Chinese Space Program

The Next Decade

Chen Lan,
independent space analyst, Shanghai, China
 Space Transportation
New Heavy Launcher
Long March 5
LEO payload 25t and GTO payload 14t
Upper stage YF-100 & YF-77 Engines near completion
YF-75D for GTO YF-75D in slow progress
YZ-2 for SSO Baseline model (2.5 stage, GTO 10t) to be
launched in 2014. Five other models planned
5m core Developed by CALT
2xYF-77
Tianjin factory to be completed by end of 2010
Hainan Launch Site
Ground breaking in September 2009
First pad ready for CZ-5 launch in 2013
3.35m/2.25m strap-on Theme Park designed by BRC Imagination Arts , a
1xYF-77 company designed NASA KSCs Visitor Complex

YF-100: the 120t thrust kerosene/LOX staged combustion engine

YF-115: the smaller version of YF-100, with 15t of thrust
YF-77: the 50t thrust cryogenic engine
YF-75D: the expander cycle version of the 8t thrust YF-75
YZ-1 and 2: the rumored kerosane/H2O2 engine with 1KN thrust
 Space Transportation
Replacement of Current Launchers

Long March 2,3,4

Long March 2,3,4 to be phased out 3.35m+2.25m core
CZ-2F/G: used to launch Tiangong 1xYF-100
spacelab Upper stage 1xYF-115
YF-75 for GTO
Long March 6 YZ-1 for SSO
SSO payload: 1t 3.35m core
2xYF-100
Developed by SAST, Shanghai
2xYF-115
Maiden flight set in 2013
Long March 7
LEO 13.5t 2.25m strap-on
Replacement of current Long March 2,3,4. 1xYF-100
Formerly known as CZ-2F/H
Developed by CALT, Beijing
Maiden flight set in 2014
 Space Transportation
Future Launchers

Super Heavy Launch Vehicle

Developed for future manned lunar missions after 2020
Latest proposal: launch mass 4,000t, take-off thrust 5,000t, LEO 130t,
Configuration 1: 660t class kerosene/LOX engine + 200t class cryogenic engine.
Configuration 2: 1,000t class segmental solid motor + 200t class cryogenic engine.
Unlikely get approval before CZ-5s maiden launch
Mobile and Air Launchers
CASIC is still developing the KT-1A and 1B based on the ill-fated KT-1
CASC has also a solid mobile launcher proposal with LEO capacity of 1t. A 120t
solid motor successfully conducted ground firing early 2010
Both CASC and CASIC have air launcher designs
Space Transportation
Advanced Researches

Shenlong Spaceplane
Similar to X-34 in appearances but designed to be an
orbital vehicle.
Drop test is rumoured in 2009. Orbital flight pending
RLV
Announced as a long term objective and began
studies from late 1990s
Most studies are focused on a two-stage parachute-
recovered design
Airbreathing vehicles
Extensive Researches in the last decade. HIT, NUAA,
NWPU (all universities) lead the study
Flight test rumoured
In-space propulsion
Xenon Ion Engine displayed. To be tested on Shijian 9
satellite
 Deep Space Exploration
Change 2 Lunar Orbiter

An intermediate mission using Change 1

backup
Launched by a CZ-3C on Oct 1st and
inserted in lunar orbit on Oct 6th, entered
100x15km orbit on Oct 26th
TDI-CCD camera with 10m and 1.5m
resolution from 100km and 15km above
A major objective is to survey Sinus
Iridium area, one of 5 Change 3 landing
sites
Testing new technologies for future lunar
and deep space missions, e.g X-band
TC&C, direct-to-moon launch trajectory
Mission duration: 6 months. Extended
mission to be decided. Return to Earths
orbit is proposed as Change 3 rehearsal
 Deep Space Exploration
Future Unmanned Lunar Missions
Change 3 & 4 Landing Mission
Change 3 landing/rover mission scheduled in 2013 (using CZ-3B)
A six-wheel rover weighing 120kg with payload of 20kg and design life of three
months
RTG, variable thrust engine and some subsystems already developed and tested
First telescope on the moon EUV, the Extreme Ultra Violet Telescope with
aperture of 12cm
Change 4 is backup of Change 3
Change 5 & 6 Sample Return Mission
Still in definition stage
Sample return mission around 2018 using a CZ-5
 Deep Space Exploration
Interplanetary missions

Yinghuo-1 Mars Probe

110kg piggyback satellite on Russian Phobos-Grunt
mission. Launch delayed to 2011
Scientific objectives: Martian occultation observation,
Martian ionosphere and magnetic field detection,
imaging
Engineering objectives: GaAs solar cell and lithium-ion
battery, autonomous control, wake-up after 11 months,
VLBI tracking and deep space uplink/downlink
TC&C will be a challenge for China
Other Missions
Independent Mars mission considered in 2013-2015
Solar Polar Orbit Radio Topographer (SPORTS)
Kuafu at L-1 orbit
ASTROD I: Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity
using Optical Devices
 Deep Space Exploration
Deep Space Tracking Network

New 64m and 35m USB tracking antenna

are under construction in Jiamusi and
Kashgar. Will build the third one in South
America
New 80m and 65m VLBI (Very Long
Baseline Interferometry) radio telescopes
under construction in Urumqi and Shanghai
Five hundred meter Aperture Spherical
Telescope (FAST) to start construction soon
X-band tracking and control
Yuanwang 7 deep space tracking ship in
consideration
 Manned Space Program
Space Laboratory

