Long March 7

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Long March 7[1][2]
Maquette Longue Marche 7 DSC 0004.jpg
Function Medium to heavy orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer CALT
Country of origin China
Size
Height 53.10 m (174.2 ft)
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass 594,000 kg (1,310,000 lb)
Stages 2
Capacity
Payload to LEO (200km x 400km x 42°) 13,500 kg (29,800 lb)
Payload to SSO 700km 5,500 kg (12,100 lb)
Associated rockets
Family Long March
Comparable Delta IV, Atlas V, Falcon 9, H-IIA, Angara
Launch history
Status In development
Launch sites Wenchang, Jiuquan, Xichang, Taiyuan
Boosters - K2 booster
No. boosters 4
Diameter 2.25 m (7.4 ft)
Engines 1 YF-100
Thrust SL: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf)
Vac: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf)
Total thrust SL: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf)
Vac: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf)
Specific impulse SL: 300 seconds (2.9 km/s)
Vac: 335 seconds (3.29 km/s)
Fuel RP-1/LOX
First stage - K3 core module
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines 2 YF-100
Thrust SL: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf)
Vac: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf)
Specific impulse SL: 300 seconds (2.9 km/s)
Vac: 335 seconds (3.29 km/s)
Fuel RP-1/LOX
Second stage
Diameter 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines 4 YF-115
Thrust 706 kN (159,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 342 seconds (3.35 km/s)
Fuel RP-1/LOX

The Long March 7 (Chinese: 长征七号运载火箭), or Chang Zheng 7 as in pinyin, abbreviated LM-7 for export or CZ-7 within China, is a Chinese liquid-fuelled carrier rocket, which is being developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Its maiden flight is scheduled for 2016. [3]

As one of the new generation rocket family of Long March 5, Long March 6 and Long March 7, it is to be a medium-heavy launch vehicle and fits the gap between the heavy Long March 5 family and the small-mid Long March 6 family.

The structure will be based on the reliable man-rated Long March 2F rocket. Thus it will inherit the 3.35m-diameter core stage and 2.25m-diameter liquid rocket boosters. However, it will use LOX/kerosene fuel instead of the expensive and dangerous N2O4/UDMH fuels used previously in the Long March 2 rocket family. The new engine is borrowed from the engines developed for Long March 5, similar to Long March 6. The target is to build a more cost-effective and less environmentally damaging rocket family to replace today's Long March 2 and potentially Long March 3 serial to satisfy both domestic and international launch market needs.[4] It will be capable of placing 5,500 kilograms (12,100 lb) of payload into a sun-synchronous orbit.[1]

With payloads in the range of 10-20 tons cited, it is likely to use two YF-100 first-stage engines at the 1st core stage, and one YF-100 engine for each of its 4 liquid rocket boosters.[5][6]

Bradley Perrett from Aviation Week writes that the description of Long March 7 corresponds with the mid-sized launcher that the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology detailed in 2007. The configuration displayed then had the two K3 core modules, four K2 boosters and a special 3-meter-dia. module, H3, that would presumably be an optional third stage for missions beyond low Earth orbit. But the range of payloads quoted for Long March 7, 10-20 tons, shows that it would be built with a variety of booster combinations. A single YF-100 would presumably provide second-stage propulsion.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. 17 March 2015, China Outlines New Rockets, Space Station and Moon Plans [1]
  4. SINA News Sina, 19 November 2010, [2]
  5. 5.0 5.1 Bradley Perrett, Aviation Week, 15 March 2010, Longer Marches
  6. Bradley Perrett, Aviation Week, 5 March 2010