Chinese Space Capabilities

[shuttler]

---

---

Given the fact that those pieces are pretty regularly shaped, I don’t think they are ice. They look like all rectangular of same or similar size.

They might be some protective/insulating coatings blown off when the rocket sped up.

I think so too (#113)!

Liquid propellant has a temperature of lower than -200 deg celsius. The environment is arround +20 to 30 deg. So insulating panels are needed.

If a freezer needs insulation, I cant see why liquid propellant rockets dont need extra insulation.

[no_name]

Could be, I guess discarding these during launch is preferred over having ice falling off the rocket. Also lowers chance of malfunction.

[Martian2]

State media: China to launch manned spacecraft this month - CNN.com

"State media: China to launch manned spacecraft this month
By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 7:26 AM EDT, Sat June 9, 2012


A visitor looks at a spacesuit used by Chinese astronauts at the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in Shanghai on January 4, 2012.

(CNN) -- China plans to launch a manned spacecraft this month to dock with a space lab that has been orbiting the Earth since September, state media reported Saturday.

The Shenzhou-9 was moved to a launch platform Saturday to allow scientists to conduct tests before the mid-June flight, Xinhua news agency reported.

This will be China's first crew expedition involving manual docking. If all goes as planned, it will be the third nation, next to the U.S. and Russia, to dock capsules in space.

"It demonstrates China's continued commitment to becoming a first-class space power with an independent space capability," Taylor Fravel, associate professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said this year when China announced its plans.

'This is very exclusive club.'"

[oct605032048]

Shenzhou-9 is gonna take off on June 16 with China's first female astronaut.

[shuttler]

China to launch spacecraft in mid-June for manned space docking
English.news.cn 2012-06-09 12:23:27

JIUQUAN, Gansu, June 9 (Xinhua) -- China will launch its Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft sometime in mid-June to perform the country's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab module, a spokesperson said here Saturday.

The spacecraft and its carrier rocket, the Long March-2F, were moved to the launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Saturday, a spokesperson with the country's manned space program said.

"The Shenzhou-9 will perform our country's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab module," Zhou Jianping, chief designer of the manned space program, said as he accompanied the spacecraft to the launch platform,

"It means China's spacecraft will become a genuine manned shuttle tool between space and Earth. It can send human beings to space stations or space labs. This will be a significant step in China's manned space flight history," Zhou said.

In the next few days, scientists will conduct functional tests on the spacecraft and the rocket, as well as joint tests on selected astronauts, spacecraft, rocket and ground systems, according to the spokesperson.

The manned spacecraft Shenzhou-9 and its carrier rocket were delivered to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in early April this year.

The Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace-1, was lowered to docking orbit in early June and is orbiting normally, the spokesperson said.

The final preparations are running smoothly, and the selected astronauts have completed their training and are in sound physical and mental conditions, according to the spokesperson.

Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of the country's manned space program, said in March that the three-person crew on Shenzhou-9 might include female astronauts, but the final selection would be decided "on the very last condition."

The space docking mission will be manually conducted by astronauts, giving China another chance to test its docking technology, the program's spokesperson said in February.

One of the three Shenzhou-9 crew members will not board the Tiangong-1 space module lab, but will remain inside the spacecraft as a precautionary measure in case of emergency, the spokesperson said in February.

The target module Tiangong-1, which blasted off on Sept. 29, 2011, went into long-term operation in space awaiting the docking attempts of the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 after completing China's first space docking mission with the unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft in early November.


China to launch spacecraft in mid-June for manned space docking - Xinhua | English.news.cn

[Martian2]

For 2012 rocket launches, China and Russia are tied for first place. USA is in third place.


China has nine successful rocket launches thus far in 2012. Same number for Russia. U.S. has five launches. Europe has three.


A more detailed list of 2012 rocket launches with dates.

Reference: Space Launch Report 2012 Launch Stats

[kkacer]

very good news. China gogogo

[qwerrty]

Electric propulsion development activities in China are currently being carried out at a fast rate for future application on new generations of Telecommunication and Scientific satellites. Much attention was paid to: a) Hall Effect thrusters; b) Ion thrusters; c) Arcjets; d) Resistojets; e) Pulsed plasma thrusters; f) Microwave Plasma thrusters.....

The Development Course of Hall Electric Propulsion in SISP

Since 1998 SISP has begun to develop Hall Electric Propulsion and is regarded as an organization, which firstly investigated Hall Electric Propulsion under financial support of National Hi-Tech Space Program in China. The main works are following:
• Before 2000 SISP concentrated on preparing work conditions - as a base for consequent development and experiment of thruster prototype, such like installation of vacuum chambers for electric thruster characteristic experiment and hollow cathode characteristic test respectively, mini-thrust measurement equipment, plasma diagnostic instrument and etc.
• In 2001 SISP successfully developed Hall thruster prototype and systematically tested the main characteristics of prototype, carried out studies like optimization of thruster characteristics, development of engineering model and requirement definition of power processing unit (PPU), accumulated necessary knowledge and experience for future engineering model and PPU development.
• From 2002 to 2003, SISP developed the engineering model of 40mN Hall thruster, fulfilled the development of PPU and accomplished the integrated test of thruster and PPU.
• In 2004, SISP accomplished long durability assessment test for Hall thruster, thruster accumulated working for 550 hours under vacuum conditions.
• From 2005 to 2007，SISP accomplished development of relative modules for Xe propellant storage and supply unit, developed Hall electric propulsion demonstration system prototype, and realized integrated experiment for whole Hall electric propulsion 2system.
• In 2008，SISP began to carry out technical assessment and systematical design of Hall electric propulsion system on technical test satellite.