Tiangong 1 & SZ-8,9,10 Mission

Launch delayed to 2011
Mission objectives: a docking target and a station prototype, student
payloads
Docking system similar to APAS-89
Designed life time: two years, with manoeuvre capability
Shenzhou 8 (2011): unmanned docking test
Shenzhou 9 (2012): manned docking test
Shenzhou 10 (2012): scientific mission
Tiangong 2 & 3
Tiangong 2 focuses on Earth observation
and new technology experiment (e.g. robotic arm)
Tiangong 3 focuses on regenerative life
support system to be used in the future
station
To be launched and visited by Shenzhou
11-14 in 2013-2015
 Manned Space Program
Modular Space Station

Modular Space Station

A core module and two research
modules three 20t class modules
At least 2 docking ports able to
accept a manned ship and a cargo
chip
Manoeuvre capability
Core module launched before 2020
Cargo ship
Based on Tiangong
13-ton class, with 5.5t up capability,
launched by CZ-7
Dry cargo and refuelling capability
To be tested in late 2010s
 Manned Space Program
Spaceflight Operations

New Taikonaut Group

Selected in May 2010
Six members, including two females, all from PLAAF
Participate Shenzhou flight as early as in 2013
Space Station Operation
Open to scientists and engineers
Minorities, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
Space tourist: not in near future
Guest taikonauts from other countries
possible
International Cooperation
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited China October 18-21, 2010. A sign of
ice-breaking?
China and ISS: Shenzhou and Chinese modules will be technically matured
enough to be integrated with ISS after 2015
China and Russia: long term partner
 Manned Space Program
Deep Space Manned spaceflight

Lunar Landing Mission

Still in concept stage. Unlikely to be approved
before 2015
Two kinds of proposals: using enhanced CZ-5
launcher, or develop a new 100+ ton class heavy
launcher
Spacecraft will be based on Shenzhou with an
stretched propulsion module and a newly
developed landing module
Possible scenario: One manned lunar landing
before 2030 and lunar base after 2030
Mars and Deep Space missions
No serious discussions in China
Chinese participant in Mars 500
Possible International cooperation?
 Satellite Programs
Military Satellite
Comsat
Chinasat-22 series (Fenghuo, tactical comsat)
Chinasat-20 series (Shentong, strategic comsat)
Earth Observation satellite
Optical: Yaogan 2/ 4/7/11 & Yaogan 8 series
SAR: Yaogan 1/3/10 and Yaogan 5, 6 series
Tianhui: Mapping
ELINT
Shijian 6
Yaogan 9 ocean surveillance
ASAT
What does Shijian 11/Shijian-12 rendezvous test mean?

China has established a foundation of military space infrastructure in

2000s. In the next decade, existing systems will be upgraded and
expanded. New capabilities will also be built
 Satellite Programs
Dual-use Satellite

Beidou 2
To establish regional positioning capability by 2012 with 5
GEO, 3 IGSO, 4 MEO satellites
To complete a global positioning system by 2020 with 5
GEO, 3 IGSO and 24 MEO satellites
Positioning precision: 10m for public signal, providing
messaging capability for specific users
Up to end of October 2010, 5 satellites (3 GEO, 1 IGSO, 1
MEO) were launcher. Among them, one GEO sat has failed.
Tianlian (CTDRSS)
Tianlian-1, the experimental TDRS satellite based on DFH-3
bus, was launched in 2008 and tested in Shenzhou 7 flight
The second generation system will consist of 3 GEO
satellites based on DFH-4 bus (one as backup)
Objective: to support earth observation satellites and
manned spaceflight
 Satellite Programs
Application Satellite
Comsat
DFH-5 Bus: Launch mass 6.5-7.0t, payload 1.5t, 20KW power, deployable
radiator, GaAs solar cells and lithium-ion battery, electric propulsion
Planned: Broadband Multimedia comsat, S-Band comsast, LEO comsat (under
study)
Earth Resource satellite
CBERS 5&6
Ziyuan 3: Mapping
Electromegmeyoc Smallsat for earthquake
prediction
Huanjing: the SAR sat to be launched 2011
Finally 4 optical + 4 SAR
Meteorological Satellite
FY-3: new generation SSO satellite. The second planned end of 2010 (launched!)
FY-4: new generation GEO satellite. To be launched after 2010
Ocean Satellite
HY-2: Ocean dynamics satellite. To be launched in 2011
HY-3: A combined ocean color and ocean dynamics satellite
CFOSat: A China-France Ocean Satellite
 Satellite Programs
Science and Engineering Satellite

Microgravity Research
Shijian 10 to be launched 2011-2012
FSW recoverable satellite may evolves into
a microgravity platform
Engineering Test:
Shijian 9A: experimental Xenon Ion engine
In-orbit Laser communication test
Astronomical
HXMT: Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope. Having funding issue
SST: Long waited 1m Infrared telescope. Having funding issue
SVOM: Space multi-band Variable Object Monitor, a China-France joint project.
To be launched by Vega in 2014
SMESE: The Small Explorer for Solar Eruptions, another China-France joint
project
Others
Gravity Field Measuring Satellite System
Smallsats developed by CAST, SAST and various universities
 A Tiangong-ISS Mutual Rescue Proposal

ATV as Tiangong as
a Shenzhou temp shelter an ISS shelter

Soyuz as
a transportation vehicle

The only hardware changes is to add a drogue port at Shenzhou and launch it into the ISS orbital plane
No modification on ISS side and no need for China to access ISS (a political obstacle)
Thank You!