China-US game of space, "long march" -5 challenge Ares 1-X

China's "long march" -5 rocket

The U.S. launched Ares 1-X rocket in success

Beijing at 23:30 on October 28, NASA "Ares 1-X" rocket at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, launch pad 39B ignition off. This is the first time the U.S. for the next generation launch vehicle flight test, the main task is to collect flight data. "Ares 1-X" is to replace the U.S. space shuttle rocket developed a new generation of manned rockets "God of War 1 (Ares1)" experimental rocket, the spacecraft will become one of the United States return to the moon.

It is learned that "God of War" series of carrier rockets bear the major thrust to send the Americans to return to the moon, and even the task of Mars voyage. The test event is also in the past 30 years, the Kennedy Space Center for the first time commitment to the latest launch vehicle testing task. Because of the weather, "God of War" rocket launch was postponed a day. In these 24 hours, more than 150 lightning hit the launch platform, the authorities have repeatedly testing various parameters to ensure the success of this launch. According to another source said the existing U.S. space shuttle will be retired by 2010, all the "Orion" and "God of War" will be held as early as 2015, a successor rocket to conduct manned space activities. But Obama administration took office, the plan to re-examine, "Orion" and "God of War" still variables in the future.

As most of today's ability to compete with the U.S. horizon, a few to a few to go is only the Chinese. The existing financial resources of Russia is concerned, there is an effort in vain, but beyond their grasp. Not to mention the European Community, there must be good projects, I am afraid that has also long been stolen by the U.S. looted as their own.

The Chinese people under the power of self-reliance, in a destitute circumstances, after nearly forty years the efforts of hard work, launch vehicle technology has made remarkable progress, "long march" series known around the world. At 12:08 on June 1, 2007, I heard a loud noise pierced the skies of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the quiet night, "long march" on the 3rd A rocket blasting out the bright orange flames, supports the weight of "SinoSat" 3 satellite pierce straight into the sky. At this point, "long march" series of carrier rockets 100 launches a complete success.

Gratifying results, "long march" series of rockets from scratch, from weak to strong, now has let the Chinese people proud of it allows Western countries daunting. However, the Chinese rocket development work started late, after all, from the progressive development of speaking, even if China is currently the best "long march" series, currently abroad, compared to the use of rockets, launch success rate still a gap. Especially in the non-toxic, non-polluting, large thrust engines still lagging behind the development position. "Long march" rocket launch preparation period is almost twice the foreign rockets; the lack of large rocket carrying capacity, the overall ability to adapt is not strong. In particular with the United States, "Hercules" relatively many gaps, though the U.S. success rate is not 100%.

However, very comfort to people is that China's space did not stop enough room for complacency, in order to catch up with the world advanced level, in order to improve the reliability of our existing rocket, developed new high-performance rocket them to struggle, the fact has proved that they are of China's pride is the pride of those laid the power status of China's efforts to pay the generations.

According to China's space sector has revealed that China's new generation of large rockets, "long march" -5 ID has entered the experimental stage, as the practice will soon launch. Sources said that in comparison with the existing rockets, a new generation of large rocket technology to improve the following main features:

Now non-toxic, non-polluting large-scale rocket launch vehicle has become the twenty-first century, the mainstream of development. Foreign early eighties in the twentieth century, has begun to develop and environmentally friendly, high-thrust liquid oxygen, kerosene or liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen engine, has achieved fruitful results, and some have even been used in large-scale launch vehicle. In China, currently has a "long march" series of rockets to use more in order to unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine / nitrogen tetroxide as an intermediate thrust liquid propellant rocket engine as the main stage engine. As everyone knows, UDMH toxicity greater damage to human liver. In particular, nitrogen tetroxide / unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine combustion products of the human body more damage and seriously pollute the environment. Uses a new type of fuel rocket engine is the "long march" the most remarkable achievements, No. -5.

Key technologies, in order to further improve reliability, "long march" -5 rocket's core stage and the boosters will also be using an independent structure of the tank, instead of using a total at the end of the structure of upper stage liquid hydrogen tank used with the core the same structure as a form of liquid hydrogen tank. Boosters and the core-level binding to connect with mature statically determinate connections. In order to reduce the impact of the separation process, improve reliability, the separation of the rocket system will use a linear separation device. These new measures will significantly improve the "long march" -5 launch vehicle system reliability.

China's current mandate for the launch of a "long march" as many as 10 rockets a few models, have formed a different carrying capacity of the "long march" rocket series. However, the current foreign launch vehicle development, sought to simplify the overall structure - reducing the number of rocket and engine series, structural design and become universal, modular and serial - primarily through the use of a different upper stage, tied up a different number of solid or liquid to help Thruster and use a different fairing, to meet the different needs of the weight of the payload of the launch, an increase of selectivity and launch flexibility.

It is gratifying is that the "long march" -5 development of the rocket was also carrying out the modular idea, by 5 meters, 3.35 meters and 2.25 meters in diameter for several different combinations of thruster module can be derived to develop 14 kinds of different models of rocket family. In the foreseeable future, as China's economic, military and technological advances, the function of spacecraft and life there will be further demand. So, what will the future development of much of China's satellites or spacecraft do? In fact, this from the "long march" -5 series of rockets carrying capacity can be discerned. At present, the need for a larger carrying capacity of large spacecraft include geostationary satellite, large-scale remote-sensing satellites, deep space exploration satellites and long-term manned space station in orbit. The "long march" -5 series of rockets carrying 25 tons of low-orbit capacity calculation, we can be like "Keyhole" about 20 tons of earth resources remote sensing satellite transported to the sun-synchronous orbit, ensuring that it can always Bai Tianfei over by the target in order to facilitate its equipment photographic reconnaissance equipment, large-caliber best shooting results; weight can also be reached or nearly 20 tons of low-earth orbit space station into orbit a one-time build our own space-based, space technology in the world competition in the prison prison stand firm; they can even after several launches, build their own similar to the "International Space Station," This kind of modular large-scale manned space research center. The "long march" -5 rockets 14 tons carrying capacity of the Earth's orbit, we can launch to the moon, about 5-ton payload, sufficient to meet the coming months or even unmanned landing on the moon and so on around the lunar exploration needs.

In short, from the "long march" -5 Tai thrust carrier rockets of new, we see not only the development of space technology, decades of rich fruits can also be full of hope for its future prospects, of course, even as China's standing in the East the strong backing of one of the magic weapon for China to lay a powerful tool for world power.