Just now, the monolithic solid rocket motor with the largest thrust in the world that is independently developed by China and can be used in engineering has been successfully tested in the Fourth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group.
The engine has a diameter of 3.5 meters and a thrust of 500 tons. It adopts a number of advanced technologies such as a high-performance fiber composite material shell, a high-loading integrally cast combustion chamber, and an oversized nozzle. The overall performance of the engine has reached the world's leading level.
The success of the test indicates that China's solid carrying capacity has been greatly improved, and it provides more power options for the development of China's launch vehicle type spectrum, and is of great significance to the development of large and heavy launch vehicle technology in the future.
News link: "Overall" and "Segmented" two technical routes go hand in hand
Carrying development, power first.
As early as the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, our country’s astronauts took precautions, aimed at the forefront of world aerospace development and the technical requirements of China’s carrier rockets for high-thrust and high-performance solid rocket engines, based on the two “integrated” and “segmented” types. We have carried out pre-research on large-scale solid engines in advance.
In 2009, China successfully developed the country’s largest monolithic solid rocket motor with a diameter of 2 meters and a thrust of 120 tons, which directly promoted the first all-solid carrier rocket in China’s Long March series of carrier rockets, the Long March 11th. The establishment of the project has become an important milestone for China's solid power to move into the field of aerospace transportation.
In 2019, in order to further enhance the solid carrying capacity and the competitiveness of the commercial aerospace market, China has independently developed an integral solid engine with a diameter of 2.6 meters and a thrust of 200 tons, which further enhances the solid power carrying capacity of China’s aerospace while also promoting the Czech Republic. Project development of the Long-3 commercial space launch vehicle.
While the development of monolithic solid engines, the progress of segmented engines has never stopped.
In 2016, with the continuous maturity of the segmented docking technology, China successfully carried out the ground hot test of a segmented engine with a diameter of 2 meters on the basis of a 120-ton integral high-thrust engine. The engine combustion chamber was connected by two compartments. With a thrust of 120 tons, it successfully verified the solid engine segmented docking technology and directly promoted the development of China’s first bundled solid booster launch vehicle CZ-6A.
After that, the segmented engines with a diameter of 3 meters and 3.2 meters have been successfully tested. The segmented docking technology has been continuously developed, and the technological maturity has been rapidly improved.
Especially on December 30, 2020, China’s self-developed solid segmented booster with the largest diameter, the largest charge, and the longest working time-the civil aerospace 3.2m 3-segment large solid rocket engine ground hot test run- -The complete success has greatly improved the technology and capability of China's large solid rocket motors.
At present, based on the 500-ton thrust monolithic solid engine, the Fourth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group has been carrying out research on the 3.5-meter-diameter segmented engine. The engine is divided into 5 segments, and the maximum thrust will reach more than 1,000 tons, which can be applied to large and heavy-duty vehicles. In the solid rocket booster, it can meet the different development needs of China's space equipment, manned landing on the moon, deep space exploration and other space activities for launch vehicles, and provide more for the establishment of domestic solid and liquid launch vehicles, as well as a complete space transportation system. Strong power support.
(Headquarters CCTV reporter Li Ning Tao Jiashu Aerospace Science and Technology Group Fourth Academy Rong Yuanzhao)