-
#40
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 09 Jun, 2012 13:35
-
-
#41
by
ChileVerde
on 10 Jun, 2012 19:15
-
Recent photos of the construction site (credit: cruelworm@9ifly):
Translations, por favor. Also, the X= and Y= in the fourth picture look like they might some sort of geodetic coordinates; are they, and if so, what kind?
And most important of all, what are the good restaurants in the area? I don't rule out a trip to Hainan once the CZ-5 starts flying.
-
#42
by
vulture4
on 28 Jun, 2012 19:00
-
The single path splitting at both ends on the photo is very similar to the existing MLP track layout at Jiuquan's South Launch Site 1. At one end the VAB has two bays; at the other there are two launch pads. A simple and logical arrangement.
Translations (with kind help of Chinese friends)
VAB and launch pad photo labels, top to bottom:
1. Long March 5 assembly building 1
2. Long March 5 assembly building 2
3. Transfer route
4. Launch Complex 1
5. Launch Complex 2
Posts beside road:
Left Post: Right post:
"Restricted area - military base" "Army construction area"
Sign with numbers:
"Construction Company"
"078 Project number 802"
On plans: "Not for construction" or "Draft only"
-
#43
by
ChileVerde
on 05 Jul, 2012 18:15
-
1. Long March 5 assembly building 1
2. Long March 5 assembly building 2
3. Transfer route
4. Launch Complex 1
5. Launch Complex 2
A somewhat belated thanks for the translations. It seems to me that the most significant parts are the numbers "1" and "2". Are those signs that some sort of campaign requiring multiple -- or at least two -- launches is contemplated, rather than a series of essentially independent launches?
-
#44
by
byxiao
on 06 Jul, 2012 00:59
-
1. Long March 5 assembly building 1
2. Long March 5 assembly building 2
3. Transfer route
4. Launch Complex 1
5. Launch Complex 2
A somewhat belated thanks for the translations. It seems to me that the most significant parts are the numbers "1" and "2". Are those signs that some sort of campaign requiring multiple -- or at least two -- launches is contemplated, rather than a series of essentially independent launches?
It's a backup, in fact ,for every mission, they made two spacecrafts, when one failed, they use another as soon as possible, but after launching, launch pad normally need maintenance, so shift to another one.
-
#45
by
vulture4
on 06 Jul, 2012 03:27
-
1. Long March 5 assembly building 1
2. Long March 5 assembly building 2
3. Transfer route
4. Launch Complex 1
5. Launch Complex 2
A somewhat belated thanks for the translations. It seems to me that the most significant parts are the numbers "1" and "2". Are those signs that some sort of campaign requiring multiple -- or at least two -- launches is contemplated, rather than a series of essentially independent launches?
It's a backup, in fact ,for every mission, they made two spacecrafts, when one failed, they use another as soon as possible, but after launching, launch pad normally need maintenance, so shift to another one.
Similarly most US pads were duplicates (Delta II, Titan, Shuttle, Atlas) .for backup, maintenance outages and for surge capacity. This changed with Falcon, Atlas V and Delta IV, partly because the on-pad processing and turnaround times and maintenance requirements are lower and partly because there is less need for very high launch rates. China has a backup pad for the LM-2F/G at Jiuquan but notably it was used only for unmanned launches and was apparently not man-rated.
-
#46
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 10 Jul, 2012 10:56
-
I've got some VERY interesting photos of the construction site at WSLC (from
http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=38&pid=210181&fromuid=19646), which pretty much confirms the layout of the launch site:
- Two launch pads, apparently one for the CZ-5 and one for the CZ-7. Both pads features a fixed service tower (the one on the bigger pad reaches a height of 91 meters!) with rotating service platforms and a deep flame trench (22 meters deep for the bigger pad)
-TWO VIFs, one for the CZ-5 and one for the CZ-7. The two are linked together by a horizontal "low bay" for rocket storage.
-The spacecraft processing and launch control facilities are just west of the VIBs.
-Construction of the pads and facilities are in full swing, merely 3 years after the construction officially started (2009-09-14). The flame trench is more or less complete, and the service towers are being pieced together.
Photos 1-15 are from the CZ-5 pad site, photos 16-20 are from the CZ-7 pad site.
