meiza - 12/3/2008 9:21 AMI don't think circumlunar or Lunar orbital flight amounts to much... It's the surface that is the place for humans.
meiza - 25/4/2008 7:22 PMGood finds! What is the structure below the satellite ("something 2") in the cutaway?The second stage seems to have a common bulkhead. Main and second stages have helium bottles inside the hydrogen tank.This looks quite a bit like the Ariane.The 120 t booster engine YF-100 is roughly in RD-191 class, or half of RD-180.The 50 t YF-77 engine is in the RL-60 class, about half of Vulcain or J-2. But there are two of them. EDIT: Looks like a gas generator engine from the picture.The Second stage YF-75D is also unknown in the internet.So two new hydrogen engines and one new kerosene engine. That's a huge investment.
meiza - 25/4/2008 11:11 PMAh, thank you very much for the clarifications! I should have understood to notice it was satellite 2 from the similar text.This really could try to be an "Ariane killer" on the international satellite launch market. A wakeup call at ESA, CNES and Arianespace is needed. And with the Russians too. USA has already dropped out.If they haven't noted this already, that is. New launch center and transport via ship and all...Of course, since this technology is so complex and expensive, everything will happen as if in slow motion during the following years. There's some more info here:http://www.sinodefence.com/strategic/launchvehicle/cz5.aspand herehttp://www.geocities.com/launchreport/cz5.htmlAnd they mention 2014 for the first launch date. That is still very far off.YF-100's ISP of 300/336 s SL/VAC hints at staged combustion...
summit - 6/5/2008 7:52 AMThe new CZ5 chinese launcher is a family. For the first time in space industry, the goal is to have 4 cryogenis engines (YF-75 and th 100t, the 50t and the 50tV2) that will be build into 8 modules from 2,3m diameter to 5m diamter module. The family is also composed of 12 new launchers.
The Second stage YF-75D is also unknown in the internet.So two new hydrogen engines and one new kerosene engine. That's a huge investment.
the arm looks quite like Atlas V