Chinese company aims for suborbital space tourism with familiar rocket design
[ad_1]
A Chinese launch company is aiming to provide rides to space for tourists as soon as 2024, apparently drawing inspiration from the exploits of Blue Origin.
CAS Space, a commercial spinoff from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is already developing rockets for commercial satellite launches and announced in August that it wants to send people up into space, albeit briefly.
According to the press release, CAS Space is working on a single-stage reusable rocket which would take as many as seven passengers on a 10-minute ride up above the Kármán line at 62 miles (100 kilometers), which is generally held to be the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
Related: The latest news about China’s space program
The illustrations (since deleted) of the CAS Space project quite remarkably resemble both Blue Origin’s New Shephard suborbital space tourism rocket and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.
While sharing similarities with New Shephard, differences include using five “Xuanyuan” kerosene-liquid oxygen engines in contrast to a single BE-3 liquid hydrogen-liquid oxygen engine on Blue Origin’s rocket.
The renders show grid fins near the top of the rocket, which would guide the rocket’s descent. And instead of landing legs the rocket would be “caught” by an arm attached to the launch tower, following a concept unveiled by SpaceX for its massive Starship Super Heavy rocket.
The crew capsule will meanwhile descend to Earth with the aid of three parachutes.
And so we have China’s answer to New Shephard. CAS Space, a Chinese Academy of Sciences launch spinoff, is developing reusable suborbital tourism rocket. Ambitiously aiming for 1st flight demo test in 2022, tourism services in 2024. 7 passengers to 100 km https://t.co/2y2hlJxIBQ pic.twitter.com/y4F0TuSJ2zAugust 13, 2021
Whether CAS Space’s plans are accurately depicted by the artwork in the press release is unknown and we’ll learn more in 2022, during which the company aims to carry out a first demonstration flight. A full suborbital test flight would follow in 2023 with suborbital tourism services beginning in 2024.
The timeline is certainly ambitious. Blue Origin’s New Shephard had its first uncrewed flight in April 2015. Its first crewed launch took place more than six years and 14 launches later, carrying company founder Jeff Bezos and three others on a suborbital flight on July 20 of this year.
If all of this seems unlikely, it is worth bearing in mind that CAS Space (its full name is Beijing Zhongke Aerospace Exploration Technology Co., Ltd.) is a well-funded company with heritage, expertise and support that can help it on its way.
CAS is China’s national academy for natural sciences and plays a small part in the country’s space industry, such as building a range of satellites and sounding rockets for experiments. CAS Space is looking to gain a foothold in China’s emerging commercial space sector through leveraging CAS technologies and expertise in propulsion and other areas.
The firm was registered in December 2018. It started developing solid rockets before announcing it was pursuing more complex liquid propellant launchers. CAS Space is one of a number of commercial Chinese launch companies that have emerged since 2014 when China opened up areas of its space sector to private capital. It could also be making its first launch attempt in the near future.
CAS Space’s ZK-1A solid rocket was stated early this year to be ready for a first launch in September. It is unclear if it remains on schedule. CAS Space is also constructing facilities in the southern city of Guangzhou.
The firm also tested a 50.7 pounds (23 kg) vertical launch, vertical landing demonstrator in April as a step towards reusable liquid propellant rockets. The successful tests would also be useful for its suborbital space tourism launcher.
Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
[ad_2]
Original Post
Well I really liked studying it. This article provided by you is very useful for proper planning.
I’ve read several good stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much attempt you set to make such a excellent informative website.
I conceive you have observed some very interesting points, thankyou for the post.
Do you have a spam problem on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wondering your situation; we have developed some nice methods and we are looking to trade strategies with others, why not shoot me an email if interested.
Outstanding post, I think blog owners should acquire a lot from this blog its rattling user genial.
I like this blog very much so much great information.
Absolutely pent content material, Really enjoyed reading through.
Hey there! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog. Is it very difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any points or suggestions? Cheers
Lovely site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also.
You completed several good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will consent with your blog.
I’m not sure where you are getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for great info I was looking for this info for my mission.
Aw, this was a really nice post. In concept I would like to put in writing like this moreover – taking time and precise effort to make an excellent article… however what can I say… I procrastinate alot and under no circumstances seem to get one thing done.
I like this web blog so much, saved to bookmarks. “I don’t care what is written about me so long as it isn’t true.” by Dorothy Parker.
Wonderful work! That is the type of info that are supposed to be shared around the web. Shame on the seek engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and seek advice from my website . Thanks =)
Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is magnificent, as well as the content!
You are my breathing in, I possess few blogs and often run out from to post .
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for your provided information.
Hello.This article was really motivating, particularly because I was searching for thoughts on this issue last couple of days.
I and also my pals were checking the good key points from your web page and then suddenly got a terrible suspicion I had not thanked the web site owner for those secrets. My people came for this reason happy to see all of them and already have actually been making the most of those things. Appreciation for simply being well kind and then for selecting certain marvelous topics most people are really needing to learn about. My sincere apologies for not expressing appreciation to you earlier.
An fascinating dialogue is worth comment. I think that it is best to write extra on this subject, it may not be a taboo topic but generally people are not sufficient to talk on such topics. To the next. Cheers
This web site is my breathing in, real excellent style and perfect articles.
I’ve been browsing on-line greater than three hours these days, yet I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours. It is lovely worth sufficient for me. In my view, if all website owners and bloggers made just right content material as you probably did, the web will probably be a lot more useful than ever before. “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them, I have found myself, my work and my God.” by Hellen Keller.
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite sure I will learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
I have not checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.
Greetings! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when browsing from my iphone. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to correct this problem. If you have any suggestions, please share. Appreciate it!
I’m impressed, I have to say. Actually hardly ever do I encounter a weblog that’s both educative and entertaining, and let me let you know, you might have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is outstanding; the problem is something that not enough persons are speaking intelligently about. I am very blissful that I stumbled throughout this in my seek for one thing relating to this.
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
F*ckin’ awesome things here. I’m very glad to peer your article. Thanks a lot and i am having a look forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive learn anything like this before. So good to seek out any person with some unique ideas on this subject. realy thank you for beginning this up. this website is something that’s needed on the web, someone with slightly originality. useful job for bringing something new to the internet!
Some really interesting information, well written and loosely user pleasant.
Hello there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!
Hey there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!
fantastic points altogether, you simply gained a new reader. What would you suggest about your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?
you’re really a good webmaster. The site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you have done a excellent job on this topic!
Good post. I learn one thing more difficult on totally different blogs everyday. It’s going to all the time be stimulating to learn content from different writers and follow a bit something from their store. I’d desire to make use of some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll provide you with a hyperlink in your net blog. Thanks for sharing.