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 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.
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.
At 0230 Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 6TH September 2024 , China- People’s Republic of China- CNSA –China National Space Administration Successfully launched Chang Zheng – Long March 6 Yao 11 Carrier Rocket ignited and took off at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center Shanxi Province.. Successfully launch China successfully launched the Geely Constellation 03 satellites Satellite Successfully into its pre-determined orbit…
This mission is the 534th flight of the Long March series of carrier rockets. As the first liquid carrier rocket in China to adopt the “three-level” test and launch mode, the Long March 6 insists on improving and optimizing on the basis of the existing first set of overall transportation and erection systems. This mission uses the newly developed second set of overall transportation and erection systems for the first time. While improving the convenience of operation and environmental adaptability, redundant design and testability design are added to key links to shorten the docking, erection and landing time by 2/3, effectively improving the work efficiency of the launch site.
The third orbital satellite of Geely’s Future Mobility Constellation was successfully launched at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with 10 satellites in one launch. Currently, 30 satellites of Geely’s Future Mobility Constellation are in orbit….
The Long March 6 is a small liquid carrier rocket with a three-stage tandem configuration. The first and second stages use liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, and the third stage uses nitrogen tetroxide/undimethylhydrazine propellants. The rocket is 29.932 meters high, with a first-stage diameter of 3.35 meters, and second and third-stage diameters of 2.25 meters. It can be equipped with 2.6-meter and 2.9-meter diameter fairings. The takeoff mass is about 102 tons, and the takeoff thrust is 122 tons. Its low-Earth orbit (LEO) capacity is greater than 1.5 tons, and the 700-kilometer circular sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) capacity is 1 ton.
The Long March 6 is the first flight model of China’s new generation of Long March carrier rockets. On September 20, 2015, the Long March 6 (Yao-1) carrier rocket successfully completed its maiden flight at the Taiyuan Launch Center, marking the entry of the new generation of Long March carrier rockets into China’s aerospace arena.
The birth of the “Long March 6” is of groundbreaking significance. Its first stage is equipped with a YF-100 liquid oxygen-kerosene engine, and its second stage is equipped with a YF-115 liquid oxygen-kerosene engine. These are the main power configurations of the new generation of “Long March” rockets. The first flight of the “Long March 6” is also the first flight of these engines. At the same time, the “Long March 6” has also created many international firsts. For the first time in the world, the self-generated supercharging technology of the oxygen tank of the high-pressure regenerative liquid oxygen-kerosene engine was proposed, which solved the internal supercharging of the engine oxygen tank; for the first time in the world, the high-power servo mechanism control technology of direct drainage of high-pressure kerosene was proposed, which solved the problem of large center of mass deflection of the engine; for the first time in the world, the 200K (200 degrees Celsius) large temperature difference foam sandwich common bottom tank technology was proposed, which solved the effective insulation and load-bearing of the liquid oxygen-kerosene propellant tank.
This launch mission is the 12th launch mission of the Long March 6 carrier rocket, the 217th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets developed by Shanghai Aerospace, and the 534th launch of China’s Long March series of carrier rockets.
时空道宇科技 Space Time Daoyu Technology – Zhejiang Spacetime Daoyu Technology Co., Ltd. Zhejiang Spacetime Daoyu Technology Co., Ltd. Geely GeeSpace is Located 10th Floor, Building 1, Xinglian Technology Park, No. 1535 Hongmei Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai Ultra Mega City, China, People’s Republic of China. .. Is a technology innovation enterprise strategically invested by Geely. Founded in 2018, it is committed to becoming a global leading AICT infrastructure and application solution provider. SpaceSpace is a technology innovation company under Geely Holding Group. It was founded in 2018 and is committed to becoming a global leading provider of aerospace information and communication infrastructure and application solutions. SpaceSpace is committed to promoting the commercialization and upgrading of China’s satellite industry chain and the commercialization and application of China’s aerospace technology.
