China Space Military：Recon, Satcom, Navi, ASAT/BMD, Orbital Vehicle, SLV, etc.

[akinkhoo]

Does anyone know about the new heavy rocket with 130t of LEO payload?

there is no heavy lift that can handle 130t other than the ones NASA is planning. the only thing that come close is the Soviet Vulcan concept, for comparison, the Vulcan has 8 booster each with twice the thrust output of the engine used on the CZ5 which has only 4 booster, even if China surprise us with a 6 or 8 booster design, we will at best see 60 ton.

besides, most designer now agree that a modular design is better, even the CEV will be modular, China's plan is to launch them in number... 20 or 30 a year... that is about 400 to 900 tons depending on configuration and launch rate. the mass production make the program more sustainable as well as easier to scale up or down. China is uncertain and still uncommited to the space program, it invest only with exit strategies...

 

[applesauce]

there is no heavy lift that can handle 130t other than the ones NASA is planning. the only thing that come close is the Soviet Vulcan concept, for comparison, the Vulcan has 8 booster each with twice the thrust output of the engine used on the CZ5 which has only 4 booster, even if China surprise us with a 6 or 8 booster design, we will at best see 60 ton.

besides, most designer now agree that a modular design is better, even the CEV will be modular, China's plan is to launch them in number... 20 or 30 a year... that is about 400 to 900 tons depending on configuration and launch rate. the mass production make the program more sustainable as well as easier to scale up or down. China is uncertain and still uncommited to the space program, it invest only with exit strategies...

they say they are starting work on the 130 ton capacity rocket, starting work could mean they plan for this thing to be done 50 years down the line.

also i think the Saturn V could lift something like 130 short tons and the plans still exist on microfilm

 

[teddy]

The NASA 120ton heavy lift program had already caneled at 2010. the only existing similar program is chinese 130 ton space lift program.

there is no heavy lift that can handle 130t other than the ones NASA is planning. the only thing that come close is the Soviet Vulcan concept, for comparison, the Vulcan has 8 booster each with twice the thrust output of the engine used on the CZ5 which has only 4 booster, even if China surprise us with a 6 or 8 booster design, we will at best see 60 ton.

besides, most designer now agree that a modular design is better, even the CEV will be modular, China's plan is to launch them in number... 20 or 30 a year... that is about 400 to 900 tons depending on configuration and launch rate. the mass production make the program more sustainable as well as easier to scale up or down. China is uncertain and still uncommited to the space program, it invest only with exit strategies...

 

[mil-avia]

Eleven types of rockets :

 

[Brotherhood]

Countdown starts for China's space station in 2020 - People's Daily Online April 26, 2011

Authorities in charge of the manned space program unveiled plans on Monday to build a 60-ton space station, made up of three capsules, and develop a cargo spaceship to transport supplies.

The China Manned Space Engineering Office said at a news conference that it also wants the public to get involved by suggesting names for the space station, due to completed around 2020.

According to documents provided by the office, the space station, weighing about 60 tons, is composed of a core module and two others where experiments will be conducted.

A cargo spaceship to transport supplies will also be developed.

The 18.1-meter-long core module, with a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters and a launch weight of 20 to 22 tons, will be launched first.

The two experiment modules will then blast off to dock with the core module. Each laboratory module is 14.4 meters long, with the same maximum diameter and launch weight of the core module.

"The 60-ton space station is rather small compared to the International Space Station (419 tons), and Russia's Mir Space Station (137 tons) which served between 1996 and 2001," said Pang Zhihao, a researcher and deputy editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine, Space International.

"But it is the world's third multi-module space station, which usually demands much more complicated technology than a single-module space lab," he said.

The office also said that China will develop a cargo spaceship, with a maximum diameter of 3.35 meters and a launch weight less than 13 tons, to transport supplies and lab facilities to the space station.

Pang said it is the first time that the office confirmed plans to build a cargo spaceship, which is vital for long-term space missions.

The public is being asked to submit suggestions for names and symbols to adorn the space station.

"Considering past achievements and the bright future, we feel that the manned space program should have a more vivid symbol and that the future space station should carry a resounding and encouraging name," Wang Wenbao, director of the office, said at the news conference.

China previously named the space lab "Tiangong" meaning heavenly palace, and the spacecraft to transport astronauts was named "Shenzhou", divine vessel. Its moon probes were named after the country's mythical Moon Goddess "Chang'e". But the names were selected without public input.

"We now feel that the public should be involved in the names and symbols as this major project will enhance national prestige, and strengthen the national sense of cohesion and pride," Wang said.

