If SpaceX really needed a high energy upper stage they'd likely base it on methane now that they have experience with it. It also eliminates the hydrogen embrittlement and boiloff issues.
If SpaceX really needed a high energy upper stage they'd likely base it on methane now that they have experience with it. It also eliminates the hydrogen embrittlement and boiloff issues.
Last edited by docmordrid; 2019-Mar-17 at 06:08 AM.
China is making progress in the development of its Long March-9 rocket.
http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/201...t8640844.shtml
China has successfully completed a gas generator-turbopump test of the Long March-9 heavy-lift rocket engine, laying the foundation for future development of its heavy-lift launch vehicle programs, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) announced Tuesday.
The test, which was conducted on Sunday, demonstrated the feasibility of the gas generator-turbopump plan, and created a good basis for subsequent engine programs, noted Li Bin, deputy director of the No.6 Research Institute of CASC.
I am because we are
(African saying)
More on China's rockets
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/0...-than-usa.html
Thin tiles for Starship
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/0...e-cooling.html
Misc:
https://sattrackcam.blogspot.com/201...d-fiction.html
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/0...trofuture.html
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/0...ls-rocket.html Terrible? Really?
More information on China's Long March=9.
http://www.ecns.cn/news/2020-11-26/d...h1835513.shtml
The China National Space Administration has revealed design specifications about the Long March 9, a super-heavy carrier rocket that will likely become one of the world's largest and mightiest launch vehicles.
Xu Hongliang, secretary-general of the administration, said on Tuesday afternoon in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, that the Long March 9 is in the research and development stage and is expected to enter service around 2030.
The super-heavy rocket will be 93 meters tall, have a liftoff weight of 4,140 metric tons and a thrust power of 5,760 tons. Its core stage will be about 10 meters in diameter, Xu said at the Wenchang International Aviation and Aerospace Forum's opening ceremony on Tuesday.
The craft will be so powerful that it will be able to transport spacecraft with a combined weight of 140 tons to a low-Earth orbit hundreds of kilometers above the planet, he said.
Li Benqi, deputy head of the Wenchang Space Launch Center's planning department, said at the opening ceremony that the rocket will also be able to place spaceships weighing up to 50 tons in an Earth-moon transfer trajectory for lunar expeditions.
I am because we are
(African saying)
I’m not sure how relevant Starship would be to them. What with ITER they may not have any access to it and want their own heavy left anyway. Eventually, reusable rockets may be sold like commercial aircraft today, but I expect that will take more than a decade and undoubtedly would come with strings attached (a rocket is potentially much more dangerous than a jet plane).
Sure, if Starship is successful, not just functional but meeting goals, I can see them making an effort to build an equivalent, but there is merit in waiting and seeing how it does first.
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The Leif Ericson Cruiser
And it's quite a useful learning experience to build your own traditional heavy lift booster before attempting to build something Starship-like.
With sufficient thrust, water towers fly just fine.
"China’s super-heavy-lift rocket awaits state approval, to serve in lunar manned mission around 2030: experts"
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1216913.shtml
China's new generation heavy-lift carrier rocket, which is capable of carrying a 100-ton payload to the Moon, has basically concluded its feasibility studies and entered the last phase of getting state approval, according to Luan Enjie, former head of the China National Space Administration.
Luan, who is also an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and first commander-in-chief of China's lunar exploration mission, revealed the progress during an interview with state broadcaster China Central Television which was aired on Sunday.
Although Luan did not mention the official name of the new rocket, Chinese space experts reached by the Global Times on Monday widely speculated that it would very likely be the highly anticipated Long March-9 launch vehicle, and that the new rocket would be the go-to model for the country's future manned lunar landing missions, which will hopefully take place around 2030.
I am because we are
(African saying)
"China to develop two super-heavy launchers for moon missions"
https://spacenews.com/china-to-devel...moon-missions/
China will work on development of two types of super-heavy launch vehicles for future lunar projects, a senior official said Wednesday.
Jiang Jie, chief designer of the Long March 3A series of hypergolic launchers, told press (Chinese) in Beijing March 3 that the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) would continue development of both a heavy launch vehicle and a new generation crew launch vehicle over the next five years.
I am because we are
(African saying)
"China makes new breakthrough in heavy-lift carrier rocket engine" for LM-9
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._139787745.htm
China on Friday successfully conducted a trial run on a 500-tonne-thrust liquid oxygen (LOX) and kerosene rocket engine, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
It marks a new breakthrough in the country's rocket-engine technologies, and will lay a solid foundation for its follow-up development of the heavy-lift carrier rocket, said the developer.
I am because we are
(African saying)