China's First Digitally Designed Rocket Program: CZ-7 (Long March 7)

[TaiShang]

Long March-7 rocket delivered to launch site
Published: 2016-5-8 15:48:40

TIANJIN, May 8, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A container carrying China's new-generation Long March-7 rocket is seen at the port in north China's Tianjin, May 7, 2016. The Long March-7 rocket departed for its launch base in Hainan on Sunday from Tianjin. It has taken researchers eight years to develop the medium-sized rocket, which can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, said Li Hong, director of the Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. (Xinhua/Chen Xi)


China's new-generation Long March-7 rocket departed for its launch base in Hainan on Sunday from north China's port of Tianjin.

It has taken researchers eight years to develop the medium-sized rocket, which can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, said Li Hong, director of the Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

"The Long March-7 launch scheduled for late June will be of great significance as it will usher in China's space lab mission," said Yang Baohua, deputy manager of the company.

China also plans to launch the heavy lift Long March-5 to transport cargo for the planned space station.

China's second orbiting space lab, Tiangong-2, will also be launched this fall, and it is scheduled to dock with manned spacecraft Shenzhou-11 in the fourth quarter.

Yang said that the Long March-7 carrier is more environmentally friendly than earlier Long March models. The rocket will become the main carrier for space launches.

A container carrying China's new-generation Long March-7 rocket is seen at the port in north China's Tianjin, May 7, 2016. The Long March-7 rocket departed for its launch base in Hainan on Sunday from Tianjin. It has taken researchers eight years to develop the medium-sized rocket, which can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, said Li Hong, director of the Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. (Xinhua/Chen Xi)

A container carrying China's new-generation Long March-7 rocket is seen at the port in north China's Tianjin, May 7, 2016. The Long March-7 rocket departed for its launch base in Hainan on Sunday from Tianjin. It has taken researchers eight years to develop the medium-sized rocket, which can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, said Li Hong, director of the Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. (Xinhua/Chen Xi)

A container carrying China's new-generation Long March-7 rocket is lifted at the port in north China's Tianjin, May 7, 2016. The Long March-7 rocket departed for its launch base in Hainan on Sunday from Tianjin. It has taken researchers eight years to develop the medium-sized rocket, which can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, said Li Hong, director of the Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. (Xinhua/Chen Xi)

 

[TaiShang]

Long March 7 Carrier Rocket Set to Launch in June
2016-06-18

The Long March-7 carrier rocket is pictured at the launch site in city of Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, January 27, 2015. [Photo: sina.com.cn]

Final preparations are being made to test the latest-generation of China's carrier rocket program.

The Long March-7 is set to be launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan later on this month.

As the closest Chinese launch site to the equator, the Wencheng facility is subject to tropical weather conditions.

Launch engineer Guo Xuewen says the weather is going to be a major factor as to exactly when they'll be able to test the Long March-7.

"We have conducted complete analysis of the meteorological data over the last 10-years. We, of course, also have the latest weather updates which will give us the ability to check on whether adverse conditions, such as high wind circulation, might affect the launch. We're also well-aware of the conditions which might affect the launch in its early stages."

The new Long March-7 rocket is the latest in the Chinese carrier-rocket design.

It's designed to carry a much larger payload, and will be essential in helping establish a stand-alone Chinese space station by 2020.

 

[Dungeness]

New Rocket from New Space Center

Long March-7 is ready for debut flight from Wencang Space Center. 6/25/2016 20:00 Beijing Time

Launch Vehicle: Long March-7 (aka CZ-7)

Function Medium to heavy orbital launch vehicle
Height 53.10 m (174.2 ft)
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass 594,000 kg (1,310,000 lb)
Stages 2

Payload to LEO (200km x 400km x 42°) 13,500 kg (29,800 lb)
Payload to SSO700km 5,500 kg (12,100 lb)
Payload to GTO 7,000kg

Boosters - K2 booster
No. boosters 4
Diameter 2.25 m (7.4 ft)
Engines 1 YF-100
Thrust SL: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf)
Vac: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf)
Total thrust SL: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf)
Vac: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf)
Specific impulse SL: 300 seconds (2.9 km/s)
Vac: 335 seconds (3.29 km/s)
Fuel RP-1/LOX

First stage - K3 core module
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines 2 YF-100
Thrust SL: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf)
Vac: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf)
Specific impulse SL: 300 seconds (2.9 km/s)
Vac: 335 seconds (3.29 km/s)
Fuel RP-1/LOX

Second stage
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines 4 YF-115
Thrust 706 kN (159,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 342 seconds (3.35 km/s)
Fuel RP-1/LOX

 

[Dungeness]

 

[onebyone]

http://v.qq.com/live/p/topic/7569/preview.html

 

[Dungeness]

I like this video about CZ-7

http://js.t.sinajs.cn/t5/album/stat...xFq&fid=1034:0996e7279d3f4316c0854c7d976fbca9

 

[TaiShang]

Long March-7 cleaner, stronger

​

The new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket is ready for its maiden mission.The Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the northeast coast of Hainan Province is expected to launch the rocket in the next few days. [Photo: CRI/Li Jin]

Hu Xiaojun, deputy chief designer assistant, said on Thursday the new rocket relies on liquid oxygen and kerosene as fuel, cheaper and less dangerous than the propellants used by some of the earlier rockets.

Designed for transporting cargo ships, the carrying capacity of the medium-sized rocket is 1.5 times that of previous, bigger rockets. It is due for launch between June 25 and 29 from Wenchang, a new launch location in south China's Hainan Province.

The rocket will stay on the launch pad until at least Saturday, the beginning of its five-day launch window.

Launches from the new site, which is much closer to the equator than the other three, can take advantage of the Earth's higher rotational speed to save fuel.

The new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket is ready for its maiden mission.The Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the northeast coast of Hainan Province is expected to launch the rocket in the next few days. [Photo: CRI.com]

中国加油！！！

 

[Dungeness]

At Launch weight of 594T with LEO payload 14T, GTO 7T, this "green" rocket is going to make that 640T "Heavy Lifting" rocket that still using "dirty fuel" look like a white elephant.

 

[cirr]

Tencent http://news.qq.com/zt2016/launchlive/index.htm

Sina http://video.sina.com.cn/l/p/1708426.html

Dragon TV http://live.kankanews.com/zhibo/1325.html

 

[C130]

good luck

 

[TaiShang]

Watching now.

Wish everything will be going well.

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Go go go

I have complete faith in its success.

 

[Muhammad Omar]

Any other link

 

[TaiShang]

 

[xunzi]

Very nervous but exciting.