Exploring Star Road to build a "profitable" rocket
[Reported by Li Tengfei, a reporter from China News] Unlike most rockets that use white paint, the "Cersen-1" rocket body is black.
Because of the use of domestic carbon fiber materials, the only black launch vehicle in China is 1,310 kilograms lighter, and the satellite carrying capacity is increased by nearly 100 kilograms.
For civil aerospace companies, these 100 kilograms are the profit-generating space.
Putting aside the mysterious industry attributes and following the rules of corporate survival, Galaxy Aerospace, a "latecomer" who just turned 4 years old, is building what a commercial launch vehicle should look like.
On December 7, 2021, the "Cesen-1" carrier rocket "One Arrow and Five Stars" independently developed by Galaxy Aerospace was successfully launched.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee/reported by China News
Two surprises about the future of commercial rockets
In Beijing Yizhuang Economic and Technological Development Zone, with South Ronghua Road as the longitude and Disheng Street as the latitude, the circled area is known as China's "Rocket Street", where 180 Star Arrow Network affiliated companies gather, established in 2018 The Galaxy Power Aerospace Company of 2000 is located in it.
On December 7, 2021, the "Cersen-1" (Yao 2) carrier rocket independently manufactured and developed by Galaxy Aerospace carried 5 commercial satellites and rushed to the sky, making this commercial rocket private enterprise quickly become the focus of the industry and public opinion.
"Continuous success, one arrow and five stars." Recalling the launch, Liu Baiqi, founder and CEO of Galaxy Aerospace, told the China News newspaper two surprises, because it was related to the future fate of a commercial launch vehicle.
On November 7, 2020, the "Ceshenxing-1" (Yaoyi) carrier rocket independently developed by Galaxy Aerospace successfully made its maiden flight and sent the "Apocalypse Constellation Eleven" into the predetermined orbit. This is the first time that a Chinese private commercial rocket has entered the 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.
"The most important thing in rockets is stability." Liu Baiqi explained that the two consecutive successful launches of Galaxy Aerospace marked the transition of civilian rocket products from research and development to application, which can provide stable launch services for the market and promote the formation of an effective commercial closed loop for the entire industry.
It is understood that China's commercial aerospace industry started late, but the development trend is clear, especially in the field of commercial satellites, which has shown the development trend of low-orbit, miniaturization and networking.
Relevant data shows that by 2025, my country is expected to launch more than 3,500 satellites, and the total number of domestic constellation plans has exceeded 10,000.
Liu Baiqi said that in the face of this trend, one arrow with multiple satellites will be the main launch form of future rockets. The successful realization of one arrow and five stars by Galaxy Aerospace also means that the company has the ability to provide customized launch services for customers.
The staff of Galaxy Aerospace is checking the equipment.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee/reported by China News
Later came commercial launch targeting market demand
Since the rise of China's commercial aerospace in 2014, commercial rockets, commercial satellites and other companies have been established one after another. In the "Rocket Street" in Yizhuang, Beijing, Galaxy Aerospace belongs to the "latecomers".
In Liu Baiqi's view, this is also the company's advantage, and it can learn from the experience and lessons of its predecessors and avoid detours.
Since 2015, under the background that the state encourages social capital to enter the aerospace field, China's first batch of civil aerospace pioneers have appeared, and employees of the national aerospace system have left their jobs to start their own businesses.
Facing the unknown business field, most early rocket companies adopted the development idea of "imitation + system integration".
"Buying the engine and control system directly, imitating a certain type of rocket in the system, quickly realizing the launch, and seizing the opportunity, this idea was also correct in the early stage. But the problem is that the rocket that once met the needs of the national strategic launch may not necessarily be able to meet the needs of the country. Commercial market demand." Liu Baiqi analyzed.
More importantly, without mastering the core technology, it is impossible to make a rocket that best meets the needs of the market.
Regarding the pain points of the industry, Liu Baiqi introduced: "There are dozens of satellite companies in China, and each satellite is different. It is difficult to find all satellites to the same destination at the same time. This is the current market situation."
