China Announces Successful Test of World's Most Powerful Rocket Engine

[xizhimen]

China Announces Successful Test of World's Most Powerful Rocket Engine​

BY JOHN FENG ON 10/19/21 AT 4:40 AM EDT

Chinese scientists have conducted a successful test of the world's most powerful rocket engine, marking a significant step forward for the country's launch vehicle technologies, a state media report said on Tuesday.

The monolithic solid rocket motor, developed by a branch of the Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)—a state-owned contractor of the Chinese space program—is 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) in diameter and has a thrust of 500 tons, according to China's state broadcaster CCTV, which described it as the largest in the world.

The report said the rocket was independently designed by CASC's Academy of Aerospace Solid Propulsion Technology with a "high-performance" fiber composite shell and a "supersized" nozzle. It has a propellant capacity of 150 tons and is likely to play a central role in China's future manned missions to the moon and Mars.

CCTV, which remarked on the rocket's "world-leading" technologies, said: "This success marks a substantial increase in China's solid-carrying capacity and is of great significance to the future development of large and heavy-lift launch vehicle technologies."

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1450313791749562368

The country's rocket propulsion technology has progressed at a "gratifying pace" in recent years, but its heavy- and super heavy-lift launch vehicles still lag behind current world leaders, said the report. The broadcaster noted that the latest test marks the completion of a three-step process—beginning in 2009—which saw Chinese rocket engines develop from 120 tons to 200 tons and finally 500 tons in thrust.

The state media outlet said the original designs by the CASC academy are "not only safe and reliable, but also high-quality, low-cost, easy to use and durable."

Tuesday's test is another sign that China's space ambitions—backed by the most senior leadership—are looking long. Its 500-ton engine will power the next-generation Long March 9 rocket, which is under development and scheduled to operate by the end of the decade, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported in May.

Long March 9 could launch China's first crewed missions to the moon after 2030, with manned trips to Mars following that. China and Russia are also looking to jointly establish a lunar base after 2035.

Over the weekend, a group of three Chinese astronauts embarked on what will become their nation's longest-ever space mission. The crew of Shenzhou-13 docked with the Tianhe core module of China's Tiangong space station for six months, surpassing the Shenzhen 12 crew's previous record of 90 days in low-Earth orbit.

The crew of Shenzhou-13 are scheduled to return in spring 2022.

China Announces Successful Test of World's Most Powerful Rocket Engine

China's state media outlets announced the "world-leading" achievement on Tuesday in a significant step for the country's spacefaring ambitions.

www.newsweek.com

 

[xizhimen]

Hopefully Long March 9 can help China to beat US on manned mission to Mars. It'll be the world most powerful rocket by a significant margin.

CZ-5 and CZ-9

 

[Combat-Master]

How does it compare with P120 rocket motor?

 

[xizhimen]

Real time video of the test

 

[xizhimen]

China successfully tests world's largest solid-fuel rocket engine​

Oct.20 2021

China's self-developed solid rocket engine, featuring the world's largest thrust, has had a successful test run, marking a substantial improvement to the payload of the country's solid propellant rockets.

Key points:​

• China has test fired the world's most powerful solid rocket engine
• Scientists say it is the first time a rocket engine's gun powder load was more than 100 tons
• They will next aim to develop a 1,000-ton-thrust engine

The booster engine, with a diameter of 3.5 metres and a maximum thrust of 500 tons, powered by 150 tons of solid fuel, is the most powerful solid rocket engine.

Multiple cutting-edge technologies — for example, a high-performance fibre-composite shell, an integral-casting combustion chamber of high load and an oversized nozzle — make it a world-leading rocket engine.

"Today's testing is very successful. We have tested all the parameters, including the 500-ton thrust that worked for 115 seconds," said Ren Quanbin, president of the Fourth Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the developer.

Different from a liquid-fuelled engine, a solid rocket engine is powered by high-energy gunpowder, with the advantages of simple structure, flexible mobility and large instantaneous thrust.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1450389188944166913

"For solid rocket engines, the gunpowder load was several hundred kilograms, several tons or dozens of tons," said Yu Ying, head of the 7416 plant under the Fourth Research Institute.

"This is the first time to surpass 100 tons."

The successful test run offers more power options for the development of carrier rockets, and is of great significance in promoting the development of the country's large and heavy rockets.

Based on the newly tested booster engine, its developer has begun the study of the five-stage booster engine, the diameter of which can reach 3.5 meters and the thrust 1,000 tons.

"The test's success meant that we have achieved substantial progress in improving the capability of our solid-propellant carrier rockets," said Wang Jianru, the engine's chief designer, as quoted by state media outlet China Daily.

"It also laid the foundation for our research and development of a 1,000-ton-thrust engine."

The future booster engine is expected to be used in large and heavy rockets to meet various demands for launch vehicles during space missions like manned Moon landings and deep space exploration.

"We are at the international advanced level in the field of large solid rocket engines. Next, we will develop a 1,000-ton solid rocket engine to provide stronger thrust for China's carrier rockets in the future," said Dr Ren.

Earlier this week, China denied a report from the Financial Times that it tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in July, instead claiming it trialled a space vehicle.

"It was not a missile, it was a space vehicle," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular press briefing in Beijing when asked about the report.

It had been a "routine test" for the purpose of testing technology to reuse the vehicle, he added.

Last week, China launched a spacecraft carrying three astronauts to the core module of a future space station, where they are due to stay for six months, the longest duration in orbit for Chinese astronauts.

China tests world's largest rocket engine powered by high-energy gunpowder

China test fires the world's most powerful solid rocket engine, with the largest thrust, powered by 150 tons of solid fuel.

www.abc.net.au