China Reveals Wind Tunnel Tests Of Space Plane-Launching High-Speed Mothership Aircraft

China Reveals Wind Tunnel Tests Of Space Plane-Launching High-Speed Mothership Aircraft

The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, or CAAA, has released pictures and a brief video showing a wind tunnel test of a model of a two-stage-to-orbit space launch system involving a fast- and high-flying mothership aircraft that carries a reusable spacecraft on top of its fuselage. Though this general concept has been around for decades, there has been a major resurgence of interest in it around the world in recent years amid growing demand for flexible, rapid, and unpredictable space launch options.

CAAA released the imagery, together with relatively general details about the project via its official WeChat social media account on Oct. 21, 2019. Aerodynamic testing and modeling using various wind tunnels and other equipment are among the primary services this research and development center offers. CAAA is also part of the larger state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, or CASC.

The statement from CAAA said that the tests had been successful, but offered no details on how far along this two-stage-to-orbit program might. As the researchers noted, safe separation of the spacecraft from the mothership is absolutely essential to making this concept work.

www.thedrive.com...

a reply to: Masisoar

Wonder where he got it from?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

And still can't land a rover landing.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: Masisoar

Wonder where he got it from?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Ideas are easy. Engineers is hard. And the Chinese are as good as the Germans.

a reply to: anzha

Ahh should have checked there first, forgot that thread was a catch-all.

Zaph, feel free to delete this thread if you wish.

a reply to: Masisoar

I was not recommending the deletion of your post. Just noting that Rogoway lurks here and often we'll post something and a few hours later The Warzone then has an article.

a reply to: anzha

I wonder where the Chinese are at with this right now?

Looks like Secret Projects has some info from 2016:

www.secretprojects.co.uk...

a reply to: Masisoar





interesting picture for scale from secretprojects


also from SP

Patent Analysis and Development Study on Airframe and Engine Integration Technology of the Aerospace Plane Paper number IAC-14,C4,P,1,x22851 Author Dr. Ping Li, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, China Coauthor Mr. Shuhui Ma, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, China Coauthor Ms. Ziyan Zhou, China Year 2014 Abstract The aerospace plane with the characteristics of using oxygen in the atmosphere to reduce the take-off weight, reusable, horizontal takeoff and landing, which can reduce transportation costs between atmosphere and exoatmosphere, and therefore became the focus of the development of aerospace technology in the 21st century. Currently, the United States, Russia, Britain, Germany, Japan and other military powers are all developing the aerospace plane flying techniques. One of the key technologies which restrict the development of the aerospace plane is the aircraft airframe and aspirated engine integration technology, which is the geometry of inlet and exhaust nozzle can update with changes in the flight speed, especially for a reusable aerospace vehicle. Through technology decomposition, patents and non-patent literature search, data processing, data indexing and important patents screening of the aerospace airframe and aspirated engine integration technology, this paper studied the technology roadmap, in-depth analyzed the technology efficacy of key problems such as the vehicle inner and outer flow integration design technology, complex shape aerodynamic heat prediction and pneumatic thermal elastic and load calculation, selected important patent to solve various technical problems, predicted the future trends and research priorities of the Lockheed Martin, Boeing and other important patent applicants in technology. source: iafastro.directory...

interesting they are talking about heating and inlets being a big issue.

LM

super cool and relevant

inlet issues

a reply to: Masisoar

The only reason someone is not using Hotol today is because they probably already are and were before it was - invented or reinvented - by a British engineer.

No need for a mother ship it is a full fledge reusable space plane with no need for rockets.
en.wikipedia.org...

There is nothing ground breaking in the Chinese RE-concept of what the US and Soviets were doing in the 60's, 70's and 80's it is just a rehashing of an old idea that never got fully into service until the more reliable methods that they already knew worked.

BUT with the need for faster and faster global travel it is possible that in the future the idea WILL become more than a test bed and more of a reality than a concept.

a reply to: Masisoar

The Chinese have stated they are planning a space plane flight in 2021. TSTO or SSTO, idk. We'll see. I'd say it seems like a TSTO, but they've been pretty wiley.

a reply to: anzha

The Chinese are the masters of deception.

a reply to: Masisoar

like the model they displayed during the parade everyone is drooling over.


ill eat my hat if that has anything other than wood and some rocket nozzles in it. Amazing what a paint job and some thin metal sheeting can do.


i think it is a place holder for something else....maybe this mother ship

a reply to: penroc3

I believe the Chinese are working on much more than what they are publicly displaying (in all fields). Anzha's links in the SR-72 sticky are a good indication of their progress - publicly. It's very possible they're pushing a lot of R&D through to get right on our heels without necessarily fielding anything yet to trigger American paranoia. Perhaps even trolling US defense contractors with concept mock ups that are similar to our own.

Chinese doctrine is all about deception and being cunning.

I believe what you're seeing too, based on comments made by various individuals in the Politburo/PLA is a disagreement over how assertive China should be on the world stage. If they are seen as too antagonistic, their whole 2050 plan will begin to weaken (on top of the bad press from the OBOR). Instead of big moves, they're small, calculated, subtle moves of assertiveness. Not enough to cause too much of a stir. Their Defense Secretary has been awfully vocal though.

It's to be expected however, any power that experiences the rapid growth that China has will find itself having difficult exercising restraint.

a reply to: anzha

A SSTO would be sick , But to go from a drawing board one to a fully flying one is a super huge step.

It must be a nightmare to design one in real life.
With the high fuel requirements , prolonged exposure to heat during liftoff and during re-entry in the atmosphere.
And balancing out the center of mass especially on re-entry when it burned through most of the fuel.

a reply to: anzha

The question is, which poster here is Tyler.