The public is welcomed to submit suggestions for the space station and its three modules, as well as symbols for the China Manned Space Engineering Program and the space station.

Suggestions should be submitted between Monday and July 25 via websites including ????????? or e-mailed to kongjianzhan@vip.qq.com. The result will be decided before the end of September.

Suggested names for the cargo spaceship, however, should be submitted far earlier - between Monday and May 20. The result will be announced before the end of June, Wang said.

According to Zhou Jianping, chief designer of the manned space program, the different deadlines are "due to time schedules for various projects", which indicated that the cargo spaceship project could soon begin development.

China is now in the second phase of its manned space program.

According to the schedule, a space module Tiangong-1 and the Shenzhou VIII spacecraft will be launched in the latter half of this year in the first unmanned rendezvous and docking mission. Shenzhou IX and Shenzhou X will be launched next year to dock with Tiangong-1.

But problems in ensuring long-term missions for astronauts need to be overcome.

Wang Zhaoyao, spokesman for the program, said that developing technology needed to guarantee mid-term missions in space (a stay of at least 20 days), and developing cargo supply technology will be among the tasks to be met during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period.

The manned space program will lay the foundation for possible missions in future, such as sending men to the moon, according to the office's documents.

Source: China Daily

 

[no_name]

space is a luxury in...err...Space...

 

[Mr.Ryu]

Then finally china too will joins space tourism


we too will come soon but you see all this democratic process takes time but steadily will join

 

[Brotherhood]

Chinese women could be in space by 2012 - People's Daily Online April 30, 2011

China’s female astronauts could fly into space as soon as the latter half of next year, said a senior official in charge of the manned space program on Friday.

According to the program schedule, a space module Tiangong-1 and the Shenzhou VIII spacecraft will be launched in the latter half of this year in the first unmanned rendezvous and docking mission.

Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Engineering Office and also China’s first astronaut in space, said that next year China will launch two spacecraft to further improve China’s rendezvous and docking technologies and one of the spacecraft will be manned.

“Two to three astronauts will be sent to space in that mission next year,” he said, without elaborating.

Fei Junlong, leader of China’s astronaut team, told reporters that the two women astronauts and five men astronauts – the second batch of Chinese astronauts selected last year – have to take a three-year training course before carrying out space missions.

But Yang said that there are possibilities for women to join next year’s mission.

The two women astronauts, both pilots from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, are the first women astronauts in China.

Before the current group of astronauts were selected, the 14 astronauts recruited in 1997 were all men, including Yang and Fei. So far, six of them have flown to space in three different missions.

Yang and Fei, as well as Chen Shanguang, director of the Astronaut Center of China, introduced China’s manned space programs to 56 overseas reporters on Friday at the “space town” in the northern Beijing suburb, where astronauts are trained.

Reporters were also shown three spacecraft simulators built for astronaut training, including that of Tiangong-1.

Source: China Daily

 

[Brotherhood]

Scientist: China plans to build lunar research base - People's Daily Online May 11, 2011

Under China's three-phase lunar probe plans for orbiting the moon, landing on the moon and returning back to Earth, China is scheduled to launch the Chang'e-3 and softly land it on the moon, where it will release a moon rover to explore the lunar surface, by 2013.

China will carry out an unmanned lunar landing around 2017 before making manned lunar landings and building research bases on the moon, said Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's lunar probe program, in Shanghai on May 9.

Ouyang made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

He said that the Chang'e-2 has operated safely for 200 days as of May 1. During the operation of the Chang'e-2 in space, four tiny cameras on the satellite recorded clear photographs, marking China's first-ever aerospace application of CMOS imaging technologies, first space surveillance engineering application, first photograph captured at the moment of igniting the 490N engine and first photograph of the Earth taken by a camera on an orbiting lunar orbiter.

However, is the ultimate mission of the Chang'e-2 to test soft-landing technologies for the Chang'e-3 or to test Earth reentry technologies for follow-up Chang'e series satellites after their lunar landings? Ouyang said that the ultimate mission of the Chang'e-3 Satellite has yet to be determined. Whatever mission is selected, the Chang'e-2 will test key technologies for follow-up tasks of Chang'e series satellites before completing its lunar trip.

For instance, the Chang'e-2 can either make a "pilot" soft-landing in order to test technologies for the Chang'e-3 or return to Earth orbit under ground control and simulate the return of future Chang'e series satellites to earth after 2013.

