CNSA news, Updates and Discussions

[skywatcher]

Serbia becomes 11th country to join China’s ILRS moon base project

Serbia becomes latest country to join China’s ILRS moon base project

Serbia has signed an agreement on participating in the China-led International Lunar Research Station.

spacenews.com

HELSINKI — Serbia has signed an agreement on participating in the China-led International Lunar Research Station.

Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation signed a memorandum of understanding with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) earlier this week.

The pair also signed an MoU on cooperation in the field of innovation in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space, in addition to that on the ILRS.

The China-led ILRS envisions constructing a permanent lunar base in the 2030s. This will be constructed using super heavy-lift launchers. China also aims to send astronauts to the moon before 2030.

Serbia becomes latest country to join China’s ILRS moon base project

Serbia has signed an agreement on participating in the China-led International Lunar Research Station.

spacenews.com

 

[skywatcher]

What's up for private Chinese space sector in the rest of 2024?

Three private Chinese liquid rockets are attempting to reach orbit this year.
1.Space Pioneer Tianlong-3 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 17 t July 2024
2.Galactic Energy Pallas-1 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 8 t Nov 2024
3.Deep Blue Aerospace Nebula-1 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 2 t Dec 2024

Q: Will they make it?
A: Stay tuned.

List of private Chinese launchers that have already reached orbit

1.i-Space Hyperbola-1 Solid LEO: 520kg 25 July 2019 China's first private orbital launcher

2.Galactic Energy Ceres-1 Solid LEO: 400kg 7 Nov 2020

3.Space Pioneer Tianlong-2 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 2t 2 Apr 2023 China's first private liquid orbital launcher

4.Land Space Zhuque-2 LOX/CH4 LEO: 6t July 12 2023 World's first all methane liquid orbital launcher

5.OrienSpace Gravity-1 Solid LEO: 6.5t 11 Jan 2024 World's most capable solid orbital launcher

 

[skywatcher]

Official confirmation: China Space Station(CSS) optical module CSST, also known as Xuntian Space Space Telescope launch delayed to 2027

China's first large optical space telescope CSST or Xuntian co-orbiting CSS.

 

[skywatcher]

Official confirmation: China Space Station(CSS) optical module CSST, also known as Xuntian Space Space Telescope launch delayed to 2027
View attachment 252890


China's first large optical space telescope CSST or Xuntian co-orbiting CSS.
View attachment 252891

Timeline of China's first Hubble-class space telescope CSST
●September 9 2024, the IV quadrant active optics and image stabilization tests, sky survey and terahertz micro-vibration and channel image quality tests;
●October 14 2024, the IV quadrant comprehensive thermal test:
●November 26 2024, the II quadrant active optics, image stabilization test, precision measurement and coronagraph micro-vibration and channel image quality test;
●December 30 2024, the comprehensive thermal test of Quadrant II:
●January 30, 2025, the general inspection of facilities;
●February 27, 2025, the docking of facilities and platforms;
●May 23, 2025, various integration tests;
●June 20, 2025, the optical facility transfer review;
●August 30, 2025, the back-end module flight parts integration and five-channel testing;
●May 2, 2026, the mechanical vibration test and retest of the facility completion and transfer to Tianjin;
●September 20, 2026, the product will be shipped out of the factory and shipped to the launch site;
●December 21, 2026, it will be ready for launch using Long March 5B.

 

[skywatcher]

What's up for private Chinese space sector in the rest of 2024?

Three private Chinese liquid rockets are attempting to reach orbit this year.
1.Space Pioneer Tianlong-3 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 17 t July 2024
2.Galactic Energy Pallas-1 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 8 t Nov 2024
3.Deep Blue Aerospace Nebula-1 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 2 t Dec 2024

Q: Will they make it?
A: Stay tuned.View attachment 252857

List of private Chinese launchers that have already reached orbit

1.i-Space Hyperbola-1 Solid LEO: 520kg 25 July 2019 China's first private orbital launcher

2.Galactic Energy Ceres-1 Solid LEO: 400kg 7 Nov 2020

3.Space Pioneer Tianlong-2 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 2t 2 Apr 2023 China's first private liquid orbital launcher

4.Land Space Zhuque-2 LOX/CH4 LEO: 6t July 12 2023 World's first all methane liquid orbital launcher

5.OrienSpace Gravity-1 Solid LEO: 6.5t 11 Jan 2024 World's most capable solid orbital launcher
View attachment 252865

