China Outer Space Science, Technology and Explorations: News & Updates

[JSCh]

科技日报​

24分钟前 来自 微博 weibo.com​

【重型火箭之基！我国500吨级火箭发动机全工况半系统试车成功】记者从中国航天科技集团六院获悉，该院研制的500吨级液氧煤油火箭发动机，于3月5日取得全工况半系统试车的圆满成功。这标志着我国500吨级重型运载火箭发动机关键技术攻关取得重要突破，为后续重型运载火箭工程研制打下坚实基础。​

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据介绍，此次试验是该型发动机除推力装置之外，组件配套完整的系统试车，也是该型发动机首次全工况试车。试车启动、转级、变工况与关机过程工作平稳，验证了发动机设计、制造和试验方案，为下一步进行发动机整机试车等研制工作奠定了基础。​

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该发动机是目前世界上推力最大的双管推力室发动机，采用全数字化设计与管理，相比120吨级液氧煤油高压补燃发动机，推力增大了3倍，比冲提高了3%，推质比提高了25%，发动机综合性能指标达到世界先进水平。（张平 科技日报记者 付毅飞）​

Science and Technology Daily
24 minutes ago from Weibo

[The foundation of a heavy rocket! China's 500-ton rocket engine successful cold test run]

The reporter learned from the Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation that the 500-ton liquid oxygen kerosene rocket engine developed by the Academy has achieved on March 5 a successful cold test run. This marks an important breakthrough in the key technology of China's 500-ton heavy-duty launch vehicle engine, laying a solid foundation for the engineering development of subsequent heavy-duty launch vehicle.

According to reports, this test is a complete system test run of the engine except the thrust component. It is also the first full-condition cold test run of this type of engine. The start-up, shifting, changing conditions and shutdown process of the test run worked smoothly, which verified the engine design, manufacturing and test plans, and laid the foundation for the next step of the engine test run and other development work.

This engine is currently the world’s most powerful dual combustion chamber, dual-nozzle engine developed with fully digital design and management. Compared to the current 120-ton liquid oxygen kerosene high pressure staged combustion engine, the thrust has been increased by 3 times, the specific impulse has increased by 3%, the thrust to weight ratio has increased by 25%, and the engine's comprehensive performance indicators have reached the world advanced level. . (Zhang Ping Science and Technology Daily reporter Fu Yifei)

 

[JSCh]

China航天 ​

今天 12:35​

装载着长征七号甲遥2运载火箭的远望22号运输船今早抵达文昌清澜港。随后，由海南文昌航天发射场通过公路运输方式将长征七号甲火箭分段运送至发射场区，按计划进行发射前各项测试准备工作。 长征七号甲遥2运载火箭计划3月份发射新技术验证六号02星！​

图源:@64核处理器​

China Aerospace
Today at 12:35

The transport ship Yuanwang 22 with the Long March 7AY2 carrier rocket arrived at Wenchang Qinglan Port this morning. Subsequently, the Long March 7A rocket was transported to the Wenchang Space Launch Site in sections by road transportation, and various pre-launch test preparations will be carried out as planned. The Long March 7AY2 launch vehicle is scheduled to launch XJY-06-02 satellites in March!

photo source: @64 core processor

View attachment 709587
View attachment 709589​

LM-7A roll out to launch pad today. Launch date is 12th March.

 

[Beast]

LM-7A launch even earlier than LM-5B?

 

[JSCh]

LM-7A launch even earlier than LM-5B?

The maiden flight of LM-7A failed last March. This is a replacement flight to launch "New technology verification"-6 satellite.

I think you are confusing it with the LM-7 that send the cargo to the new space station?

From Amaury67 via 9ifly.spacety.com,

 

[JSCh]

FAST Captures Distant Fast Radio Bursts from the Youth of Universe
Editor: LI Yuan | Mar 05, 2021

Fast radio burst (FRB) is a kind of mysterious radio flashes lasting only a few thousandths of a second. Confirmed to be the cosmological origin in 2016, FRB has the potential to provide insights into a wide range of astrophysical problems.

Dr. NIU Chenhui from the team led by Dr. LI Di and Dr. ZHU Weiwei from National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered three new FRBs with high dispersion measure from the massive data of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST).

Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on March 3.

The discovery indicated that these three FRBs happened billions of years ago when the Universe was still in its youth.