Ouyang said that the Chang'e-3 will be equipped with a 70-kilogram lander and a 120-kilogram moon rover. The satellite will weigh about 500 kilograms and will have a designed life of three months. As the intelligent robotic technology develops, the rover will be able to determine its own routes, climb slopes, avoid obstacles and pick a good spot to perform science experiments with a collection of sensors. Furthermore, it will even be capable of collecting samples from the moon and sending them back to Earth for further studies.

Ouyang said that China plans to send recoverable rovers and humans to the moon at appropriate times. In addition, China is also considering building a research base on the moon and exploring Mars and other parts of outer space. To achieve its goal, the country is building a new satellite launch center and is making great efforts to develop more advanced rocket engines.

By People's Daily Online

 

[teddy]

Chinese next generation heavy lift super rocket (on the right, the left is CZ5 heavy lift rocket)which have 130 ton payload to LEO orbit. Will also use for manned moon mission.

The CZ5 can lift a 25ton LEO payload, heavier than arian5.

 

[aimarraul]

China to launch more Beidou navigation satellites
(Xinhua)Updated: 2011-05-19 06:32 Comments(1) PrintMail Large Medium Small

SHANGHAI - China will launch some eight Beidou navigation satellites by 2012, a leading navigation satellite expert said here on Wednesday.

China has sent eight Beidou satellites into orbit, as the latest was launched in April this year, said Ran Chengqi, director of China Satellite Navigation System management office.

He made the remarks at the second China satellite navigation academic annual meeting.

Beidou satellite navigation system will finish comprehensive tests as of October 2011 and have the capacity to provide "preliminary" services for most parts of China, Ran said.

By 2020, about 35 satellites will form Beidou's global satellite navigation system, Ran added.

Ran forecast China's satellite navigation sector would see about 400 billion yuan (US$61.84 billion ) in annual output value by 2020.

China started building its own satellite navigation system in 2000 to end its dependence upon the US GPS system when it sent two orbiters into space as a double-satellite experimental positioning system.

Beidou, or dipper, as the system is named, is designed to provide navigation, time and short message services in the Asia and Pacific region before 2012 and will be capable of providing global navigation services by 2020.

 

[CardSharp]

Renting a military GPS system from a country that you might fight is always a bad idea.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Wonderful news - great achievement by China to be self reliant in such an important aspect of space/gps based communication and observation and tracking

 

[Brotherhood]

China to launch more Beidou navigation satellites - People's Daily Online

China will launch some eight Beidou navigation satellites by 2012, a leading navigation satellite expert said here on Wednesday.

China has sent eight Beidou satellites into orbit, as the latest was launched in April this year, said Ran Chengqi, director of China Satellite Navigation System management office.

He made the remarks at the second China satellite navigation academic annual meeting.

Beidou satellite navigation system will finish comprehensive tests as of October 2011 and have the capacity to provide "preliminary" services for most parts of China, Ran said.

By 2020, about 35 satellites will form Beidou's global satellite navigation system, Ran added.


Ran forecast China's satellite navigation sector would see about 400 billion yuan (US$61.84 billion ) in annual output value by 2020.

China started building its own satellite navigation system in 2000 to end its dependence upon the US GPS system when it sent two orbiters into space as a double-satellite experimental positioning system.

Beidou, or dipper, as the system is named, is designed to provide navigation, time and short message services in the Asia and Pacific region before 2012 and will be capable of providing global navigation services by 2020.

Source: Xinhua

 

[lawxx]

ource: Globaltimes.cn [16:55 April 10 2011]Comments
China launched the eighth Beidou navigation satellite into orbit at Xichang Satellite Launching Center in Sichuan Province on Sunday, domestic news portal Chinanews.com reported Sunday.

The eighth Beidou satellite marks the completion of basic function of Beidou (Compass) Navigation Satellite System and will collaborate with five navigation satellites launched last year to establish a navigating system of three GEO (geostationary orbit) satellites plus three IGSO (Inclined Geo Synchronous orbit) satellites. The system will be able to provide services to most regions in China after a period of orbiting running tests and system integration.

China will continue to launch several more satellites to complete the navigation system and provide higher needs for the use of surveying and mapping, fishery, transportation, meteorology, telecommunications, water conservancy and others.

Beidou (Compass) Navigation Satellite System is China's home-grown and self-operating navigating system compatible with other navigating systems in the world. The system made China the third country to have its own satellite navigation system, after US and Russia.

Ran Cheng, Director of China Satellite Navigation System Management Office, said Beidou will be able to provide services to the entire Asia Pacific region. And around the year 2020, it will have more than 30 satellites.
China completes basic Beidou (Compass) Navigation Satellite System - GlobalTimes