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Changzheng 5
The Changzheng 5 (CZ-5, or "Long March 5" in its English translation) is China’s next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle system, comparable in performance to the European Ariane 5 and the U.S. Atlas-V HLV. The launch vehicle is designed for commercial satellite launches, as well as the launch of space station modules and lunar exploration probes.
Development
China began to develop new generation launch vehicles that are non-toxic, non-polluting, high-performance, and low-cost in the 1990s. The development of the CZ-5 was approved in May 2007, and the first launch is expected to take place in 2014. The launch vehicle is capable of delivering up to 25 tonnes payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), or up to 14 tonnes payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
The CZ-5 has been developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), and will be built in the new rocket fabrication facility in the eastern city of Tianjin. Boosters of the launch vehicle will be transported by sea to the new spaceport in the Hainan Island, where it will be assembled, tested, and launched. The proximity of the launch site to the equator allows a substantial increase of payload mass. Debris of the launch vehicle launched from the spaceport will fall into the sea, with no danger to any populated area.
Design
Structure
For LEO missions, the CZ-5 consists of a 5m diameter core vehicle (H5-1) powered by two YF-77 engines, and four strap-on boosters. The strap-on booster is available in two variants: the 3.35m diameter variant K3-1 powered by two YF-100 engines, and the 2.25m diameter variant K2-1 powered by a single YF-100 engine. By having different combination of boosters, the launch vehicle can be configured into variant A (18t payload to LEO), variant B (25t payload to LEO), and variant C (10t payload to LEO).
For GEO and lunar probe launches, the rocket is added with a 5m diameter upper stage (H5-2) powered by two YF-75D engines. By having different combination of boosters, the launch vehicle can be configured into variant D (10t payload to GTO), variant E (14t payload to GTO), and variant F (6t payload to GTO).
CZ-5 (Two-stage configuration)
Modules
5.00m Core Vehicle (H5-1) |
3.35m Booster (K3-1) |
2.25m Booster (K2-1) |
5.00m Upper Stage (H5-2) |
|
| Diameter (m) | 5.00 | 3.35 | 2.25 | 5.00 |
| Length (m) | 31.02 | 26.28 | 25.04 | 12.00 |
| Gross Mass (kg) | 175,800 | 147,000 | 69,000 | 26,000 |
| Propellant Mass (kg) | 133,300 (LOX) 24,700 (LH2) |
97,500 (LOX) 37,500 (Kerosene) |
45,500 (LOX) 17,500 (Kerosene) |
|
| Empty Mass (kg) | 17,800 | 12,000 | 6,000 | 3,100 |
| Motor | 2X YF-77 | 2X YF-100 | 1X YF-100 | 2X YF-75D |
| Propellant | LOX/LH2 | LOX/Kerosene | LOX/Kerosene | LOX/LH2 |
| Thrust, vac (kN) | 1,400 | 2,680 | 1,340 | 156 |
| Isp | ||||
| Burn Time (sec) | 465.4 | 159.9 | 148.9 | 600 |
Propulsion
New engines that burn non-toxic, non-polluting liquid propellants have been developed for the CZ-5. The YF-100 liquid engine was developed from the Russian RD-120 originally developed for the Zenit family of launch vehicles. China obtained the RD-120 technology and possibly some examples in the late 1990s. The YF-100 uses Kerosene as fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) as oxidiser, and produces a thrust of 120,000kg. The YF-77 is a CALT-designed liquid engine that uses liquid hydrogen (LH2) as fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) as oxidiser, and produces a thrust of 50,000kg. The YF-75D liquid engine on the upper stage was based on the YF-75 originally developed for the Changzheng 3.
Variants
Variant |
First-stage |
Second-stage |
Boosters |
Payload (kg) |
Liftoff Thrust (kN) |
Total Mass (kg) |
Total Length (m) |
| CZ-5A | H5-1 | - | 2X K3-1 2X K2-1 |
18,000 (LEO) | 8,087 | 622,500 | 49.91 |
| CZ-5B | H5-1 | - | 4X K3-1 | 25,000 (LEO) | 10,454 | 784,500 | 52.41 |
| CZ-5C | H5-1 | - | 4X K2-1 | 10,000 (LEO) | 5,717 | 458,500 | 44.91 |
| CZ-5D | H5-1 | H5-2 | 2X K3-1 2X K2-1 |
10,000 (GTO) | 8,087 | 643,000 | 59.46 |
| CZ-5E | H5-1 |
H5-2 | 4X K3-1 | 14,000 (GTO) | 10,454 | 802,000 | 61.96 |
| CZ-5F | H5-1 |
H5-2 | 4X K2-1 | 6,000 (GTO) | 5,717 | 483,000 | 54.46 |
Last updated: 23 February 2012