New Mars Forums

The Chinese launch vehicles of are much easier to follow and study than those of NASA/USA or Russia/USSR. Like the United States the USSR/Russians had a very complicated program with plans for a huge variety of rockets such as Protons, Rockot, Vostoks, Dnepr, Energia, Kosmos, Tsyklon, Molniya, Air-launch, Shtil, Zenit, Star-1, Soyuz-Fregats.....

The Long March rocket is pretty easy to follow, however the 1st LongMarch is sometimes described as 'CZ-I' because the Long-March-1 was also know as ChangZheng-1. Since then the Chinese rockets have been abbreviated both LM- and CZ in websites and textbooks.

Like the US and USSR, its space-rockets have had military implications - the Long March rocket is related to early versions of the Dongfeng ballistic missile and the DF-missile is the generic Chinese name for all of its land ICBMs. These Chinese potential as a Space power was only really first noticed after it launched the propaganda satellite 'East Is Red' back in 1970,

LM1 or CZI - in 1970 the LongMarch-1 or ChangZheng-I rocket launched its first satellite declaring "the East is Red", the LM1 could launch small payloads into LEO

LM2 or CZII - in 1975 the Chinese used the LongMarch2C or Chang Zheng-2C to launch a payload into LEO

CZIII or LM3 - in 1984 China with its ChangZheng-3 or LongMarchIII was now able to launch 1,300 Kg into GTO

LM-IV or CZ-4 - in 1988 these Chinese rockets ChangZheng-IV or LongMarch-4 were able to launch much larger payloads into orbit

All of the recent manned and unmanned-Shenzhou mission have been launch by a modified version of the early LongMarch-2 rocket family ( CZII ). The LM-2F or ChangZheng2F is the man-rated version of an earlier launcher and is now able to launch  8,000 kg into space or a spacecraft/capsule carrying two people.
China has been using LMII or CZ-2 for its manned missions, this rocket is good for manned flight to LEO but for Mars they could need something bigger - however I have also seen plans for a ChangZheng-5 and LongMarch-6 launcher.

The Chinese have declared plans for the Moon, launch of such large lunar payloads into low earth orbit would be within the capability of an upgraded version of the CZ-5 and could be available as early as 2010. During the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) annual congress in Rio de Janeiro, China unveiled deatils of its new CZ-5 heavy launch vehicle family. China hopes that the LongMarch-V rocket or CZ-5 will fulfill the requirement for large payload LEO and GEO missions for the next 20–30 years, with the first versions of the vehicle going into service by 2008. ChangZheng-5 (CZ-5, or Long March-5 in its translation) developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) is China’s next generation heavy-load launcher. They also announced plans to build a new launch pad - Hainan Spaceport will be the fourth and southernmost space center, manned grade, suited for the new CZ-5 Heavy ELV. Chief Designer for the CZ-5 was Long Lehao but a recent report says that according to Wu Yansheng at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, Wu says 'capacity cannot satisfy the needs of our plans to develop a space station nor the tasks of our lunar project to land (on the moon) and return' Chang Zheng 6 is a planned next-generation Heavy ELV for lunar and deepspace trajectory injection (70 tonnes in LEO) but the CZ-5 was still awaiting final approval and would take about six years for development, being ready in 2012.

The Chinese have plans to use the Long March rockets to launch robotic craft to the Moon and launch their own space-station. A lunar landing stage developed from a Shenzhou-derived return vehicle could also be used on a one-way trip to place moon base payloads of about 11 tonnes on the lunar surface. Like the Russians and Americans the Chinese have a number of active launch pads. Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center was commissioned for sun-synchronous missions and thus supports all CZ-4 launches. TSLC is primarily used to launch meteorological satellites, earth resource satellites and scientific satellite on Long March launch vehicles. The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi was China's first spaceport. The Xichang Satellite Launch Center is located in southwestern Sichuan Province, from where China launches powerful rockets and geostationary satellites. China does have plans for the Moon with the Chang'e Lunar mission and other China spacecraft. Chang'e will be an orbiter, the second stage of Moon exploration will be a soft landing on lunar surface with a rover much like the Russian Lunokhod-moonbot but with more recent technology such as NASA's Spirit and Opportunity Rovers but the Chinese Rover/Lander  is still in early stage of design - Chinese organizations have showcased their prototypes and the winner  will be selected through a nationwide competition. The third stage is a sample return mission such as Russia's robotic return craft or the planned NASA and ESA missions to Mars with MSR craft.  A future Hainan Spaceport would be suited for the new CZ-5 Heavy ELV while the future ChangZheng-6 or LM-VI would be China's next generation Heavy ELV for lunar and deepspace trajectory or  injection of 70 tonnes in LEO orbits, but we have yet to hear any news on the latest plans for CZ5.

