the first launch of the Nebula-1 rocket are in full swing. The Nebula-2 rocket, which is scheduled to make its maiden flight at the end of 2025, will have a takeoff scale of 1,000 tons and will also be recyclable and reusable. On
July 21, the Nebula-1 rocket completed a series of tests of the first-stage three-machine parallel full-time power system at the Deep Blue Jigang Test Base in Jinan City, simulating the full working conditions of high-altitude recovery flight and a large range of engine variable thrust tests, and achieved complete success. In August, the rocket body will go to the test site to prepare for the upcoming high-altitude vertical recovery flight test of the first stage of the Nebula-1 rocket, and will choose an opportunity to conduct a 100-kilometer-level rocket vertical recovery flight test. Each test of the rocket will accumulate valuable test data for the first flight of the Nebula-1 orbital rocket, ensuring that the Nebula-1 reusable rocket “goes into space without any problems” and that the first flight of the Nebula-1 rocket into orbit and recovery will be completed smoothly by the end of the year. Deep Blue Aerospace will continue to increase its R&D investment in the field of reusable rocket technology, and is committed to exploring more efficient, economical and environmentally friendly space launch solutions to promote the innovative development of China’s commercial space industry. (Deep Blue Aerospace )
深蓝航天 Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue AerospaceLandspace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China… As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..
Recently on the Month of April 2024, Blue Arrow Aerospace successfully completed the engine test run assessment of the largest niobium alloy nozzle in China at the Huzhou Hot Test Center. After the test, the product structure and surface coating were intact. The engine worked for 380 seconds under rated working conditions and high working conditions. The structural reliability, thermal protection reliability, and process reliability of the niobium alloy nozzle passed the assessment! This niobium alloy nozzle has a diameter of about 1.6m and a height of about 1.3m. The size is much larger than the existing domestic products of the same type. It is equipped with the Tianque 15A (TQ-15A) vacuum liquid oxygen methane engine with the highest thrust in China.
The test run of the largest niobium alloy nozzle in China successfully welcomed the flight of the Suzaku rocket
🔷 Recently, Blue Arrow Aerospace successfully completed the engine test run assessment of the largest niobium alloy nozzle in the country at the Huzhou Thermal Test Center. After the test, the product structure and surface coating were intact. The engine worked for 380 seconds under rated working conditions and high working conditions. The structural reliability, thermal protection reliability, and process reliability of the niobium alloy nozzle passed the assessment!
🔷This niobium alloy nozzle has a diameter of about 1.6m and a height of about 1.3m. The size is much larger than the existing domestic products of the same type. It is equipped with the Tianque 15A (TQ-15A), the vacuum liquid oxygen methane engine with the highest thrust in China, with a vacuum thrust of 836kN. , vacuum specific impulse 3320m/s.
🔷The Blue Arrow aerospace engine team has begun to develop a niobium alloy nozzle with a larger area ratio. The outlet diameter will reach 2.5m, which will continue to improve the vacuum specific impulse of the rocket’s secondary main engine.
深蓝航天 Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue AerospaceLandspace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China… As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..
This afternoon on the 19th January 2024, Beijing time, the Landspace – Blue Arrow Aerospace Zhuque 3 VTVL-1 reusable vertical take-off and landing verification rocket conducted its first flight test today at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, People’s Republic of China. The flight lasted about 60 seconds and the flight altitude was about 350 meters.
During 16:00 Beijing Time on January 19th , 2024, the Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 reusable vertical takeoff and landing recovery verification rocket (hereinafter referred to as the “VTVL-1 test rocket”) independently developed by Blue Arrow Aerospace was ignited and launched into space at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in my country. . The flight time of this test was about 60 seconds, the flight height was about 350m, and the landing position accuracy was about 2.4m. The rocket landed smoothly, the landing point was accurate, and it was in good condition. The test mission was a complete success!
China, People’s Republic of China’s first stainless steel rocket – LandSpace Blue Arrow Aerospace’s reusable liquid oxygen methane rocket Zhuque 3!
🔷The Zhuque-3 reusable liquid oxygen methane launch vehicle is the latest product in the Blue Arrow space launch vehicle series. The diameter of the rocket body is 4.5m, the fairing diameter is 5.2m, the total length of the rocket is 76.6m, the take-off mass is about 660t, and the take-off thrust is about 900t.
🔷The power system adopts the Tianque series liquid oxygen methane engines independently developed by Blue Arrow Aerospace. Among them, the first sub-stage is equipped with 9 Tianque 12B (TQ-12B) engines with a sea level thrust of 1000kN; the second sub-stage is equipped with 1 TQ-12B engine with a vacuum thrust of 1183kN. Magpie 15B (TQ-15B) vacuum engine has a vacuum specific impulse of 3500m/s.
🔷Considering that the first stage can be reused, the entire arrow is equipped with 4 sets of retractable grid rudders as aerodynamic control surfaces for attitude adjustment and landing point control of the aerodynamic deceleration section of the first stage; landing legs are installed on the tail to achieve a Vertical landing during sub-stage recovery.
🔷The first sub-stage of Zhuque 3 is designed to be reused no less than 20 times. The low-orbit carrying capacity for one-time missions can reach 21.3t, and the recovery mission in the navigation area is 18.3t. It has the capability of multiple satellites with one arrow and flat-plate stacking satellite group shooting. The capability fully covers the launch needs of most payloads on the market such as LEO, SSO, GTO and other different orbits. After being put into commercial operation, it will greatly improve the networking efficiency of satellite Internet constellations.
🔷The Zhuque-3 rocket is China’s first stainless steel liquid launch vehicle, which can significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of the rocket and shorten the production cycle. Its high temperature resistance has obvious advantages in the rocket’s multiple returns and reuse. In addition, due to the low cost of liquid oxygen methane, the methane engine’s non-carbon deposits, easy maintenance, and full life cycle monitoring properties, the first-stage engine of the Suzaku-3 rocket can be inspected without lowering the arrow after the rocket is recovered, and can be refilled after refueling. flight, achieving true flight operations, and the launch cost can be reduced by 80-90% compared with disposable rockets. (Landspace – Blue Arrow Aerospace)
