Long March 5 will fly soon :)

[xenomorph555]

Wasn't gonna post a thread today but then I saw this:

TOO MUCH EPIC, TOO MUCH HYPE!!!

[Kibble]

Wow - I had no idea Long March 5 was so...complete! This, and the Tianzhou photos from a couple days ago are really just impressive. Go get space, CNSA!

[astropapi1]

Wikipedia says it'll carry about 25t to LEO... So it's like a chinese version of the Proton-M. Cool!

[xenomorph555]

Wikipedia says it'll carry about 25t to LEO... So it's like a chinese version of the Proton-M. Cool!

Even better, Proton can do 6 tonnes to GTO, LM-5 can do... wait for it.. 14!*!*!

[Kryten]

Considerably more capable than Proton-higher I_sp upper-stage and lower latitude launch site means over twice the payload to GTO, and even higher discrepancy with higher energy orbits like earth escape. However, it's not, as far as anyone can tell, scheduled to actually launch until 2016. Are you sure this story is about an imminent launch, rather than just delivery to the launch site?

[Ikaneko]

I'm getting strong light-energia scent here!

Looks good China, if this flies, you might get a small bump on my sig!!

[xenomorph555]

Considerably more capable than Proton-higher I_sp upper-stage and lower latitude launch site means over twice the payload to GTO, and even higher discrepancy with higher energy orbits like earth escape. However, it's not, as far as anyone can tell, scheduled to actually launch until 2016. Are you sure this story is about an imminent launch, rather than just delivery to the launch site?

I never said imminent launch, just that it would be "soon" in Chinese terms that's anywhere up to 6 months. If you wan't an imminent launch then Long March 7 is the spotlight rocket, it will launch either early Jan or late Jan/early Feb .

As for LM-5's first launch, the news say 2016 but the actual officials and scientists say 2015. Too much contradicting

[xenomorph555]

I'm getting strong light-energia scent here!

Looks good China, if this flies, you might get a small bump on my sig!!

Who is ISRU anyway, I know ISRO is India so is ISRU... japan?

EDIT:

Nope Japan is JAXA

*searches ISRU*

-In situ resource utilisation-

-Industrial statics research unit-

Edited December 9, 2014 by xenomorph555

[Kryten]

I never said imminent launch, just that it would be "soon" in Chinese terms that's anywhere up to 6 months.

Or it could be more than year, given all you have is pictures of completed rocket stages-like the CZ-7 ones that have been stockpiled near Wenchang for well over a year already. Without giving sources, it's impossible to tell if anything you post is credible, or if it's based on a misunderstanding or mistranslation.

[Kibble]

Hey that last image confirms the core and second stage burns oxygen and hydrogen! Too bad it doesn't label the boosters.

[xenomorph555]

Or it could be more than year, given all you have is pictures of completed rocket stages-like the CZ-7 ones that have been stockpiled near Wenchang for well over a year already. Without giving sources, it's impossible to tell if anything you post is credible, or if it's based on a misunderstanding or mistranslation.

Well yes it could be over a year from now that it launch's but at the same time it could launch in the summer, there isn't enough information to actually know. However I can say this, these images are very recent, the rocket modules you see here are real (not test articles), there have been no LM-7 stages stored at or near Wenchang stored nearly that long (probably mission role play articles), Wenchang was completed a few months ago and is now ready to launch things unlike before, so it is possible.

[xenomorph555]

Hey that last image confirms the core and second stage burns oxygen and hydrogen! Too bad it doesn't label the boosters.

It's always been confirmed as hydrolox, boosters are kerolox.

[sndrtj]

Why is its nosecone slanted?

[xenomorph555]

Why is its nosecone slanted?

I....have absolutely no idea. They have never done it before and will probably never do it again. One work: odd.

[Scotius]

I knew it reminded me of something. Quick consultation with Google, aaaandddd...Ariane 5 "Copy-paste" much?

[xenomorph555]

I knew it reminded me of something. Quick consultation with Google, aaaandddd...Ariane 5 "Copy-paste" much?

And It thought ariane 5 reminded me of something. On Google, aaaaandddd...Energia "Copy-Paste" much?

Specifically Energia-M:

Edited December 9, 2014 by xenomorph555

[sndrtj]

And It thought ariane 5 reminded me of something. On Google, aaaaandddd...Energia "Copy-Paste" much?

Specifically Energia-M:

Ah, that explains the slantedness! It's one big normal cone when viewed as whole.

[Kryten]

Well yes it could be over a year from now that it launch's but at the same time it could launch in the summer, there isn't enough information to actually know. However I can say this, these images are very recent, the rocket modules you see here are real (not test articles), there have been no LM-7 stages stored at or near Wenchang stored nearly that long (probably mission role play articles), Wenchang was completed a few months ago and is now ready to launch things unlike before, so it is possible.

Multiple complete LM-7 cores at SAST assembly facility, picture taken late 2012, transported to launch site early 2013. That's pretty standard for maiden launches, e.g. the Angara PP was sent to the site more than a year before launch.

I knew it reminded me of something. Quick consultation with Google, aaaandddd...Ariane 5 "Copy-paste" much?

It's two hydrolox stages and kerolox boosters, whereas standard Ariane 5 is solid boosters and a hypergolic upper stage. If that's close enough to be a 'copy', then Ariane 5 is a copy of Titan IIIC.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Kryten

[xenomorph555]

Multiple complete LM-7 cores at SAST assembly facility, picture taken late 2012, transported to launch site early 2013. That's pretty standard for maiden launches, e.g. the Angara PP was sent to the site more than a year before launch.

Ah yes sorry you are indeed right, I remember those photo's now. As well as preparing them and waiting for the center to actually open I believe they were going through mockup launch roll play using them.

[Scotius]

It's two hydrolox stages and kerolox boosters, whereas standard Ariane 5 is solid boosters and a hypergolic upper stage. If that's close enough to be a 'copy', then Ariane 5 is a copy of Titan IIIC.

We were talking about the shape of slanted nosecones of the boosters, not the overall configuration. And yes, i know it's not China being lazy . There is a finite number of solutions to certain problems at our current level of technology - and if someone found working solution earlier, there is no reason to not follow the example. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy will be very similiar in configuration to Delta IV Heavy for example. Buran looked like a twin of Space Shuttle etc.

[magnemoe]

And It thought ariane 5 reminded me of something. On Google, aaaaandddd...Energia "Copy-Paste" much?

Specifically Energia-M:

http://www.buran.fr/energia/Photos/102-Energia%20M%20Sur%20le%20pas%20de%20tir-Energia%20M%20On%20the%20launch%20pad-pad%2003.jpg

http://www.buran-energia.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/102_Energia_M_Sur_le_pas_de_tir_Energia_M_On_the_launch_pad_0005.jpg

http://www.britmodeller.com/reviews/staff/bootneck/288_scale/STC-4c-50_Energia-M.jpg

Its not an huge number of ways you can make an rocket with two large boosters.

And the last illustration is funny, should it not have dropped the boosters at that attitude?

[King Arthur]

And the last illustration is funny, should it not have dropped the boosters at that attitude?

Rockets look cooler when they have all their boosters still attached.

[xenomorph555]

More pics:

They have now begun final tests of the complete, assembled rocket. These tests will likely last a few months.

[Kryten]

CZ-7 ground test vehicle rolled out to launchpad;

should see a flight model doing the same before the end of the year, then launch sometime in the first half of next year.

[xenomorph555]

I see we both created posts on the same thing just now small world...