Update

List of private Chinese launchers that have already reached orbit or are under development

1.i-Space Hyperbola-1 Solid LEO: 520kg 25 July 2019 China's first private orbital launcher

2.Galactic Energy Ceres-1 Solid LEO: 400kg 7 Nov 2020

3.Space Pioneer Tianlong-2 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 2t 2 Apr 2023 China's first private liquid orbital launcher

4.Land Space Zhuque-2 LOX/LCH4 LEO: 6t July 12 2023 World's first all methane liquid orbital launcher

5.OrienSpace Gravity-1 Solid LEO: 6.5t 11 Jan 2024 World's most capable solid orbital launcher

6.Space Pioneer Tianlong-3 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 17t Q3 2024 To be China's most capable private orbital launcher in 2024

7.Galactic Energy Pallas-1 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 8t Q4 2024

8.Deep Blue Aerospace Nebula-1 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 2t Q4 2024

9.Land Space Zhuque-3 LOX/LCH4 LEO: 21.3t June 2025 To be China's first private heavy lift orbital launcher

10.Orienspace Gravity-2 LOX/RP-1 LEO: 21.5t Dec 2025

11.i-Space Hyperbola-3 LOX/LCH4 LEO: 13.7t Dec 2025

12.Rocket Pie Darwin-1 LOX/LCH4 LEO: 300kg Dec 2025

13.Space Epoch XZY-1 LOX/LCH4 LEO: >10t Dec 2025

14.Space Pioneer Tianlong-3 Heavy LOX/RP-1 LEO: 68t Dec 2026 To be China's first private super heavy lift orbital launcher

Stay tuned

 

[skywatcher]

Full-scale mock-ups of the LOX/RP-1 fueled YF-100 & LOX/LH2 YF-77 fueled rocket engines used on Long March 5 since 2016

For original high resolution pic, click here:

View attachment Rocket_engines_at_NMC.jpg

 

[skywatcher]

Timeline of China's first Hubble-class space telescope CSST
●September 9 2024, the IV quadrant active optics and image stabilization tests, sky survey and terahertz micro-vibration and channel image quality tests;
●October 14 2024, the IV quadrant comprehensive thermal test:
●November 26 2024, the II quadrant active optics, image stabilization test, precision measurement and coronagraph micro-vibration and channel image quality test;
●December 30 2024, the comprehensive thermal test of Quadrant II:
●January 30, 2025, the general inspection of facilities;
●February 27, 2025, the docking of facilities and platforms;
●May 23, 2025, various integration tests;
●June 20, 2025, the optical facility transfer review;
●August 30, 2025, the back-end module flight parts integration and five-channel testing;
●May 2, 2026, the mechanical vibration test and retest of the facility completion and transfer to Tianjin;
●September 20, 2026, the product will be shipped out of the factory and shipped to the launch site;
●December 21, 2026, it will be ready for launch using Long March 5B.
View attachment 252916

CSST size comparison

 

[skywatcher]

Chinese Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope or FAST

FAST is the world's largest filled-aperture radio telescope.

 

[skywatcher]

Land Space files plans for 10,000-satellite constellation

HELSINKI — A Chinese firm linked to commercial rocket maker Landspace has filed a notification with the ITU for a constellation comprising 10,000 satellites.

Shanghai Lanjian Hongqing Technology Company, also known as Hongqing Technology, filed an Advance Publication Information (API) with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) May 24.

The filing outlines plans for a constellation named Honghu-3. It is to total 10,000 satellites across 160 orbital planes.

The API filing notifies the ITU and member states about its intention to launch a satellite network or system. Others can then review the proposed satellite network to assess any potential interference with their existing or planned satellite systems.

The Honghu constellation plan appears to be the third 10,000-plus satellite megaconstellation planned by Chinese entities. It follows the national Guowang plan and the Shanghai-backed G60 Starlink proposal, both of which have been approved by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). First batches of satellites for the pair are expected to launch in the coming months.

The development will likely renew concerns over crowding, collisions and debris in low Earth orbit. Presently, SpaceX’s Starlink is the largest operational constellation with over 5,000 operational satellites and plans for up to 42,000 spacecraft in orbit.

Landspace meanwhile is developing a stainless steel, reusable methane-liquid oxygen launcher named Zhuque-3. The 4.5-meter-diameter rocket is to be capable of carrying 21,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expendable.