SpaceTime Aerospace focuses on constellation business, satellite manufacturing, and satellite application fields, providing highly competitive, safe and reliable products and services. In the field of satellite manufacturing, through self-developed general-purpose satellite platforms of various scales, as well as low-cost, highly reliable satellites and supply chain products, one-stop in-orbit delivery from satellite development to satellite mass production AIT is achieved. In the field of satellite applications, SpaceTime Aerospace provides global medium- and low-speed satellite communication services, satellite-based high-precision positioning services, and satellite remote sensing AI services through future travel constellations and its own ground systems. It deeply integrates aerospace technology with automobile manufacturing, future travel, and artificial intelligence, and cooperates with ecological partners in an open manner to continuously create value for customers and build a new generation of aerospace digital economy.
Through the construction of the future travel constellation, Spacetime Daoyu will create a “future travel” ecosystem with full coverage, combining multi-dimensional carriers such as automobiles and consumer electronics products to empower smart travel, unmanned systems, smart cities and other fields, and create a future travel technology ecosystem.
Host: Mr. Wang, this satellite on the screen is your target, right?
Wang Yang: Yes. What we are doing is to send satellites into space and build a global low-orbit communication constellation. We are currently launching 72 satellites into a 600-kilometer low-altitude orbit. After these 72 satellites are deployed, they can provide satellite network signal coverage anywhere in the world except the North and South Poles.
Host: What is the difference between this low-orbit satellite and an ordinary satellite?
Wang Yang: For example, the live broadcast signals of the current Paris Olympics are generally transmitted via high-orbit satellites. From the surface of the earth, there is a geosynchronous orbit about 36,000 kilometers above the earth, and three high-orbit satellites can cover the entire surface of the earth. However, with the development of technology, we have found that satellites can play a greater role in the low-orbit area of 300 to more than 1,000 kilometers. For example, it may take 240 milliseconds of delay to communicate with a high-orbit satellite, but it only takes 20 milliseconds to communicate with a low-orbit satellite. The overall transmission efficiency and delay of a low-orbit satellite are even better than those of ground optical fibers. At the same time, it can cover places that our ground base stations cannot cover.
Host: Mr. Wang, you just said that three high-orbit satellites can cover the world, so is it necessary for us to build 72 (low-orbit satellites)?
Wang Yang: It is precisely because the cost of high-orbit satellites is too high. We need at least 1 billion RMB to build a high-orbit satellite, and its launch cost is also very expensive. If it is a low-orbit satellite, its price will drop by one or two orders of magnitude, and it is safer. The failure of any satellite will not affect the reliability of the entire communication. The capacity of low-orbit satellites will be larger and the speed will be faster. One of the problems we often encountered before is that the human ground network is so perfect, with optical fiber, base stations, and core networks. The ground network it has established can even provide network signals at the base camp in the Himalayas. But the real situation is that 94% of the world has no signal coverage. In the world, our understanding of the blue planet is still far from enough.
Host: Is it worth it for us to spend money to provide radio signals to places where there are not many people?
Wang Yang: This should be an inevitable trend. Humans will continue to expand the boundaries of space, such as conquering uninhabited areas, and even going beyond the Earth to travel to the stars. With satellites, whether our friends are in the desert, on the island farthest from the mainland, or even traveling in the future, our mobile phones, cars, and aircraft can all be connected to data everywhere.
Host: When will we be able to achieve the goal of launching 72 satellites?
Wang Yang: We should be able to complete the deployment of 72 satellites in about 12 months. (After the deployment of the third-orbit satellite is completed) we will provide commercial services to the world. In fact, we have reached a stage where applications are being put into practice.
Host: (Compared to the long cycle of other future industries) Yours only takes one year?
Wang Yang: Actually not. We have experienced 10 years of continuous entrepreneurship, and most of our team members have accumulated nearly 20 years of experience in the entire aerospace field.
