LM-9 engine development

[xenomorph555]

I managed to get some information on the development of the Long March-9's engines. There are two engines, the YF-220, hydrolox, which is the most publicised one and the YF-500, kerolox, (sometimes refereed to as YF-400/600).

YF-500:

2000-project proposed and approved for pre-research

2005-demonstration program approved, proper research approved

2011-review

2012-all pre-research complete

2012-mockup built

2012-with the YF-120 project nearly complete project is given funds and approved

2012-advanced engine materials project funded

2013-new research center built for project

2013-prototype hardware built and tested

2013-gas hot test with hardware

2014-major meetings held with top scientist's over engine project

YF-220:

2010-project proposed

2013-project authorised and pre-research begins

2013-project funded 5 billion yuan

2013-pre-research complete, large research begins

2013-project funded 50 billion yuan

2014-prototype hardware built and tested

2014-first gas hot test of the prototype engine nozzle

2014-complete gas generator tested

2014-combined test

2014-new research center built for project

All sources are from articles, technical papers or research papers released over the years and compiled.

[Newt]

Would you be able to link to some of the articles/papers? I am not doubting your sources, just interested in the information they might have.

[xenomorph555]

Would you be able to link to some of the articles/papers? I am not doubting your sources, just interested in the information they might have.

I might be able to get some of the more recent ones 2014/13/12, just a moment.

- - - Updated - - -

2012-article about the YF-500 mockup: http://www.spacechina.com/n25/n144/n206/n216/c262359/content.html

2012-another article about lm-9 engines, with a picture of the mockup: http://www.aalpt.com/www/newcontents.asp?leaf_id=1544

2012-article that mentions the 2005 demonstration program: http://www.sxdaily.com.cn/n/2013/0204/c366-5068972-22.html

2013-while not the original source this article mentions the 50 billion yuan for the YF-220: http://www.bd.gov.cn/content-401-10865.html

2013-talking about the YF-500 hardware test: http://www.weibo.com/1917045703/zyF8IAV4f?type=comment

2014-article on YF-220 nozzle test: http://www.spacechina.com/n25/n144/n206/n214/c709614/content.html

There are many more but I do not have the time right now to pick them all out, sorry.

[Newt]

Ah, thank you. I will need to translate them (or improve my Mandarin, significantly:wink:).

I need to follow China's space program more extensively, this is pretty interesting. This will be a pretty amazing rocket, when they get it going.

[xenomorph555]

Ah, thank you. I will need to translate them (or improve my Mandarin, significantly:wink:).

I need to follow China's space program more extensively, this is pretty interesting. This will be a pretty amazing rocket, when they get it going.

After spending over a year following the Chinese I can give you some advice.

While you can sift through the american web to find past information and some current, you will find very little, this is due to lack of translations meaning only the most important stuff gets translated over. To get good information on current or future things you can either go to the chinese web (I recommend 9ifly.cn) or find a site run by Chinese people (Go Taikonauts). It's a bit like an iceburg, a tiny bit of info on the american side while there is terabytes in the cn side.

[xenomorph555]

Some engine diagrams and information:

YF-220-

Hydrolox

Open cycle

220 tonne thrust

YF-500-

Kerolox

Closed cycle

660 tonne thrust

YF-500-YF-220

YF-500 mockup

[peadar1987]

After spending over a year following the Chinese I can give you some advice.

While you can sift through the american web to find past information and some current, you will find very little, this is due to lack of translations meaning only the most important stuff gets translated over. To get good information on current or future things you can either go to the chinese web (I recommend 9ifly.cn) or find a site run by Chinese people (Go Taikonauts). It's a bit like an iceburg, a tiny bit of info on the american side while there is terabytes in the cn side.

Now I have a hilarious image of some ordinary Chinese people going about their daily business while Xenomorph (who is naturally an H.R. Giger alien) hides in bushes and behind newspapers, scribbling notes about how the Xu family's visit to the supermarket pertains to the Chinese space program

[xenomorph555]

Now I have a hilarious image of some ordinary Chinese people going about their daily business while Xenomorph (who is naturally an H.R. Giger alien) hides in bushes and behind newspapers, scribbling notes about how the Xu family's visit to the supermarket pertains to the Chinese space program

"Honey I picked up the castor sugar"

Obviously this is undeniable proof the Chinese are working on large solid boosters for the moon rocket!

[xenomorph555]

I found out something cool, there is supposed to be a 300 tonne kerolox demonstrator test this year. As you can see from the images, the YF-500 is the combination of 2 YF-300 engines in a similar fashion to the RD-180 so the first logical step in building the 600 tonne engine would be to make the 300 tonne one. Will it happen this year, I ain't sure, cool if it does though.