The newly discovered FRBs, along with the first FRB detected by FAST last year, suggest that there could be as many as 120,000 detectable FRBs arriving on Earth every day.

"We are catching up in terms of data processing and expecting more discoveries from FAST, the most sensitive radio telescope in the world," said Dr. NIU Chenhui, the first author of the paper.
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Fig. 1 Three new FRBs (Image by NIU Chenhui et al.)
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Comparing FRB samples from the Parkes telescope and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope, researchers from Australia revealed the relation between the fluence (integrated flux) and the dispersion measure of FRBs. The new discovery helps extend such relation and cover some previously less explored parameter space.

"Combined with simulations, FAST could detect FRBs with redshift larger than 3, i.e., more than 10 billion years old," said Dr. NIU.

The distribution of the dispersion measures of these FRBs was sensitive to the shape of the intrinsic brightness distribution of these cosmic events. "More discoveries from FAST will thus help reveal the yet unknown origin of FRBs," said Dr. LI Di, the corresponding author of the study and the chief scientist of FAST.
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Fig. 2 The FRB samples from FAST all locate in a previously empty region (red ellipse) in the brightness (vertical) -cosmic ages (horizontal) space. (Image by NIU Chenhui et al.)​

 

[JSCh]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369304468051783680

People's Daily, China @PDChina
China state-affiliated media

#China and #Russia on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on jointly building an international scientific research station on the #moon, said China National Space Administration (CNSA).


11:10 PM · Mar 9, 2021

 

[JSCh]

China航天​

3月12日 18:14​

【星河动力“谷神星一号固体运载火箭智能制造基地”一期即将交付使用】据星河动力空间科技今日消息：目前，位于成都市简阳市的星河动力“谷神星一号固体运载火箭智能制造基地”已完成一期初步建设，将于今年5月份交付使用。该基地未来全面建成后将满足星河动力固体火箭年产24发产能需求。“谷神星一号（遥二、遥三）”也将在该基地完成装配，预计分别在今年9月、11月完成发射任务。​

China Aerospace
March 12 at 18:14

[The first phase of "Ceres One Solid Propellant Launch Vehicle Intelligent Manufacturing Base" will be delivered soon]

According to today’s news from Galactic Energy: At present, Galactic Energy’s "Ceres One Solid Propellant Launch Vehicle Intelligent Manufacturing Base" in Jianyang City, Chengdu has completed first phase construction, and will be delivered in May this year. After the base is fully completed in the future, it will meet the annual production capacity of 24 units of Galactic Energy rockets. Ceres 1 (Y2 and Y3) would be assembled at the base, and their launch mission is expected to be completed in September and November this year.

 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

The Indo impersonator troll (from the Norse) keeps reposting the same crap everywhere.

Here the debunking:

Original image from WEIBO with erroneous legend for Chang'e-7 lander, orbiter and rover:

Corrected image, with green color:

https://archive.is/zjfmx/64ae3fb537d298591fad53ce54d41807286b64d1.jpg ; https://archive.is/zjfmx/93f59e2de237e2946626c61ae0cfdf1c4e763332/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210313233526/https://i.imgur.com/A6EfLyk.jpg
▲ 2. Erroneous legend for Chang'e-7 lander, orbiter and rover corrected!

Additional proof:

https://archive.ph/27dOF/d52192d1e0e8fe7d0f55ceccbbb26fb1ca2daf3b.jpg ; https://archive.ph/27dOF/c3a1a7c393a51acb25098ccdc3aaf76338552891/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210313233554/https://i.imgur.com/T0604P7.jpg
▲ 3. Chang'e 7 image from different source with correct legend.

Beware of false flaggers!

 

[Beast]

The Indo impersonator troll (from the Norse) keeps reposting the same crap everywhere.

Here the debunking:

Original image from WEIBO with erroneous legend for Chang'e-7 lander, orbiter and rover:

Corrected image, with green color:

https://archive.is/zjfmx/64ae3fb537d298591fad53ce54d41807286b64d1.jpg ; https://archive.is/zjfmx/93f59e2de237e2946626c61ae0cfdf1c4e763332/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210313233526/https://i.imgur.com/A6EfLyk.jpg
▲ 2. Erroneous legend for Chang'e-7 lander, orbiter and rover corrected!