Reduce costs and increase efficiency to create "taxi" and "buses"
Liu Baiqi has always emphasized the concept of "scattered launch". The "Cesat" series of rocket products can accurately provide solutions for this part of the market and become a "taxi" in the market. "At the same time, the price must be the same as that of a bus." Say.
In order to achieve such a goal, Galaxy Aerospace used solid thrust vector control, vertical self-aiming and other technologies for the first time on private commercial launch vehicles; it used an attitude-orbit control power system with low chamber pressure, high specific impulse, and high loading ratio to achieve weight reduction Efficiency increase; the simple control technology of rocket rolling channel for low fuel consumption achieves a significant improvement in carrying efficiency.
"The purpose of these technological innovations is to improve the performance of the rocket and achieve cost reduction and efficiency increase without losing reliability." Liu Baiqi said that the domestic launch cost of 1 kg of payload is 150,000 to 200,000 yuan. It can carry more loads and realize more commercial value.
Facing the market demand for large-scale constellation networking, Liu Baiqi said that the reusable liquid oxygen/kerosene carrier rocket independently developed by Galaxy Aerospace is like a "bus", which can provide a low-orbit carrying capacity of no less than 5 tons, the low-orbit capacity of the extended bundled configuration can reach 14 tons, and the designed number of repeated uses is 50 times.
At present, the 50-ton reusable liquid oxygen/kerosene engine, the main power plant of the "Zhishen Xingxing-1" carrier rocket, has completed the whole system test run. The thrust liquid rocket engine, with deep variable thrust capability, is the best choice for vertical recovery of 200-300 ton liquid rockets.
Its needle-bolt injection technology, multi-return vortex ball conical gas generator, coaxial double-suction turbo pump, and multi-functional integrated valve are the first domestically and internationally leading.
It is reported that the "Pallas-1" rocket will enter orbit for the first flight in 2023, and strive to achieve orbit recovery around 2025 to 2026.
Civil aerospace needs clearer industrial planning
In September 2021, Galaxy Aerospace has been selected into the list of Beijing-level and national-level "specialized, special and new" small giant enterprises.
"The talent base is good, the local government understands it, and there is a lot of policy support." Liu Baiqi was deeply touched by Beijing's industrial advantages. "We have also received a launch insurance subsidy from the Beijing Municipal Government."
At the beginning of this year, the "Implementation Measures of Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone to Support the Development of Xingjian Network Industry (Trial)" was released. For enterprises whose annual output value exceeded a certain scale for the first time, financial rewards were given according to different grades, with a maximum of 10 million yuan; Xingjian Network Enterprises under the "cabbage heart" project conditions have the largest financial support for R&D expenses, with a maximum of 50 million yuan.
In addition, for enterprises engaged in the research and development, production or launch operations of star rockets in accordance with the law in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, commercial launch insurance premiums shall not exceed 1:1 of the municipal standard. The first to third rounds shall not exceed 50% of the financial subsidy of the launch measurement and control service fee.
How to promote the high-quality development of China's civil aerospace economy?
In addition to industrial support policies, Liu Baiqi believes that from the national level to the local government, a clearer industrial plan is needed, a clear roadmap for commercial aerospace development, promotion of satellite application scenario development, firm confidence in enterprise development, and avoid duplication of projects.
In recent years, commercial aerospace enterprises have accumulated a large number of innovative and leading technologies and achievements, but the ways for enterprises to participate in national and local scientific research projects are limited.
Liu Baiqi suggested that, relying on the industrial advantages of Beijing, research on low-cost space experimental platforms based on the final stage of commercial solid rockets, large-scale thrust adjustment of reusable liquid launch vehicle engines, and advanced guidance and control for vertical recovery and reuse can be listed as In the next five years, the city's science and technology plan will focus on supporting directions, and encourage and support civil and commercial aerospace enterprises to participate in the city's scientific research projects and topics.
"In addition, as one of the important industries of military-civilian integration, how civil aerospace can obtain investment from state-owned funds should also be the direction of future policy exploration." Liu Baiqi said.