Future Upper Stage Propulsions for Various Launch Vehicle Architectures in China
- Paper number
IAC-09.C4.P.12
- Author
Mr. Zhang Mingui, China
- Coauthor
Mr. Zhang Mingui, China
- Year
2009
- Abstract
Payload capability of launch vehicles is highly related with design of upper stages, and different payload weight and orbit inserting request extensive adaptability for upper stage, so commercial space launch vehicle will put forward a higher request to upper stage propulsion system in future. This also promotes enthusiastic developing on lower cost, higher performance and more versatile upper stage propulsion systems in the world. State-of-the-art upper stage propulsion systems adopt different designs. With optimizing system designs on propulsion systems and engines, upper stage propulsion systems can meet various mission requirements. The paper introduces state-of-art technologies of upper stage propulsion systems, including liquid oxygen/ liquid hydrogen upper stages, liquid oxygen/kerosene upper stages, toxic versatile upper stages and non-toxic storable propellant upper stages, combining with present development status and future needs of Chinese commercial space launch vehicles. According to this paper, liquid oxygen/ liquid hydrogen cryogenic expander cycle upper stage, liquid oxygen/ kerosene upper stage, N2O4/ hydrazine-based fuel upper stage are development trend of current affordable upper stage, and each of them have its own application scope. Combined with needs of Long March launch vehicle series, Chinese space industry can act now in these there areas of upper stage propulsion systems, and achieve a significant progress to improve launch vehicle versatile capability. Non-toxic hydrogen peroxide/ kerosene upper stage is an available but uncertain technique for upper stage propulsion system because of its lower performance. At first, developing a new expander cycle, high reliability and high performance cryogenic upper stage based on the existing gas generator cycle cryogenic engine, which will enhance the development of high performance cryogenic upper stage of Chinese new generation large launch vehicle. The second, following development of Chinese new generation liquid oxygen/ kerosene small launch vehicle in future, it is necessary to develop a 100kN class liquid oxygen/ kerosene upper stage engine in advance. The work shall also provide more option for upper stages of future Chinese large liquid oxygen/ kerosene launch vehicles. The third, based on the 5000N-10kN high performance gas generator cycle pump-fed engine, development of common versatile upper stage can satisfy current needs of Long March launch vehicle series with different payload and orbit inserting.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
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