another thread here
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4473
Can China go to Mars ? Dr. Zubrin will talk in August 06

Space technology has allowed the nation of India to move into the world of high technology, a place previously occupied only by more-developed nations. Indian launch vehicles include the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV), the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Indian cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma spent eight days in 1984 aboard the USSR's space station Salyut 7

Iran is planning to modify one of its powerful Shahab-3 ballistic missiles and use it to blast a satellite to space

South Korea decided to speed up development by joining with Russia, and cooperation began in 2004. South Korea first gained experience with missiles provided by the United States to counter North Korea. KARI is now developing the Korea Space Launch Vehicle, whose first-stage is based on the Angara rocket. First launch of the KSLV is expected in 2007. Russia is also helping to build a spaceport in Goheung County.

Just to put Mars in perspective for some - and some number of craft that got to Mars.

USA/NASA+JPL
The United States is the king of the red planet, although they had failures such as Mariner-3, Mars Polar Lander and the 1992-MarsObserver the USA hold the record for successful Mars missions. There have been many great missions like MGS, Mars Pathfinder, Viking 1 lander, the Viking 2 lander, the Mars Odyssey and we have the future MRO.
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1590

Russia's partial success with the Red Planet
The Russian's had much better results with their Rovers on the Moon and Venus missions but got some fair results from Mars, most of their missions were a total failure except for MarsIII lander was a successful lander however contact was soon lost, while the Phobos-2 mission produced some good results
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1583

The Japanese attempt
Japan's attempt with Nozomi was their big journey to the red planet, the Japan mission was scheduled to arrive at Mars on October 1999. They started ok but soon had poor results with loss of fuel, and later the JAXA/NASDA craft was cooked by solar flares, this Japanese space probe became too damaged to ever reach Mars. Japan has declared plans for a lunar base but they have no experience with manned flight.
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1577

Europe/ESA
The European exploration of Mars can be seen with both Mars Express and the Beagle2 lander, Beagle is lost or destroyed on the red-planet and attempts to contact the lander failed. However the Mars Express Orbiter has been doing very well taking pics and confirmed the presence of water ice and carbon dioxide. Europe plans for Soyuz in Kourou and ESA have plans to explore Mars with the Aurora mission but the ESA has no experience with manned spaceflight.
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic … 69&start=0

On Uranus all I know of was the past mission by Voyager 2

On Neptune see here
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1442
Neptune Orbiter

I've heard some talk about how the talented Mr.Zubrin will be speaking to the Chinese on space exploration during a trip to China this year. Of course we all know the Chinese have a great history of building and invention but its potential as a Space power was only really first noticed after it launched the propaganda satellite 'East Is Red' back in 1970, these types of military/propaganda sats were common place by many during the Cold-war.

Today China has become a more free and open market, they do great trade with the USA and Europe. The Chinese have a strong economy and are now launching many foreign satellites for Australia, Brazil, the United States, ESA and the Philippines. The recent Shenzhou program has been developing for the past years,  and in 2003 China became the third nation to launch a human into orbit. Shenzhou6  followed in 2005 which saw 2 more astronauts fly spending 5 days in orbit. The Chinese have plans to use the Long March rockets to launch robotic craft to the Moon and launch their own space-station. China has been using the the Long March II or CZ-2 for its manned missions, this rocket is good for manned flight to LEO but for Mars they might need something bigger - however I have also seen plans for a ChangZheng-5 and  LongMarch-6 launcher.

do you think China has Mars plans ?

the most important year seems to be 2006 if we get past it

if they even survive NASAs 2006 Budget - so far we see NASA to pull the plug on Dawn asteroid mission, Mars research has been cut by $243.3 million to $700.2 million. This reflects the cancellation or indefinite postponement of missions such as the Mars Sample Return Mission and the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter. Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has been given no funding for the foreseeable future SOFIA (the 2.5-meter IR telescope carried on a Boeing 747) is teetering on the brink of cancellation, and the entire "Beyond Einstein" program of major cosmology and high-energy astronomy missions (staring with Constellation-X, LISA, and the Joint Dark Energy Mission) has been cancelled pending major reappraisal  and another victim: Keck outrigger telescopes.