Additional proof:

https://archive.ph/27dOF/d52192d1e0e8fe7d0f55ceccbbb26fb1ca2daf3b.jpg ; https://archive.ph/27dOF/c3a1a7c393a51acb25098ccdc3aaf76338552891/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210313233554/https://i.imgur.com/T0604P7.jpg
▲ 3. Chang'e 7 image from different source with correct legend.

Beware of false flaggers!

What will the hopper do?

 

[JSCh]

China plans to build research station on moon's south pole: chief designer
Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-14 14:55:10|Editor: huaxia

BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China has completed feasibility studies of the fourth phase of its lunar exploration program and is expected to build an international lunar research station on the moon's south pole in the future, said Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.

In an interview with China Space News, Wu said that three missions are planned for the fourth phase of the lunar exploration program. The program includes the retrieval of lunar samples from the south pole by Chang'e-6, a detailed survey of the moon's south pole resources by Chang'e-7, and the testing of key technologies in preparation for the construction of the lunar research station by Chang'e-8.

Wu explained that there may be a polar day and night on the moon's south pole, like Earth's north and south poles. The moon's rotation period is equal to its revolution period, both of which are 28 days. Therefore, there may be more than 180 consecutive days of light on the moon's south pole, which would be highly convenient for astronauts carrying out scientific research.

On Tuesday, China and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to build an international scientific research station on the moon.

Wu said that within the MOU framework, China and Russia would use their experience in space science, research and development, and their space equipment and technology. The two countries will jointly formulate a roadmap for the construction of an international lunar research station, carrying out close cooperation in the planning, demonstration, design, development, implementation and operation of the project, Wu noted.

"If the lunar research station project can be successfully implemented, China will not be far away from achieving manned landing on the moon," said Wu. He added that Chinese scientists and engineers are studying how to land on the moon.

According to Wu, China will consider landing on the south pole of the moon in the future, which is more complex but the environmental conditions are better. Once the landing is successful, construction of the lunar research station can be carried out gradually.

It will be a long-term lunar stay for Chinese astronauts, not short-term, said Wu.

He noted that in order to achieve a manned landing on the moon, it is necessary to ensure that the probe and astronauts can land safely and accurately.

In the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China will continue to promote the development of heavy launch vehicles and achieve breakthroughs in rocket body sizes and engine thrust to support deep space exploration, said Wu.

 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

What will the hopper do?

This is the equivalent of the Mars Helicoptere, the first ever flight performed on any other planet, with a Burmese-made powered flying rotary wing vehicle!

Of course, there is no atmosphere on the Moon. Therefore winged space shuttles are replaced by Vertical Landing STARSHIP rockets, and the rotary wing helicopters by rocket powered hoppers.

This means Chang'e-7 hopper will perform the same task: to explore the lunar environment around the lunar lander but using only rocket thrusters instead. Again, a world first by China!

Small lunar lander/hopper performance analysis

A hopper is a vehicle that has both landing and surface mobility capabilities on a single platform. Unlike rovers, which traverse the lunar surface while in contact with the ground, hopping reuses the landing propulsion system to lift back off again and hop over the lunar terrain. Hopping, as a form of surface mobility, is a novel concept. As such, analysis must be performed to assess how it would fit with an overall lunar landing system architecture. Two trajectory categories are investigated to perform this assessment: the ballistic hop, where the vehicle launches itself into a ballistic trajectory toward the destination, and the hover hop, in which the vehicle ascends and maintains a constant altitude as it travels toward its desired location. Initially, parametric studies of the ballistic and hover hop are carried out in order to make observations about the performance of each hop. Using this data, it is possible to investigate the fuel-optimal hop trajectory. The delta-V costs for the ballistic and hover hops are compared for hop distances between 500 meters and 5000 meters, and in this range it is found that the ballistic hop and hover traverse have comparable delta-V costs. For the entire hop maneuver, however, the hover hop will always be the more delta-V expensive option due to the ascent and descent phases. Nevertheless, this does not rule out the hover hop as a feasible option due to its operational advantages over the ballistic hop.

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5446728

 

[Daniel808]

LM-7A roll out to launch pad today. Launch date is 12th March.

View attachment 722858​

6.8 Tonnes, what a badass satellite

Another day another launch from China, launching Trio Maritime Surveillance Satellite

 

[JSCh]

China building world's largest refracting telescope in Tibet
Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 15:37:42|Editor: huaxia

LHASA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists are working to set up the world's largest refracting telescope in Tibet Autonomous Region for observing stars and planets.