Three Chinese mega-constellations have been approved to challenge SpaceX's Starlink
State-owned Guowang SatNet Constellation: 13,000+ satellites
State-owned G60 Starlink Constellation: 12,000+ satellites
Private Honghu Constellation: 10,000+ satellites
Total: 35,000+ satellites

 

[skywatcher]

China’s secretive spaceplane releases object into orbit

China’s experimental reusable spacecraft has released an unknown object into orbit while conducting its third mission.

spacenews.com

China’s secretive spaceplane releases object into orbit

Andrew Jones May 26, 2024

HELSINKI — China’s experimental reusable spacecraft has released an unknown object into orbit while conducting its third mission.

U.S. Space Force space domain awareness teams cataloged the object as 59884 (International designator 2023-195G). The suspected spaceplane launched Dec. 14, 2023 and has been in orbit 164 days. The object appears to have been released May 24.

Jonathan McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and a space activity tracker, first flagged the event. He speculated on X, formerly Twitter, that the object could be a subsatellite deployment, or a piece of hardware ejected prior to end of mission and deorbit.

The object may also be used for proximity and capture maneuvers. The spaceplane used a released object to perform multiple recaptures as part of on-orbit testing during its second flight.

China has maintained strict secrecy around the mission. The country’s space authorities have not released images nor descriptions of the spacecraft. The only official Chinese report on the activity is a short launch report hours after the event.

“During this period, reusable technology verification and space science experiments will be carried out as planned to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space

,” the report stated.


Chinese Orbital Spaceplane Missions

Mission	Launch Date	Landing Date	Duration	Time Since Previous Mission	Launch Site	Landing Site
Mission 1	September 4, 2020	September 6, 2020	2 days	N/A	Jiuquan spaceport	Lop Nur air base
Mission 2	August 4, 2022	May 8, 2023	~276 days	1 year, 11 months	Jiuquan spaceport	Lop Nur air base
Mission 3	December 14, 2023	N/A	164 days (ongoing)	7 months, 6 days	Jiuquan spaceport	Operational

 

[skywatcher]

Intense construction activities are underway 24/7 at China's 6th launch site

All construction work will be completed by June 2024 for the inaugural launch of the Guowang/StarNet & G60 Starlink mega constellations with 25,000 + satellites in totalView attachment 252305
View attachment 252302
View attachment 252303
View attachment 252304

Chinese launch sites(as of May 2024):
1.Jiuquan, Gansu province
2.Xichang, Sichuan province
3.Taiyun, Shanxi province
4.Wenchang, Hainan province
5.Haiyang Oriental Space Harbor, Shandong province
6.Hainan International Launch Site, Hainan province

Unconfirmed sources claim: China is considering building its 7th launch site Xiangshan launch site in Zhejiang province.

 

[skywatcher]

Private Galactic Energy Ceres-1 rocket plans three orbital launches in the next 8 days

 

[skywatcher]

Private Galactic Energy Ceres-1 rocket plans three orbital launches in the next 8 days
View attachment 255281
View attachment 255282

Galactic Energy: 10~15 orbital launches for 2024, 4 of which will be launched from sea platforms

 

[skywatcher]

Four large thrust Chinese methaox engines are under development
1.CASC 200T LOX/LCH4 methalox YF-215
2.Land Space 200T LOX/LCH4 methalox BF-20
3.JZYJ 200T LOX/LCH4 methalox engine
4.i-Space 300T LOX/LCH4 methalox engine
Stay tuned

 

[skywatcher]

All private Chinese orbital launches as of 31 May 2024

 

[skywatcher]

Goodbye guys. This is probably my last post on IDF.

I'm Skywatcher. Chasing the wonder egg of Chinese space flight. Peace.

 

[skywatcher]

Comparison of Chang'e 6 & Chang'e 5

 

[skywatcher]

Chang'e 6 lands!

 

[skywatcher]

Four large thrust Chinese methaox engines are under development
1.CASC 200T LOX/LCH4 methalox YF-215
2.Land Space 200T LOX/LCH4 methalox BF-20
3.JZYJ 200T LOX/LCH4 methalox engine
4.i-Space 300T LOX/LCH4 methalox engine
Stay tunedView attachment 255558

At least ten TQ-12 methalox engines spotted for Zhuque-2.

 

[skywatcher]

Extremely rare screenshot that shows great details of 130 t thrust YF-100K LOX/RP-1 rocket engine in 2017.

The nozzle shows it's indeed YF-100K and it was manufactured in 2016