Chinese 'space shuttle bus' to make debut at Zhuhai Airshow

[cirr]

Chinese 'space shuttle bus' to make debut at Zhuhai Airshow

Staff Reporter
2014-11-09
15:53 (GMT+8)

A model of the made-in-China upper stage aircraft to make its debut at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow on Nov. 11-16. (Internet photo)

China's new upper stage aircraft for multistage rockets, dubbed the "space shuttle bus," will make its debut at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai this week, reports the Chinese-language Beijing Morning Post.

Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the main contractor for the Chinese space program, the upper stage aircraft will be attached to a carrier rocket and can be used to propel payload in space using its own power system after reaching an initial orbit.

US and Russia have spent considerable resources on upper stage research and development since the 1950s. China's upper stage research has started off relatively late in the 1980s but has caught up significantly in recent years, the report said, adding that Chinese technology is now capable of autonomous orbit control and multi-satellite deployments.

The upper stage aircraft to be exhibited at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow from Nov. 11-16 can reportedly perform various mid-to-low orbit missions, carry out in-orbit flight for up to 48 hours, and can repeatedly start up its main engine more than 20 times. At maximum capacity, the aircraft can allegedly launch as many as 10 satellites.

The space shuttle bus, which some media outlets have reported will be known as the Yuanzheng-1 (Expedition-1), has been developed with a standard design for common delivery platforms, meaning it will be compatible with China's Long March 2D, Long March 4B and the Long March 4C orbital carrier rockets.

China will also be conducting further research on using upper stage aircraft to assist in the clean-up of old satellites by carrying them out of orbit to clear up space, the report said.

 

[TaiShang]

China will also be conducting further research on using upper stage aircraft to assist in the clean-up of old satellites by carrying them out of orbit to clear up space

This I would call environmental protection. LOL.

 

[cirr]

This I would call environmental protection. LOL.

Launch later this year or early next year if my memory still serves。

 

[JSCh]

 

[Keel]

This I would call environmental protection. LOL.

Just at the right time when someone is still bitching about the smithereens caused by our disengagement of a defunct satellite in space some time ago

 

[BoQ77]

Japanese in Space: Hypersonic Flight: HYFLEX deserves a closer look

Here I am going to put up some excellent work by fellow space journalist and Japan space watcher Peter J. Brown in his blog Japanese in Space.

Back in 2010, in In Defense of Japan, From the Market to the Military in Space Policy Saadia and I pointed out some interesting context for Japan’s Hyflex program: You can read excerpts here on Google Books from our chapter on Launch Vehicles.

Wired Danger Room recently ran a piece on the USAF’s X-37B space plane (A Year Later, Mysterious Space Plane Is Still in Orbit), a program that is raising much attention in the military space community, for obvious reasons. But look at the picture; this is not a picture of the X-37B, though at a glance you might be forgiven for thinking it was…

As Peter points out, Japan actually had a robotic prototype space plane, Hyflex, that successfully demonstrated many of the precursor technologies of the X-37B all the way back in 1996, launched aboard the J-1 rocket. An interesting combination of technologies indeed.

If you want to find out more about the Hyflex program, please take a look at Peter’s article, which was also featured in another site I am a fan of, Japan Security Watch as USAF HTV-2 Recalls Japan’s HYFLEX Program. Please also note that Saadia and I were perhaps the first to point out the implications of the Hyflex program in In Defense of Japan, From the Market to the Military in Space Policy .

 

[Aepsilons]

Chinese 'space shuttle bus' to make debut at Zhuhai Airshow

Staff Reporter
2014-11-09
15:53 (GMT+8)

View attachment 149289
A model of the made-in-China upper stage aircraft to make its debut at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow on Nov. 11-16. (Internet photo)

China's new upper stage aircraft for multistage rockets, dubbed the "space shuttle bus," will make its debut at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai this week, reports the Chinese-language Beijing Morning Post.

Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the main contractor for the Chinese space program, the upper stage aircraft will be attached to a carrier rocket and can be used to propel payload in space using its own power system after reaching an initial orbit.

US and Russia have spent considerable resources on upper stage research and development since the 1950s. China's upper stage research has started off relatively late in the 1980s but has caught up significantly in recent years, the report said, adding that Chinese technology is now capable of autonomous orbit control and multi-satellite deployments.

The upper stage aircraft to be exhibited at the 10th Zhuhai Airshow from Nov. 11-16 can reportedly perform various mid-to-low orbit missions, carry out in-orbit flight for up to 48 hours, and can repeatedly start up its main engine more than 20 times. At maximum capacity, the aircraft can allegedly launch as many as 10 satellites.

The space shuttle bus, which some media outlets have reported will be known as the Yuanzheng-1 (Expedition-1), has been developed with a standard design for common delivery platforms, meaning it will be compatible with China's Long March 2D, Long March 4B and the Long March 4C orbital carrier rockets.

