After the successful implementation of the first new launch vehicle “Changzheng-5” China has taken a step forward in the construction of the space station.
The carrier rocket “chanchzhen-5” was specifically designed to launch space station modules, said Wang Jue, the head of team rocket series “Changzheng-5” Chinese research Institute of space technology (CALT) with the Chinese Corporation aerospace science and technology.
The new missile, which is a modified version of China’s largest carrier rocket “Changzheng-5”, will help China to expand its aerospace activities, said the head of CALT Wang Xiaojun.
The length of the booster is around 53.7 m, the diameter of the main stage — 5 m and a diameter of each of the four boosters — 3,35 m.
A rocket engine runs on environmentally friendly fuels such as liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and kerosene. Its launch weight is about 849 tons, and a launch thrust of about 1078 tons.
The carrier rocket “Changzheng-5” will be used primarily to launch large spacecraft in high earth orbit and launch probes for deep space exploration such as lunar probe “Chang’e-5” and a probe to study Mars. According to the statement of CALT, the rocket “Changzheng-5” will deliver the capsule to the Chinese space station, and output of large spacecraft in low earth orbit.
Rocket “chanchzhen-5” has raised the possibility of China to launch cargo into orbit from about 14 to 22 tons, which is equivalent to the capacity of leading launch vehicles of other countries.
“Changzheng-5” with the largest carrying capacity among the existing in China rockets allows you to launch large spacecraft. For example, each module of the Chinese space station will weigh more than 20 tons and, respectively, will be launched into space only through a new missile family “Changan”.
The research team spent nearly 10 years developing a new missile, having made a breakthrough in some key technologies, said the chief designer of the rocket If Dun.
“Changzheng-5” is equipped with the largest cone among the Chinese launch vehicles, specially designed for the delivery of the space station modules.
According to Lee Tung, to meet the requirements of convergence to the phase connections and docking modules, the rocket “Changzheng-5B” should be made in the “smallest possible launch window”, that is, the error in start time must be less than a second.
“Changzheng-5” one main stage and four boosters has a simpler construction and higher reliability compared with multi-stage missiles. However, the rocket tasked with the removal of the payload into orbit, that its process is like taking the Express train, which dramatically slows down and stops in a stable position at a given point.
A group of researchers equipped with advanced missile technology, guidance, navigation and control, to continuously adjust the desired trajectory, said Lee Tung.