Space Adventures Ltd. said Monday it plans to develop an integrated spaceport in Singapore that will offer sub-orbital spaceflights and operate astronaut training facilities and a public education and interactive visitor center.
"Singapore is one of the best-connected countries in the world. It is home to one of the world's busiest air and sea ports. Singapore, with its superior geographical and economic infrastructure, is primed to be the hub of a new, revolutionary form of travel - in space," said Eric Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Space Adventures.
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Spa … apore.html

The company, which arranged orbital flights for U.S. businessman Dennis Tito in April 2001, and South African Internet tycoon Mark Shuttleworth in April 2002 - both via Russian spacecraft to the International Space Station - said the focal point of Spaceport Singapore will be sub-orbital spaceflights. As the company’s Explorer spacecraft reaches its maximum altitude of 100 kilometers (64 miles), its maximum of five passengers will experience up to five minutes of continuous weightlessness.
"Countries around the world are only just realizing the enormous commercial possibilities of space tourism,” Anderson said. “The market potential for sub-orbital spaceflights alone is estimated at $1 billion annually.”

Report Slams Katrina Disaster Preparation
The deaths and suffering of thousands of Hurricane Katrina's victims might have been avoided if the government had heeded lessons from the 2001 terror attacks and taken a proactive stance toward disaster preparedness, a House inquiry concludes.
But from President Bush on down to local officials there was largely a reactive posture to the catastrophic Aug. 29 storm — even when faced with early warnings about its deadly potential.
http://soundroots.org/uploaded_images/b … 779638.jpg
A 520-page report, titled "A Failure of Initiative," was being released Wednesday as
Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff testifies before a Senate committee conducting a separate investigation of the government's Katrina response.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report Tuesday night.
"The preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina should disturb all Americans," said the report, written by a Republican-dominated special House committee chaired by Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va.
http://soundroots.org/uploaded_images/b … 779638.jpg
"Passivity did the most damage," it said. "The failure of initiative cost lives, prolonged suffering, and left all Americans justifiably concerned our government is no better prepared to protect its people than it was before 9/11, even if we are."
The hard-hitting findings allocated blame to state and local authorities and concluded that the federal government's single largest failure was in not recognizing Katrina's likely consequences as it approached. That could have prompted a mobilization of federal assets for a post-storm evacuation of a flooded New Orleans, the report said, meaning aid "would have arrived several days earlier."
It also found that Bush could have speeded the response by becoming involved in the crisis earlier and says he was not receiving guidance from a disaster specialist who would have understood the scope of the storm's destruction.

what a great photo !

Not cut down but Delayed indefinitely - the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF)

Article on the web
NASA Postpones Or Kills Several Major Projects
Most salient among the robotic mission cuts is the Europa exploration program that had been given the highest priority solar system science objective after Mars by the National Academy of Sciences and NASA advisory committees. And even planetary exploration's job-one that has seen the Martian landscape increasingly covered with rover tracks was also not immune: NASA's Red Planet research budget has been cut by $243.3 million to $700.2 million. This includes the cancellation or indefinite postponement of projects such as the Mars Sample Return Mission and the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter.
http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=p … &tb=1&pb=1
Not only did planetary geology pay, but so did astronomy: Also delayed indefinitely was the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) slated to detect and study Earth-like planets
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASA_ … jects.html
Responding to the announced indefinite postponement of TPF, the Planetary Society released a statement Monday saying the agency's budget "seriously damages the hugely productive and successful robotic exploration of our solar system and beyond." In addition, the statement said, NASA's budget "slashes funding for the fundamental space science that makes such missions possible and turns raw data into discoveries."

NASA’s assault on the moon will start with survey of landing sites
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11238355/
LRO is the first of the Robotic Lunar Exploration Program missions. After a planned launch by late fall in 2008, LRO will take four days to make its way to the moon and then orbit that chunk of "magnificent desolation" for nominally one year.

old news item

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-04zq.html
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/11/2 … p/?1122003

are they preparing for a manned mission ?