CZ-5 Space Launch Vehicle
According to Premier Zhu Rongji's instruction in his Government Work Report at the Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress, that the Chinese Government should lay emphasis on the important high-tech projects including a new generation launch vehicle. Now the advanced development of the new generation launch vehicle started completely. A symposium on reviewing the advanced development of China's new generation launch vehicle sponsored by Commission of Space, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND) was held in Beijing on 10 May 2001.
The technological way to develop a new generation of launch vehicles is as follows: "one emphasis, the development of two propulsion systems and three modules". The "One Emphasis" is to develop the heavy launch vehicle with a diameter of 5 meters. The "Two Systems" are two new propulsion systems: one uses the 500kN hydrogen and oxygen propellant engine and another uses the 1200kN liquid oxygen/kerosene engine. The diameters of the "Three Modules" are 5m, 3.35m and 2.25m respectively.
The new generation launch vehicle will use 120 ton liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engine and 50 ton LH/LO engine as its propulsion system. Its payload capability into LEO will be 1.5-25 ton, and into GTO be 1.5- 14 ton. It will be characterized by large thrust, non-toxic and pollution free propellants, low cost and high reliability. It can meet the demands of the market at home and abroad within the next 10-30 years.
For the new generation of space launch vehicle China plans to develop one series, two kinds of engines and three modules. That means, China will take the LOX/kerosene and LOX/LH engines as propulsion systems and finally realize the generalization, seriation and modularization. This will require gradually developing the new generation of launch vehicles with 5m, 3.35m and 2.25m diameter modules respectively, among which the 5m diameter core stage will use 3.35m diameter module as its booster, 3.35m diameter core stage will use 2.25m diameter module as its booster. And the 3.35m and 2.25m modules also can be used independently.
China's new generation launch vehicle will be based on the basic version. With boosters added on it such launch vehicle can launch various payloads ranging from 10 tons to 25 tons and with the upper stage module it can launch GTO payloads ranging from 6 tons to 13 tons. After China's new generation launch vehicle is successfully developed, the LEO payload capability will surpass 20 tons, and can launch a 20 tonnage permanent man-tended space station, promoting the development of our space application industry. Because the new heavy launch vehicle has fewer engines that ignite on the ground, fewer stages (one and a half) and better manned environment, and use nontoxic propellants. The new launch vehicle can either launch a large space telescope to promote the development of our astronomy, or launch deep space probes, such as a large lunar probe and Martian probe to promote the development of deep space exploration science. As it can launch two 6-ton GTO satellites or one 12-ton very large GTO satellite, it can basically meet the needs of the launch of the geosynchronous communications satellite within decades.