Construction for the optical telescope, with a 1-meter aperture, has already started in the regional capital of Lhasa, said Wang Junjie, deputy director of the regional department of science and technology.

With its high altitude and clear sky, Tibet is said to be one of the world's best spots to observe celestial bodies.

A refracting telescope is an instrument that uses a combination of lenses to produce images of distant objects in space that would not be visible with the human eye.

Scientists will use the refractor to carry out sky surveys, including monitoring near-Earth asteroids, Wang added.

Led by the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the telescope project also involves astronomical science popularization. Scientists can use the internet to display images, videos and interactive features from the unique perspective of the large telescope.

The 1-meter refractor will be mounted on a planned regional planetarium, which is likely to start construction this year and emerge as the world's highest astronomical observatory upon completion, according to Wang.

 

[JSCh]

China to freely share data from weather, carbon satellites: official
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-25 03:51:51|Editor: Yang Yi

People attend the China Day event during the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) week 2017 in Washington D.C., the United States, on Oct. 24, 2017. China will freely share data from its new-generation weather satellite Fengyun-4 as well as its first carbon monitoring satellite TanSat with international users, Yang Jun, Director General of the National Satellite Meteorological Center, part of the China Meteorological Administration, said here Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- China will freely share data from its new-generation weather satellite Fengyun-4 as well as its first carbon monitoring satellite TanSat with international users, a Chinese official said here Tuesday.

Yang Jun, director general of the National Satellite Meteorological Center, part of the China Meteorological Administration, made the remarks at the China Day event during the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) week 2017 in Washington, D.C.

"These two satellites represent the latest outcomes of scientific and technological innovation in China, and also the contribution made by China to global meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change response and economic-social development," Yang said.

"In the future, we will continue to provide more and better satellite observational products for users worldwide," he said.

FengYun-4, launched last December, was the first of China's second-generation weather satellites in geostationary orbit and also the country's first quantitative remote-sensing satellite in high orbit.

Yang said the testing of FengYun-4 platform and payloads has been completed recently, showing that the satellite is stable in operation with good performance.

"The China Meteorological Administration is in the process of testing FengYun-4's various products including cloud, atmosphere and surface conditions," he continued.

"FengYun-4 is scheduled to be put into use in early 2018, with its data and products being freely available to international users," he said.

TanSat, also launched last December, was China's first satellite to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, which Yang said was "of great importance to a full understanding of the global carbon cycle process and its impact on global climate change."

The Chinese official said that the satellite's in-orbit test has also been completed and that all performance indicators met the design requirements, with the precision of carbon concentration monitoring being below four ppm (parts per million).

"We have developed a carbon satellite data sharing policy, and level 1A, 1B, 2 and 3 data will be open to users worldwide freely," he said, referring to data that have been processed and relevant products.

Yang added that data and products from TanSat will be released through Fengyun satellite data center website and national integrated Earth observation data sharing platform in quasi real-time.

"We have a key carbon initiative and we would love to see China more engaged in that," Barbara Ryan, secretariat director of GEO, an intergovernmental organization, told reporters at the event.

"I think your satellite is going to be a key contribution, and particularly with your broad open data polices that will help enormously, really give us better estimates of how the Earth climate is changing," Ryan said.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1372162299826438147

 

[JSCh]

空天逐梦V​

43分钟前 来自 HUAWEI P30 Pro​

火箭院所属的首都航天机械有限公司成功研制出重型氢氧发动机喷管，代表着火箭院大尺寸不锈钢部件的扩散钎焊技术能力达到世界先进水平。喷管分为上、下两段，上段最大直径1.8米，下段最大直径2.5米，壁厚最薄处仅1毫米。该喷管的成功研制，为我国大直径重型运载火箭的研制奠定了坚实的基础。​

Dreaming in the Sky V
43 minutes ago from HUAWEI P30 Pro

Capital Aerospace Machinery Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CALT, has successfully developed a nozzle for heavy-duty hydrogen-oxygen engine. This signify that CALT technological capability of diffusion brazing of large-size stainless steel parts has reached the world's advanced level. The nozzle is divided into upper and lower sections, the maximum diameter of the upper section is 1.8 meters, the maximum diameter of the lower section is 2.5 meters, and the wall thickness is only 1 mm at the thinnest part. The successful development of this nozzle has laid a solid foundation for the development of large-diameter and heavy-duty launch vehicles in China.