China will also be conducting further research on using upper stage aircraft to assist in the clean-up of old satellites by carrying them out of orbit to clear up space, the report said.

Good to see the development of China's space program.

 

[JSCh]

I was wondering and click the link (USAF HTV-2 Recalls Japan’s HYFLEX Program), this is the explanation given,

The first and only flight of Japan’s Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HYFLEX) happened in February 1996. Some readers might wonder why I elect to engage in this exercise, injecting HYFLEX into the broader coverage of the HTV-2 testflight. It is, they might argue, kind of like comparing apples to oranges.

I disagree because each of these experimental hypersonic flights -albeit happening many years apart – involved hypersonic performance on a sub-orbital trajectory. ​

I guess according to this guy logic, all re-entry from orbit including US, China, Russia, European, all of which happen to be hypersonic on a sub-orbital trajectory would be somehow related to HTV-2.

 

[GeHAC]

Yuanzheng-1 will be launched next year.That would one of the most important space mission next year.

 

[GeHAC]

Japanese in Space: Hypersonic Flight: HYFLEX deserves a closer look

Here I am going to put up some excellent work by fellow space journalist and Japan space watcher Peter J. Brown in his blog Japanese in Space.

Back in 2010, in In Defense of Japan, From the Market to the Military in Space Policy Saadia and I pointed out some interesting context for Japan’s Hyflex program: You can read excerpts here on Google Books from our chapter on Launch Vehicles.

Wired Danger Room recently ran a piece on the USAF’s X-37B space plane (A Year Later, Mysterious Space Plane Is Still in Orbit), a program that is raising much attention in the military space community, for obvious reasons. But look at the picture; this is not a picture of the X-37B, though at a glance you might be forgiven for thinking it was…

As Peter points out, Japan actually had a robotic prototype space plane, Hyflex, that successfully demonstrated many of the precursor technologies of the X-37B all the way back in 1996, launched aboard the J-1 rocket. An interesting combination of technologies indeed.

If you want to find out more about the Hyflex program, please take a look at Peter’s article, which was also featured in another site I am a fan of, Japan Security Watch as USAF HTV-2 Recalls Japan’s HYFLEX Program. Please also note that Saadia and I were perhaps the first to point out the implications of the Hyflex program in In Defense of Japan, From the Market to the Military in Space Policy .

What you posted has nothing to do with upper stages.Learn more about space industry.

 

[xunzi]

I was wondering and click the link (USAF HTV-2 Recalls Japan’s HYFLEX Program), this is the explanation given,

The first and only flight of Japan’s Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HYFLEX) happened in February 1996. Some readers might wonder why I elect to engage in this exercise, injecting HYFLEX into the broader coverage of the HTV-2 testflight. It is, they might argue, kind of like comparing apples to oranges.

I disagree because each of these experimental hypersonic flights -albeit happening many years apart – involved hypersonic performance on a sub-orbital trajectory. ​

I guess according to this guy logic, all re-entry from orbit including US, China, Russia, European, all of which happen to be hypersonic on a sub-orbital trajectory would be somehow related to HTV-2.

This dude is really dumb. It is always hilarious to see him posting. I remember this shit is similar to the Space elevator crap that Japan is developing. LOL

 

[GeHAC]

This dude is really dumb. It is always hilarious to see him posting. I remember this shit is similar to the Space elevator crap that Japan is developing. LOL

Japan's space industry is really good in some respects.But he just picked the wrong one to fawn on,lol.

 

[AgentOrange]

Friday, August 12, 2011
Hypersonic Flight: HYFLEX deserves a closer look

The Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV) team at the U.S. Department of
Defense must now prepare its formal analysis of the flight of the
Falcon HTV-2 on August 11. The loss of HTV-2 follows on the heels of
the HTV-1 failure last year and it will put quite a bit of pressure on
the team at a time when the U.S. is discussing enormous cutbacks
in defense spending including money for R&D.

Here is an excerpt from the DARPA release issued soon after the HTV-2 flight.

“Here’s what we know,” said Air Force Maj. Chris Schulz, DARPA HTV-2
program manager and PhD in aerospace engineering. “We know how to
boost the aircraft to near space. We know how to insert the aircraft
into atmospheric hypersonic flight. We do not yet know how to achieve
the desired control during the aerodynamic phase of flight. It’s
vexing; I’m confident there is a solution. We have to find it.”

“Prior to flight, the technical team completed the most sophisticated
simulations and extensive wind tunnel tests possible. But these ground
tests have not yielded the necessary knowledge. Filling the gaps in
our understanding of hypersonic flight in this demanding regime
requires that we be willing to fly,” said DARPA Director Regina Dugan.
“In the April 2010 test, we obtained four times the amount of data
previously available at these speeds. Today more than 20 air, land,
sea and space data collection systems were operational. We’ll learn.
We’ll try again. That’s what it takes.”

