New Chinese engine to power space program
Source: Xinhua |
June 15, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
China has developed a non-toxic and pollution-free engine for its new generation of carrier rockets, making it the second country in the world to harness such technologies.
The 120-ton liquid oxygen/kerosene high-pressure staged combustion cycle engine will provide an effective guarantee for the country's manned space and lunar probe missions, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said.
It is the first kind of high-pressure staged combustion cycle engine for which China has proprietary intellectual property rights, the administration said.
It also makes China the second country in the world, after Russia, to grasp the core technologies for such an engine.
Researchers made more than 70 technical breakthroughs in design, manufacture and testing, and obtained nearly 20 national defense scientific and technical achievements along with patent licenses, officials said. They also worked on nearly 50 kinds of new materials.
Pollution-free
According to a government white paper issued at the end of last year, China will develop next-generation launch vehicles, including the Long March-5, Long March-6 and Long March-7, in the 2011-2015 period.
The Long March-5 will use a non-toxic and pollution-free propellant, and will be capable of placing a 25-ton payload into near-Earth orbit, or placing a 14-ton payload into geostationary orbit.
Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft successfully completed its final full-system drill before its planned launch later this month, Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, said yesterday.
At the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, all systems relevant to the mission were tested to ensure coordinated operation, the accuracy of the spacecraft's software and hardware and consistency in transmitting information, Niu said.
"The drill's results met our expectations," Niu added.
All of the ship's systems will be prepared and placed in a "freeze" state until the real launch takes place, Niu said.
The astronauts have conducted multiple drills themselves since arriving at the launch center on June 9, Niu said.
The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft is to carry out the country's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab module.
The 120-ton liquid oxygen/kerosene high-pressure staged combustion cycle engine will provide an effective guarantee for the country's manned space and lunar probe missions, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said.
It is the first kind of high-pressure staged combustion cycle engine for which China has proprietary intellectual property rights, the administration said.
It also makes China the second country in the world, after Russia, to grasp the core technologies for such an engine.
Researchers made more than 70 technical breakthroughs in design, manufacture and testing, and obtained nearly 20 national defense scientific and technical achievements along with patent licenses, officials said. They also worked on nearly 50 kinds of new materials.
Pollution-free
According to a government white paper issued at the end of last year, China will develop next-generation launch vehicles, including the Long March-5, Long March-6 and Long March-7, in the 2011-2015 period.
The Long March-5 will use a non-toxic and pollution-free propellant, and will be capable of placing a 25-ton payload into near-Earth orbit, or placing a 14-ton payload into geostationary orbit.
Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft successfully completed its final full-system drill before its planned launch later this month, Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, said yesterday.
At the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, all systems relevant to the mission were tested to ensure coordinated operation, the accuracy of the spacecraft's software and hardware and consistency in transmitting information, Niu said.
"The drill's results met our expectations," Niu added.
All of the ship's systems will be prepared and placed in a "freeze" state until the real launch takes place, Niu said.
The astronauts have conducted multiple drills themselves since arriving at the launch center on June 9, Niu said.
The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft is to carry out the country's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab module.
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