*ttp://erps.spacegrant.org/uploads/images/images/iepc_articledownload_1988-2007/2001index/7_1.pdf
*ttp://erps.spacegrant.org/uploads/images/images/iepc_articledownload_1988-2007/2009index/IEPC-2009-054.pdf

[sweetgrape]

Domestic maximum thrust of the Long March V rocket engines received acceptance
Domestic maximum thrust of the Long March V rocket engines received acceptance « Military of China, force comment.

developed by the CASC one hospital, six homes LOX/kerosene engine

Huashang – China Daily News (Reporter Wang Weiping) recently production from six hospitals in the China Aerospace 120-tonne liquid oxygen-kerosene engine “through the site of the National Defense Science and Industry Council acceptance. The big thrust engine will be the Chinese manned spaceflight, lunar exploration, the space laboratory as well as the implementation of the main driving force of deep space exploration missions and other projects.

The rocket engine thrust maximum

According to reports, China had launched the Shenzhou series of carrier rockets, the main engine thrust are 75 tons, with China the development of the aerospace industry, this thrust of the engine can not meet the demand for more far-reaching space exploration. 120-ton liquid oxygen-kerosene engine is the month engineering, aerospace six homes for the above-mentioned current situation, developed for the new generation carrier rocket series, non-toxic, non-polluting, high-performance, highly reliable power plant, the future exploration of space experiments room and even deep space exploration missions and other necessary power base, is currently China’s largest thrust rocket engine.

the engine developed to fill the blank in China staged combustion cycle engine technology, mastered the core technology, China has become the second country to master the high-pressure staged combustion cycle liquid oxygen kerosene engine technology after Russia, to achieve a open cycle liquid from the conventional toxic propellant propulsion technology, a huge leap in technology to the green non-toxic propellant closed cycle liquid propulsion. The future, it will replace the current conventionally-powered engine.

is a milestone in the history of China Aerospace Power

May 27 to 28 days, Huya Feng, Deputy Secretary of Defense Science and Industry Bureau led to six hospitals in the aerospace The organization conducted a 120-ton liquid oxygen-kerosene engine developed to project acceptance. From the National Defense Science and Industry Bureau, the Provincial National Defense Industry, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and its affiliated research institutes, and the Harbin Institute of Technology, Beihang University, NPU units, experts, reached unanimously by the acceptance of a final view.

the engine in September 2000 through the national project of development and technical support conditions, in October 2001 transferred to the beginning of the development phase into the sample stage in December 2005. As of September 2011, three engine acceptance and success as a symbol, the hospital had developed the dozens of 120-ton liquid oxygen kerosene engine, the cumulative test to more than 32,000 seconds, the stability of the state of the sample technology, to achieve the development goals approved by the state .

Huya Feng, deputy director of 120-ton liquid oxygen kerosene engine development success is a milestone in the development process of China’s space power.

It is understood that China’s new generation carrier rocket, Long March V “developed in Tianjin on the end of successful completion of the booster large-scale separation test, which marks the China” rocket “prototype development phase is the most important one of the large ground-based experiment was a complete success. The 120-ton liquid oxygen kerosene engine “is the” big “the main thrust of the rocket engine.

, however, soon will be China’s first manned space space rendezvous and docking, “divine nine” mission to launch the main thrust of the engine remains at 75 tons.

related reports:

Photo: Chinese Long March 3B rocket engine tail vents up to 8

new generation of large carrying Rocket Engine Test

120-ton rocket engine test the success of the first 600 seconds

new 120 tons of liquid oxygen kerosene rocket engine test successful

China generation of large launch vehicle engine thrust of 120 tons

[Nan Yang]

This is a good website to track any orbital launch. It gives breakdown by launches and by rocket type, by year etc.

Orbital Launches of 2012

2012 Launches to date.

[Martian2]

Video of Shenzhou IX liftoff at BBC News

Link (click "right arrow" on left edge of first picture): BBC News - China launches space mission with first woman astronaut

----------

[Martian2]

Shenzhou IX was tracked all the way into space past the fairing separation

China tracked the launch all the way into space and past the fairing separation in the full video. I was impressed! This has implications for China's ability to track an ICBM.

Full video link: VIDEO: China launches Shenzhou-9 spacecraft - People's Daily Online


[Note: Thank you to Charles Koon for the full video link at People's Daily Online. Thank you to ChineseTiger1986 for being the first to mention the military dimension and ICBM implication.]

[Martian2]

Shenzhou IX launch, escape-tower ejection, and boosters jettison


Shenzhou IX launch

----------

I've never seen video shots of the removal of the escape tower before. I do like the video coverage that CNTV provided.


Escape-Tower jettisoned.


Boosters jettisoned.

[Note: Thank you to Canadian Icehole for the post.]

[shuttler]

Shenzhou IX was tracked all the way into space past the fairing separation

China tracked the launch all the way into space and past the fairing separation in the full video. I was impressed! This has implications for China's ability to track an ICBM.

Full video link: VIDEO: China launches Shenzhou-9 spacecraft - People's Daily Online


[Note: Thank you to Charles Koon for the full video link at People's Daily Online. Thank you to ChineseTiger1986 for being the first to mention the military dimension and ICBM implication.]

All great vids Martian2 and all the other guys involved. It is impressive indeed! Also inside of the cabin of the return module, everything remains so calm despite the immense speed that Shenzhou 9 is thrusting forward!

[oct605032048]

---

---

How to build a rocket in a nutshell.

http://news.cntv.cn/china/20120617/103380.shtml