CZ-6 Unmanned Space Launch Vehicle
© By Charles P. Vick (All Rights Reserved)
Senior Analyst, Globalsecurity.org
9-8-09
Disclaimer The opinions and evaluations stated here in are only the authors and cannot be construed to reflect those of any government agency, company, institute or association. It is based on public information, circumstantial evidence, informed speculation, and official PRC Chinese government. As with all data regarding the Chinese space programs, this analysis is subject to revision--and represents a work in progress. It reflects the total open source analysis process and previous studies using the same information analysis process.
This kerosene liquid oxygen series of boosters in all cases are to do the building block technology demonstration path finding hard development work for the benefit of the Long March-5 medium heavy lift booster series.
LM-6 Unmanned SLV
This launch vehicle will be used strictly for carrying unmanned launches with a smaller diameter payload shroud. This will give the booster a payload capacity on the order of 500 kilograms. This booster series has had it entire inertial guidance and flight avionics control systems totally redesigned for greater accuracy and safety. The two stage booster is based on the Long March-5, 2.25 meter diameter strap-on boosters. Its first stage will utilize a single 120 tons thrust YF-100 kerosene liquid oxygen propellants engine. That gives it a total liftoff thrust on the order of 120 metric tons. What it will utilize for its second stage has not yet been identified but could be the 2.25 meter diameter liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen third stage of the Long March-3, 3A series. Its first flight test is expected in the 2009-2010 time period.
On September 6th 2009 China's National Space Administration announced that it had started the development of the (Long March) CZ-6 boosters with its expected launch scheduled for the middle of the next five year plan during 2013. It is being lead by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation utilizing the existing industrial base for hardware construction development.