According to Schulz, three technical challenges exist within this HTV-2
flight regime. They are categorized as aerodynamic; aerothermal; and
guidance, navigation and control. And each phase of flight introduces
unique obstacles within these areas.

“To address these obstacles, DARPA has assembled a team of experts that
will analyze the flight data collected during today’s test flight,
expanding our technical understanding of this incredibly harsh flight
regime,” explained Schulz. “As today’s flight indicates, high-Mach
flight in the atmosphere is virtually uncharted territory. ”

The first and only flight of Japan's Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HYFLEX)
happened in February 1996. Some readers might wonder why I elect to engage
in this exercise, injecting HYFLEX into the broader coverage of the HTV-2 testflight.
It is, they might argue, kind of like comparing apples to oranges.
I disagree because each of these experimental hypersonic flights -
albeit happening many years apart - involved hypersonic performance on
a sub-orbital trajectory.

A sustained air-launched hypersonic breakthrough has already been achieved
via the X-43 anyway. This is mentioned here as a matter of fact and not as a means
of triggering a broader discussion as to why the U.S. is so intent upon pursuing the
HTV solution in its quest for a "Prompt Global Strike" platform in the first place.

There is also no question that the entire HTV program involves more ambitious demonstrations including much longer flights and higher speeds than HYFLEX - Mach 20 vs Mach 15 - and yet HYFLEX flew over 700 miles in just over 3-1/2 minutes to its intended splashdown point.

The role of the two-stage J-1 booster in this HYFLEX deployment more
than 15 years ago in an attempt to bring the whole H-II Orbiting
Plane-Experimental (HOPE-X) concept one step closer to reality in this
instance was noteworthy in itself.

The dimensions of HYFLEX are often overlooked. It weighed just over
1000kg with a length of 4.4m along with a wingspan of 1.36m and a
height of just over 1m. This modest attempt by the then National Space
Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) along with the NAL and ISAS did
succeed. A malfunction of the flotation device for this spacecraft is
what sent HYFLEX to the bottom of the Pacific. Otherwise this
testflight was a remarkable event.

HYFLEX was all about demonstrating guidance and control technology -
something to keep in mind while DARPA ponders how it lost control of
both of its HTV's. Alteration of its flight trajectory using
aerodynamic forces took place in a relatively routine and predictable
fashion.

Here in a nutshell is how the HYFLEX flight proceeded -

"The vehicle was launched from Tanegashima Space Center on a trajectory
with a maximum altitude of 110km. It was released from the launch
vehicle while traveling at a speed of approximately 3.9km/s and
performed a gliding right turn around Chichi-Jima Island in the
Ogasawara Islands group while flying at maximum Mach number of 15. It
finally splashed down in the Pacific using a parachute northeast of
Chichi-Jima."

See this report -

HYFLEX

This same report highlighted the autonomous automatic flight control
system aboard HYFLEX.

"The vehicle's trajectory and attitude are regulated by guidance and
control laws programmed into an onboard computer, based on the
vehicle's attitude, position and velocity measured by an Inertial
Measurement Unit (IMU). Attitude control commands from the computer are
used to drive to the elevons and RCS. Guidance commands are computed
once per second, and control commands 20 times a second" the report
states. "Guidance that satisfies all flight limits, such as aerodynamic
heating rate and dynamic pressure, and depletes the kinetic energy
exactly at the destination, is performed on this plane. It can be seen
that guidance was performed properly in the experiment. Moreover,
HYFLEX demonstrated its ability to accurately reach a destination by
the fact that it splashed down only around 3km from the planned point."

Again this happened in early 1996. I intentionally bypass a discussion
here of the HYFLEX thermal protection system due to space limitations.
Any detailed discussion of flight data is also not included here for
the same reason. What exactly the Japanese and the French learned in 2003 after dropping a 500kg model of the Hope-X several times from balloons launched high over Sweden is unknown to me.
Posted by Peter J. Brown at 9:49 AM

Cirr posted an article from 2 days ago and you start trolling the thread with non-Vietnamese achievements via articles posted 3 years ago that have nothing to do with the Chinese spacecraft and you have the nerve to claim you're "enriching the thread"? You're obviously trolling. @Hu Songshan @Horus

 

[AgentOrange]

What you posted has nothing to do with upper stages.Learn more about space industry.

He's trolling. He's not a very good troll but he's still trolling nonetheless. In the future, Vietnamese members shouldn't post in Chinese space related threads until their nation has successfully launched a bowl of Pho into space and retrieved it intact.

 

[xunzi]

Japan's space industry is really good in some respects.But he just picked the wrong one to fawn on,lol.

I often wonder why Japan, this supposedly advance country, never does any space exploration. Anything they do is often through international forum or joint with the USA. A serious question, is the US prohibited Japan from exploring space or something?