China’s main space contractor will target more than 40 orbital launches this
year, including completion of the Tiangong space station, following 48
successful launches in 2021.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC)
stated
on social media that it is targeting more than 40 launches, including six
missions to complete the construction of the country’s space station.
The Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft will launch on a Long March 7 from Wenchang
to dock with the orbiting Tianhe core module around March or April,
following the end of the ongoing, six-month Shenzhou-13 crewed mission.
The station’s third crewed mission, Shenzhou-14, will follow Tianzhou-4. The
mission’s three astronauts will be aboard Tianhe for the arrival of the
20-metric-ton-plus Wentian and Mengtian modules, expected to launch around
June and August respectively.
The module launches will complete the T-shaped orbital outpost. Tianzhou-5
will launch ahead of Shenzhou-15, both scheduled for late in the year.
The module launches will be followed closely, partly due to the significance
of the missions, but also because of the use of the Long March 5B, the two
previous launches of which saw the large first stages make high-profile
uncontrolled reentries which sparked acrimony.
The Tiangong space station is planned to operate in orbit for at least ten
years. It will host a range of international experiments through
collaboration with the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, and
potentially foreign astronauts and further modules in the coming years.
CASC will also launch the first Long March 6A, featuring a liquid core with
solid boosters, from a new complex constructed at the Taiyuan spaceport. The
Long March 8 will launch for the second time in February, but it is unknown
if the mission will include tests related to plans for the eventual recovery
and reuse of its first stage.
The group does not release a detailed manifest, meaning mission timing and
payloads are often unknown until after launch. Airspace closure notices
remain a main indicator of upcoming missions.
The workhorse Long March 3B will likely launch a number of communications
and possibly replacement Beidou satellites in geosynchronous and medium
Earth orbits. Weather, remote sensing, technology test and classified Shiyan
and Shijian satellites can also be expected to be sent into orbit.
A number of sea launches of the Long March 11 are also expected from a new
Eastern spaceport in Shandong province, established to facilitate maritime
missions. A new vessel is being prepared to host the launches, which have
previously been conducted in the Yellow Sea.
Possible space science launches include the Advanced Space-based Solar
Observatory (ASO-S), which follows the October launch of the Chinese H-alpha
Solar Explorer (CHASE), or Xihe.
The Einstein Probe, an X-ray survey satellite featuring lobster-eye optics
and dedicated to time-domain high-energy astrophysics, could also launch
before the end of the year.
CASC will be continuing development of two new super heavy-lift launch
vehicles, the Long March 9 and a new rocket for lunar crewed missions.
Overall China launched 55 times in 2021, with 48 Long March launches. 2022
could involve even more activity outside of CASC.
Commercial launch activity
In Addition to CASC activity a number of launches will be conducted by
companies which are spinoffs from CASC and two other giant state-owned
entities, the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC), and the
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
CASIC spinoff Expace had planned to launch at least 12 Xingyun satellites
for CASIC’s narrowband Internet of Things constellation, as well as missions
for commercial customers. However the Dec. 15 failure of its Kuaizhou-1A
solid rocket could bring lengthy delays, just months after the rocket
returned to action following being grounded for one year due to a 2020
failure. The larger Kuaizhou-11 has yet to fly following the loss of its
first flight in 2020.
CAS spinoff Zhongke Aerospace, also known as CAS Space, is preparing to
conduct its first launch in the first quarter of the year. The Lijian-1
(Zhongke-1A) solid rocket. Capable of lifting 1.5 tons to LEO, the ZK-1A
could be China’s largest solid orbital rocket in terms of payload capacity
at time of flight.
China Rocket, spun off from CASC, states it will launch the first Jielong-3
solid during 2022, providing yet more competition among three major groups.
The firm says the rocket will be capable of lifting 1.5 tons into a
500-kilometer-altitude m Sun-synchronous orbit, and carry up to 20
satellites.
Private firm Galactic Energy will soon follow up its second successful
launch of the Ceres-1 solid rocket with up to five further launches from
Jiuquan, northwest China, during 2022. It could also debut the liquid
Pallas-1 before the end of the year.
Landspace is preparing to launch its methane-liquid oxygens Zhuque-2 rocket
in the first quarter of the year, which could be the world’s first methalox
orbital launch.
Private firms iSpace and Deep Blue Aerospace are planning hop tests as part
of the development of reusable first stages for their respective methalox
Hyperbola-2 and kerosene-liquid oxygen Nebula-1 rockets.
Space Pioneer is meanwhile working on its Tianlong-1 commercial reusable
launch vehicle. Linkspace could also be active following self-development of
a new engine for its reusable rocket plans.
Source: Link
Tags:
Space & Astrophysics