Focus on reusable rocket development, Kuaizhou rocket launches new track_Social News_Dazhong.com

China News Service, Wuhan, April 23: Focus on reusable rocket development and Kuaizhou Rocket’s new track

China News Service reporter Guo Chaokai Zhang Qin

It has created a successful launch of “8 battles and 8 victories”, the 70-ton liquid oxygen methane engine has passed the long-range thermal test test, and the reusable technology test arrow has completed the vertical take-off and landing test… In recent years, the Kuaizhou series rocket launch performance capabilities have continued to improve. And continue to make efforts on the new track of reusable rocket development.

On the occasion of “China Space Day” in 2024, reporters visited the Wuhan National Aerospace Industry Base Rocket Industrial Park in Xinzhou District, Wuhan City to learn about the latest progress in the research and development of Kuaizhou series rockets.

On September 29, 2018, China successfully launched the Microspace-1 test satellite into the predetermined orbit using the Kuaizhou-1A solid launch vehicle at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. (Photo courtesy of Aerospace Science and Industry Rocket Technology Co., Ltd.)

Accumulated steps: Kuaizhou series rockets have been launched a total of 31 times

Accumulating steps, reaching the sky. Up to now, the Kuaizhou series rockets are the solid launch vehicles with the most launches and consecutive successes in China, with a total of 31 launches.

Currently, there are two models of Kuaizhou series rockets put into commercial operation: Kuaizhou-1A and Kuaizhou-11. The Kuaizhou-1A rocket has completed 26 launches, sending 56 satellites into predetermined orbits. The Kuaizhou-11 rocket has successfully completed launch in 2022.

It is worth mentioning that the Kuaizhou-1A rocket once set a new launch record of “one approach, four successes in 18 days”. On January 11, 2024, the Kuaizhou-1A rocket launched the Tianxing-102 satellite into the predetermined orbit at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This was the fourth consecutive successful launch of this type of rocket from the same launch site within 18 days, highlighting the The Kuaizhou Rockets have achieved breakthroughs in a series of developments and changes.

The realization of “one approach, four speeds in 18 days” also marks that the Kuaizhou rocket has officially entered the industrialized “fast-frequency” launch stage of mass production, batch assembly, and batch launch. Behind the Kuaizhou rocket’s “faster” pace is the continuous improvement of launch performance capabilities.

In 2016, Aerospace Science and Industry Rocket Technology Co., Ltd., the developer of the Kuaizhou series rockets, signed its first commercial launch service contract. The cooperation model at that time mainly adopted the “retail” method of signing an order, producing once, and fulfilling the contract once. Nowadays, the company is transforming towards an industrialized mass production model. Through early production, rolling batch production, and batch final assembly of common rocket parts, the company provides “shelf” rocket products to better meet the urgent networking needs of satellite customers.

“Putting into mass production, producing first and then signing the contract, we are prepared for any disaster. Once the order comes, we only need to carry out customized partial design and production. This greatly shortens the contract fulfillment time from the supply method and improves the efficiency of launch services.” Deputy Director of Aerospace Science and Industry Rocket Technology Co., Ltd. General Manager Yao Shaojun said.

Zhao Shuang, marketing director of Aerospace Science and Industry Rocket Technology Co., Ltd. and deputy commander-in-chief of the Kuaizhou-1A rocket, told reporters that this year’s Kuaizhou series launch vehicles plan to complete 8-10 launch missions, and the number of satellites launched is expected to exceed 30. Currently, 2 launch missions have been successfully completed.

Taking big steps: Focus on reusable rocket development

In recent years, in the face of the large-scale and intensive constellation networking needs in the future market, in order to solve the problem of low-cost and high-frequency access to space, Aerospace Science and Industry Rocket Technology Co., Ltd. has continued to strengthen the development of solid launch vehicle technology and is accelerating its layout. A new generation of liquid rocket, a breakthrough in the key core technology of reusable liquid launch vehicles.

The reporter learned that the company has jointly established the Aerospace Liquid Power Hubei Engineering Research Center with Hubei Province to continuously improve the cold and hot test capabilities of liquid engines, and the verification of various key technologies is steadily advancing.

In November 2023, the 70-ton reusable liquid oxygen methane engine independently developed by the Kuaizhou rocket team successfully completed a 200-second full-system long-range thermal test. Not long after, this type of engine successfully completed hot test runs under multiple working conditions such as multiple starts, variable thrust, and ratings, and achieved verification of multiple technical indicators.

“The test flight time was 22 seconds, hovering in the air for 9 seconds, and the hovering height accuracy was 0.15 meters. The test arrow’s landing attitude was stable, the landing position was accurate, and the rocket body was in good condition.” In January 2024, the Kuaizhou team reported another good news, Kuaizhou The rocket reusable technology test arrow successfully completed the vertical take-off and landing test, achieving a new leap.

Zhao Shuang said that the company is currently developing kilometer-level recovery flight test products. The test arrow uses a 70-ton liquid oxygen methane engine as the main power and plans to complete the flight test this year.

On the basis of the original rocket model, the Kuaizhou rocket team has the courage to “take big steps” and achieve multiple breakthroughs in the field of reusable liquid oxygen methane launch vehicle landing technology, and is actively seizing the commanding heights of the future development of the commercial aerospace industry. (over)