-
#47
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 10 Jul, 2012 10:58
-
-
#48
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 10 Jul, 2012 11:22
-
An annotated version of photo 6, which shows the facilities of the launch site.
Interestingly the two new tracking stations are located at Tongguling (15 km east of WSLC) and on the
Paracel Islands (
) ...
-
#49
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 10 Jul, 2012 14:35
-
Turns out that
Bing Maps has clear aerial photos of the future launch site: go to 19°38′N 110°57′E, select aerial mode, and you can see the completed flame trench of the two future launch pads and the construction site of the VIF complex.
-
#50
by
ChileVerde
on 10 Jul, 2012 18:37
-
- Two launch pads, apparently one for the CZ-5 and one for the CZ-7. Both pads features a fixed service tower (the one on the bigger pad reaches a height of 91 meters!) with rotating service platforms and a deep flame trench (22 meters deep for the bigger pad)
Once more, thanks!
The CZ-5, according to the Source of All Wisdom, Wikipedia, will be only a bit over 60 meters tall. So is the pad being built with the idea of accommodating CZ-9 or other BFR, should they appear? Does the size of the flame trench provide any clues as to the maximum thrust at lift-off the pad can handle?
-
#51
by
vulture4
on 12 Jul, 2012 13:07
-
It looks like the mobile launch platform in the conceptual drawing on the poster runs on tires rather than rails; similar to LC-39 but an unusual choice for such a heavy load. Also the LV in the artist's concept on the display poster appears to be a CZ-7, the medium lift Kerosene/LOX rocket which will be more or less a direct replacement for the CZ-2 and its highly toxic UDMH/N2O2 propellants, and will presumably be the primary LV for the Shenzou.
So apparently there is one assembly building and one pad for the CZ-5 and one set for the CZ-7, and for the moment human launch will probably use only the CZ-7. Has anything been said about when it will be operational?
-
#52
by
ChileVerde
on 23 Nov, 2012 19:20
-
I just checked out the DigitalGlobe browse images of the Wenchang center and found one taken by QuickBird 2 on 24 October 2012. At the browse resolution, not much change is seen at the launch site itself, but there seems to have been major road construction on the peninsula to the northeast. Perhaps associated with the intended tourist industry. Image attached, with another QB02 of 5 June 2011 for comparison.
-
#53
by
russianhalo117
on 23 Nov, 2012 20:09
-
I just checked out the DigitalGlobe browse images of the Wenchang center and found one taken by QuickBird 2 on 24 October 2012. At the browse resolution, not much change is seen at the launch site itself, but there seems to have been major road construction on the peninsula to the northeast. Perhaps associated with the intended tourist industry. Image attached, with another QB02 of 5 June 2011 for comparison.
I heard that port is planned for the area. No mention was made though as to what entity plans to use it one its built.
-
#54
by
ChileVerde
on 23 Nov, 2012 20:40
-
I heard that port is planned for the area. No mention was made though as to what entity plans to use it one its built.
As I understand it, the CZ-5 stages are supposed to be shipped by sea to the Wenchang center from the Tianjin rocket factory.
-
#55
by
Mighty-T
on 24 Nov, 2012 18:56
-
... from the Tianjin rocket factory.
I'm not sure if it fits this thread, but do we have google maps coordinates for the Tianjin factory?
Thanks!
-
#56
by
ChileVerde
on 24 Nov, 2012 19:50
-
... from the Tianjin rocket factory.
I'm not sure if it fits this thread, but do we have google maps coordinates for the Tianjin factory?
Thanks!
An interesting question. It's in the Binhai New Area, and there are several big buildings there that might be it. I'll see if it can be located more accurately. Somewhere around 39.0 N, 117.7 E, I'd guess.
-
#57
by
limen4
on 02 Dec, 2012 11:17
-
-
#58
by
20350902
on 09 Jan, 2013 12:35
-
Vehicle Assembly Building in Wenchang
-
#59
by
ChileVerde
on 16 Jan, 2013 15:38
-
Vehicle Assembly Building in Wenchang
I didn't see those pictures until just now; thanks a lot for posting them. It would appear that the launch center is on its way to meet the 2014 IOC date.
) ...