Host: Do you have any longer-term goals?
Wang Yang: In the second phase, we will focus on the establishment of a low-orbit communication constellation of 300 satellites. The low-orbit space is already very crowded, with more than 6,000 Starlink satellites operating at 300 to 500 kilometers, so it is urgent to occupy the frequency and orbit positions in the entire space.
Host: We have the impression that artificial satellite technology is relatively mature. Are there any scientific shortcomings in your field that need to be addressed?
Wang Yang: In fact, aerospace itself is a system engineering, not a theoretical study. For example, the theoretical system of all the aircraft designs we are involved in now was very complete 100 years ago, and the current engineering cycle is just different.
Host: If you want to widen the gap with your peers, do you need to build a moat in certain areas?
Wang Yang: This is indeed necessary. We have established our own moat in the layout of the industrial chain of commercial aerospace and the commercialization of the landing. The landing of large-scale commercial applications has always been a difficulty in the development of commercial aerospace companies. We have taken the lead in achieving breakthroughs in this regard. I brought a self-developed satellite communication chip, which uses the industry-leading 22nm process. This chip is actually used in our current mobile phones. We have launched a constellation of low-orbit communication satellites for satellite communications. How do we use it on the ground and how do we demodulate our signals? We will implant this 4mm chip into existing mobile phones, and use the mobile phone antenna to transmit satellite data.
Host: It sounds like our goals are very ambitious. Can other industries or other supporting facilities keep up? Are they too advanced?
Wang Yang: I think what we are doing now is actually achievable based on China’s entire industrial foundation. Our team used to have many people from the national team, as well as some experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At the beginning of the business, we repeatedly reminded ourselves that the probability of scientists dying in entrepreneurship is extremely high, and it may even be a disaster to some extent. Therefore, when we consider the entire business rhythm, it must be consistent with the underlying logic of commercialization.
Back to the information and communication industry, it is actually very clear. Since the beginning of 2000, the 3G era has come, and at that time we had mobile Internet. In the last decade, the 4G era came, and we have the current digital economy era. So what is this decade? We see China’s 5G and the United States’ Starlink. The information and communication industry will definitely be able to achieve full coverage from 5G to 6G, meeting all our human travel requirements from the surface to low altitude and then to space. Of course, I think 8G should be the era of interstellar immigration. We will have network signals all the way from here to Mars, and it will become a reality.
Moderator: Capital participation requires a valuation and calculation. Can you give us a calculation for the field you are engaged in? How much money do you think it will cost based on the future development potential and the technology we have invested in?
Wang Yang: We have invested billions in research and development in the past six years. In our industry, whether it is a rocket company, a satellite company, or now a more advanced constellation networking company, its valuation will definitely exceed 10 billion.
Host: Regarding policies, what kind of policy soil is needed to plan for future industries?
Wang Yang: Considering the characteristics of low-orbit communication constellations in commercial aerospace, I think we should encourage the globalization of China’s commercial aerospace in the foreign trade sector, that is, the “going global” of the entire technology products and services. We look forward to the introduction of some national standards in this regard. We used to study some Western industry-university-research behaviors. In China’s system, from districts, cities, provinces to the country, the entire industrial policy support and innovation encouragement for each industry are very complete, but in fact, the real technology will eventually fall on commercial realization. This should be the government holding the baton, and then through the market economy, that is, the role of leading enterprises, to drive the innovation of engineering and original technology. This is actually a logical cycle. If we only mention one end, this matter will definitely be biased.
Host: What will our lives be like when this field develops to a mature stage?
Wang Yang: Let me make a creative summary. I believe that humans will always have the need to communicate with the outside world in the social system, so the implementation of all technologies and engineering around human communication will continue to develop iteratively. Like what we are doing in aerospace now, no matter where humans are now or where humans will explore in the future, we will ensure that there is network connection and communication methods. This is my wish.
