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Long March 5 China's space station just got closer.

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  • 06-11-2016 12:41pm
    #1
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,400 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    China's space station gets closer.

    http://www.popsci.com/china-launches-its-largest-ever-rocket-long-march-5
    Built by the Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the heavy space launch LM-5 has a thrust of 1060 tons and a massive payload capacity of 25 tons, putting it in the same class as global heavyweights like the American Atlas V, Delta IV Heavy and European Ariane V. The LM-5 carried the experimental Shijian 17 electronic propulsion satellite into geostationary orbit (GEO).

    http://www.space.com/11591-china-space-station-tiangong-infographic.html

    Like EU and Japan , China can join modules in orbit. So while they don't have the heavy lifting of the SLS they, like the others, can assemble equally heavy stuff. And far cheaper too when you take into account the total development costs of all the launchers based on flight proven hardware , mostly from the non-reusable bits of the Space Shuttle.


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    #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,400 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    http://www.popsci.com/china-launches-its-largest-ever-rocket-long-march-5
    The LM-5 has a long mission manifest in the years to come. Next year, it's rumored to be launching a next generation Chinese military communications satellite to GEO, and then the Chang'e 5 lunar soil return mission and the Martian rover in 2018-19. More heavy lifting will follow, for the 20-ton modules of the Chinese permanent space station. Potential future missions after that include launching large spy satellites, and even a possible manned lunar mission involving multiple LM-5s.
    ...
    China's Martian rover will come equipped with various scientific tools and instruments, such as a laser spectrometer. In addition to meeting the demands of Martian environmental challenges like atmospheric interference with solar power collection, Chinese scientists hope the rover will make new discoveries about Martian characteristics like weather and geology. Only the LM-5E's large GTO payload can launch the Chinese Martian rover for its 2018-2019 target date.


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