China News Agency, Beijing, February 27th (Ma Shuaisha Sangqian) The Long March 8 Yao-2 carrier rocket (hereinafter referred to as the "Changba Yao-2 Rocket") ignited and took off at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan on the 27th. 22 satellites were successfully put into the predetermined orbits, and the launch mission was a complete success.
This is not only the first flight of the new configuration of the Long March 8 carrier rocket without booster, but also created the highest record of China's launch of multiple satellites with one arrow.
At 11:06 on February 27, China successfully launched 22 satellites into space using the Long March 8 carrier rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, setting a new record for China with multiple satellites with one arrow.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Luo Yunfei
First flight of new configuration without booster
The Changbayao II rocket was developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The Long March 8 carrier rocket, which successfully flew for the first time in December 2020, is China's new-generation main medium-sized carrier rocket. It fills the gap in China's sun-synchronous orbit carrying capacity of 3 to 4.5 tons, and can undertake more than 80% of medium and low-orbit launch missions.
The Changba Yao-2 rocket launch is the first flight of a new generation of carrier rockets in 2022, the first launch of the First Academy's space mission in 2022, and the first flight of a new configuration without a booster.
Chen Xiaofei, deputy chief designer of the Long March 8 carrier rocket, said that compared with the Yao-1 rocket, the biggest difference in the shape of the Chang-8 Yao-2 rocket is the cancellation of the two boosters, which has changed from a two-stage and a half configuration to a Two-stage tandem configuration.
It took only one year for the development team from the successful first flight to the completion of the final assembly and testing of the Haruka 2 rocket and the factory conditions. This is due to the "modular" and "combination" design ideas adopted by the rocket.
According to reports, as early as the beginning of the development, the designers fully took into account the state of the rocket without a booster, and included it in the assessment envelope of the remote rocket.
Therefore, the Changbayao-2 rocket does not need to undergo large-scale changes, but only needs to be adapted to the load and flight trajectory to efficiently meet the mission requirements.
At 11:06 on February 27, China successfully launched 22 satellites into space using the Long March 8 carrier rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, setting a new record for China with multiple satellites with one arrow.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Luo Yunfei
A new record of 22 stars with one arrow
One arrow launched 22 satellites, setting a record for the largest number of satellites launched by China at one time, but to safely and successfully deliver so many satellites to their destination at one time, the first thing to do is to solve the problem of the layout of the "passengers" in the fairing.
The developers fully sorted out the structure and mission requirements of the satellites, and innovatively designed a three-layer multi-satellite distributor, which can arrange comfortable "seats" for each satellite within the limited fairing space, and can ensure that the satellites are in different directions. separation security.
"A total of 22 stars have to be separated for this mission, and a total of 12 separations have been completed, creating a new record in China's aerospace industry. It can be said that the Changbayao 2 rocket in the separation of the star and arrow is like a 'ballet', and finally 22 stars are awarded. The release is like 'the goddess scattered flowers'," said Duan Baocheng, deputy commander of the Long March No. 8 launch vehicle.
Not only that, after the development team completed the design of the multi-satellite distributor, it specially carried out the joint operation test of the satellite and the arrow. During the test, the installation operation sequence and layout position of the satellites were adjusted, and the satellite-rocket was adjusted through multiple rounds of simulation calculations. The separation action has been optimized to ensure the safety of the whole process of the satellite from "getting on" to "getting off".
It is worth mentioning that the height of the fairing of the rocket of the present invention has also been shortened from 8 meters to 5.4 meters, which reduces the load on the key parts of the whole rocket.
In this way, the release conditions for rocket launches can be appropriately relaxed, further improving the rocket's mission adaptability.
At 11:06 on February 27, China successfully launched 22 satellites into space using the Long March 8 carrier rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, setting a new record for China with multiple satellites with one arrow.
The picture shows the launch of the Long March 8 carrier rocket.
(Long exposure picture) Photo by China News Agency reporter Luo Yunfei
The new model of shared rocket "carpooling"
The Changba Yao No. 2 rocket is a "shared rocket" with 22 satellites launched from 7 research and development units.
Xiao Yun, the commander-in-chief of the Long March 8 launch vehicle, vividly introduced this new sharing model, "Simply put, it is a carpooling scheme that provides users with affordable launch services, and the threshold is greatly lowered."
In addition, because it is a shared launch, it needs to connect with multiple user units, and the coordination work is multiplied. In the face of difficulties such as iterative update of users and repeated plans during the development process, the development team needs to continue to carry out plan adjustment, feasibility and safety analysis.
It is reported that through the successful exploration of the Changba Yao 2 rocket, the First Academy plans to promote the normalization of shared launches.
Xiao Yun said, "In the future, the demand for human beings to enter space is increasing. As a 'national team', we have the responsibility and the ability to realize the common prosperity of the space economy and accelerate the construction of a space power." (End)