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  China's 'reusable experimental spacecraft'

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Author Topic:   China's 'reusable experimental spacecraft'
Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 50394
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-04-2020 08:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
China launched a "reusable experimental spacecraft" on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Friday (Sept. 4), the Xinhua news agency reports.
After a period of in-orbit operation, the spacecraft will return to the scheduled landing site in China. It will test reusable technologies during its flight, providing technological support for the peaceful use of space.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50394
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-04-2020 08:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
No images of the spacecraft or the launch have been released as of yet. China said in 2017 that it aimed to test a reusable spaceplane in 2020, reports SpaceNews.
Apparent modification work had been carried out on the launch tower for the Long March 2F launch vehicle in recent months.

This led to speculation that the work would allow a launch with a payload wider than a standard Long March 2F mission. A winged space vehicle could require such preparations to be undertaken.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50394
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-06-2020 12:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
China's reusable spacecraft returned to Earth on Sunday (Sept. 6), the Xinhua news agency reports.
The successful flight marked the country's important breakthrough in reusable spacecraft research and is expected to offer convenient and low-cost round trip transport for the peaceful use of the space.

SpaceCadet1983
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From: Pacific NW, United States
Registered: May 2012

posted 09-06-2020 01:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceCadet1983   Click Here to Email SpaceCadet1983     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've been closely following this story (SatTrackCam). Hopefully some pictures of the modifications of the launch tower and booster will be forthcoming as well as of the vehicle itself.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50394
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-09-2022 03:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Xinhua state news agency release
China launches reusable experimental spacecraft

China on Friday, Aug. 5 (Aug. 4 EDT) successfully launched a reusable experimental spacecraft using a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest of the country.

After a period of in-orbit operation, the spacecraft will return to its scheduled landing site in China. It will test reusable technologies and in-orbit service technologies as planned during its flight, providing technological support for the peaceful use of space.

The launch was the 18th mission of the Long March-2F carrier rockets.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50394
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-09-2022 03:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The current flight launched on August 4 and has now lasted for five days, more than doubling the duration of the initial test flight, reports Ars Technica.
A reporter who specializes in the Chinese space program, Andrew Jones, also notes that the space plane is flying in a much more eccentric orbit this time, 346 km by 593 km, inclined at 50 degrees above the equator; compared to 331 km by 347 km, with a similar inclination, in 2020.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50394
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-08-2023 09:10 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) release
China's reusable test spacecraft lands successfully

The reusable test spacecraft launched by China at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center successfully returned to the scheduled landing site on May 8 after flying in orbit for 276 days.

The complete success of this test marks an important breakthrough in China's research on reusable spacecraft technology, which will provide a more convenient and inexpensive way to and from the peaceful use of space in the future.

All times are CT (US)

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