1. Basic information
The Fourth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology, also known as the Aerospace Power Technology Research Institute, is my country’s largest professional solid engine research institute with the strongest R&D and production capabilities. The fourth hospital is located in Xi’an, and its campuses span Shaanxi and Hubei provinces.
2. Product Type Spectrum
(1) FG-01A
FG-01A is my country’s first engine using a polyrubber composite solid propellant with added aluminum powder. It was installed on my country’s early experimental sounding rockets with a maximum thrust of 67 kN. After improvement, it became the engine for my country’s medium- and low-altitude surface-to-air missiles.
(2) FG-02
FG-02 is my country’s first engine to use cheap low-alloy ultra-high-strength steel as the combustion chamber casing material. It has a maximum thrust of 181 kN. It is installed on the Long March 1 and has been retired.
(3) SP35
SP35 is a 120-ton integrated high-thrust solid engine, installed on the Long March 11.
(4) SP70
SP70, also known as FG-140, is a 200-ton high-performance fiber-wound composite shell integrated solid engine, which is installed on Lijian 1 and Jielong 3.
(5) SP150
SP150 is an integral solid rocket motor with the highest impact-to-mass ratio and the largest thrust in the world. It has a thrust of 500 tons at sea level and is installed on the Jielong 4.
(6) SPB60
SPB60, also known as FG-112, is a 120-ton segmented solid engine. The combustion chamber is divided into two sections. It adopts an omnidirectional swing flexible nozzle and an electromechanical servo system to achieve full arrow attitude control. SPB60 has made breakthroughs in key technologies such as steel shell segmented docking and flow stability. The installation target is the Long March 6A.
(7) SPB90
SPB90 is a large-scale segmented technology-proven solid engine with a maximum vacuum thrust of 260 t. During the development process, SPB90 made breakthroughs in large-diameter segmented housing molding precision control and reliable connection sealing technology, segmented engine combustion stability design technology, large nozzle RTM expansion section design and molding technology, etc.
3. Composition of departments
(1) Xi’an Aerospace Power Technology Research Institute (41 Institute)
Institute 41 was founded in 1964. It is mainly responsible for the design and research and development of strategic/tactical missiles and aerospace engineering solid rocket motors. It is one of the first batch of key units in my country to coordinate the construction of military defense units. It has the only national defense science and technology key laboratory of solid rocket motor combustion, thermal structure and internal flow field.
(2) Hubei Institute of Aerospace Chemical Technology (42 Institute)
Institute 42 is a professional research institute for the development of solid rocket engines and solid propellants in my country. It has a national key laboratory for aerospace chemical power technology. The technologies and products of Institute 42 have been used in China’s first artificial earth satellite, first manned spacecraft and a series of national defense weapons and equipment.
(3) Xi’an Aerospace Composite Materials Research Institute (43 Institute)
Institute 43 is the main manufacturer of solid rocket motor composite casings and nozzles in my country. It has scientific research platforms such as the National-Local Joint Engineering Center for High-Performance Carbon Fiber Manufacturing and Application, the CNAS National Certification Laboratory, and the Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Aerospace Composite Materials. Dozens of advanced composite materials products developed have been widely used in my country’s manned aerospace engineering, weapons equipment and space technology fields.
(4) Shaanxi Electrical Appliance Research Institute (44 institutes)
Institute 44 is one of the earliest scientific research units in China engaged in the development of force-sensitive sensors and testing instruments. It is mainly engaged in the development and production of sensors, special testing systems, mechatronics products, etc.
(5) Xi’an Aerospace Power Measurement and Control Technology Research Institute (401 Institute)
Institute 401 was established in 1966. It is a national-level professional research institute for aerospace power measurement and control technology. Its technical achievements directly support the improvement of rocket launch success rate and the deployment of military communication satellites.
(6) Xi’an Institute of Aerospace Information (47 Institute)
Xi’an Aerospace Information Research Institute is currently the largest intelligence archive information center in the field of solid rocket motor development in China. It is responsible for providing the latest cutting-edge information and decision-making reference information at home and abroad for the development, design, production, pre-research, aerospace technology application industry and aerospace service industry of solid rocket motors.
(7) Xi’an Aerospace Power Machinery Factory (7414 Factory)
Factory 7414 is mainly engaged in the development and production of solid rocket motor metal casings, nozzle metal parts and tooling molds. It has Asia’s largest combined pit electric furnace and my country’s unique 100T, 60T CNC powerful spinning machines and more than 1,100 sets of equipment. It has achieved domestic first-class manufacturing capabilities for solid motor metal casings, large-scale ultra-high-strength steel powerful spinning technology capabilities, and high-end copper foil equipment cathode roller design and manufacturing capabilities.
(8) Xi’an Aerospace Chemical Power Co., Ltd. (7416 Factory)
Founded in 1966, Factory 7416 is China’s largest and most comprehensive factory specializing in solid rocket motor charging, final assembly, and testing.
(9) Xi’an Aerospace Commercial Rocket Power Technology Co., Ltd.
The company was established in 2023 and is the only commercial aerospace engine business development platform of the Fourth Academy.
(10) Shaanxi Zhongtian Rocket Technology Co., Ltd.
Zhongtian Rocket was established in August 2002. It is a military-civilian integrated high-tech enterprise established through restructuring and resource integration based on the civilian product industry of the Fourth Institute. It was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on September 25, 2020, with the stock code 003009.
