China has big plans to advance its space exploration and development, but whether those plans can become a reality depends on the capability of the country’s carrier rockets, or more specifically, rocket engines.<\/p>\n
China has some of the world’s best rocket engines, ranging from huge ones lifting the Long March 5 heavy-lift rocket to small models elevating a craft from the lunar surface, but the nation continues to seek new types to meet the needs of future ambitious projects.<\/p>\n
The latest step toward achieving these plans was announced on Monday, China’s Space Day, by the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology in Xi’an of Shaanxi province, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp and the country’s dominant maker of liquid-propellant rocket engines.<\/p>\n
The academy said in a news release that a new ignition testing facility has been put to use in Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, becoming Asia’s first that can test super-powerful engines with a maximum individual thrust of 700 metric tons.<\/p>\n
An ignition test of an engine, which has a smaller thrust, took place at the facility on Monday, it said, noting the facility’s construction took only a single year.<\/p>\n
Tan Yonghua, head of the academy’s science and technology committee, said the facility will be a major testing site for liquid-propellant rocket engines and will extensively support the research and development of the nation’s super-heavy rockets.<\/p>\n
With new rockets propelled by reliable, powerful engines, China will be able to fulfill its manned missions to the moon and deep-space expeditions, according to him.<\/p>\n
The most powerful liquid-propellant rocket engine in Asia is under development at the Xi’an academy. The 500-ton-thrust engine is four times mightier than the current strongest rocket engine in China which has a thrust of 120 tons. Its first ignition test took place at another testing facility in November.<\/p>\n
In another development, the academy put three of its engine models into the commercial space market over the weekend, saying they can help private enterprises in China build strong rockets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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