Following a recent escape flight test of China’s next-generation crewed spacecraft, Mengzhou, Chinese engineers are focusing on a flight test of the transport craft.
Mengzhou means “Dream Craft” and has previously completed a number of tests, including verification of the electronic system and testing of the entire ship. “A flight test will be conducted in [the] future to comprehensively verify its overall performance,” explains a China Central Television (CCTV) report.
Airbag cushioning system
The escape flight test was carried out June 17 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The spacecraft’s escape engine propelled the capsule-tower assembly upward.
Escape test.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
About 20 seconds later, the return capsule separated from the escape tower at the predetermined altitude. Two minutes later, the capsule landed safely in the designated area using an airbag cushioning system.
Focus shift
“The Mengzhou manned spacecraft is in the final stage of prototype sample development,” Yu Kang, a crewed spacecraft designer with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) told CCTV.
Yu Kang, a crewed spacecraft designer with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
“After completing this zero-altitude escape test, our entire development team will shift all focus onto the prototype development, targeting the maiden flight of the Mengzhou manned spacecraft,” Yu added.
Two assignments
CASC is the contractor for development of the Mengzhou spacecraft.
According to CASC, the Mengzhou spacecraft is also scheduled to conduct a maximum dynamic pressure escape flight test later this year, as part of the China Manned Space Program.
Mengzhou consists of a return capsule and a service module.
The spacecraft is being designed to support two key efforts: the low-Earth version is capable of carrying up to seven astronauts to and from China’s space station.
Image credit: China Manned Space Agency
A lunar version would be able to support three astronauts to the Moon.
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