Long March 7
 | |
| Function | Medium to heavy orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | CALT |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 53.10 m (174.2 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Mass | 594,000 kg (1,310,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO (200km x 400km x 42°) | 13,500 kg (29,800 lb) |
| Payload to SSO 700km | 5,500 kg (12,100 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March |
| Comparable | Delta IV, Atlas V, Falcon 9, H-IIA |
| Launch history | |
| Status | In development |
| Launch sites | Wenchang, Jiuquan, Xichang, Taiyuan |
| Boosters - K2 booster | |
| No. boosters | 4 |
| Diameter | 2.25 m (7.4 ft) |
| Engines | 1 YF-100 |
| Thrust | SL: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) Vac: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) |
| Total thrust | SL: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf) Vac: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | SL: 300 seconds (2.9 km/s) Vac: 335 seconds (3.29 km/s) |
| Fuel | RP-1/LOX |
| First stage - K3 core module | |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Engines | 2 YF-100 |
| Thrust | SL: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) Vac: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | SL: 300 seconds (2.9 km/s) Vac: 335 seconds (3.29 km/s) |
| Fuel | RP-1/LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Engines | 4 YF-115 |
| Thrust | 706 kN (159,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 342 seconds (3.35 km/s) |
| Fuel | RP-1/LOX |
The Long March 7 (Chinese: 长征七号运载火箭), or Chang Zheng 7 as in pinyin, abbreviated LM-7 for export or CZ-7 within China, originally Long March 2F/H or Chang Zheng 2F/H,[3] is a Chinese liquid-fuelled carrier rocket, which is being developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Its maiden flight is scheduled for 2016.[4]
As one of the new generation rocket family of Long March 5, Long March 6 and Long March 7, it is to be a medium-heavy launch vehicle and fits the gap between the heavy Long March 5 family and the small-mid Long March 6 family.
The structure will be based on the reliable man-rated Long March 2F rocket. Thus it will inherit the 3.35m-diameter core stage and 2.25m-diameter liquid rocket boosters. However, it will use LOX/kerosene fuel instead of the expensive and dangerous N2O4/UDMH fuels used previously in the Long March 2 rocket family. The new engine is borrowed from the engines developed for Long March 5, similar to Long March 6. The target is to build a more cost-effective and less environmentally damaging rocket family to replace today's Long March 2 and potentially Long March 3 serial to satisfy both domestic and international launch market needs.[5] It will be capable of placing 5,500 kilograms (12,100 lb) of payload into a sun-synchronous orbit.[1]
With payloads in the range of 10-20 tons cited, it is likely to use two YF-100 first-stage engines at the 1st core stage, and one YF-100 engine for each of its 4 liquid rocket boosters.[6][7]
Bradley Perrett from Aviation Week writes that the description of Long March 7 corresponds with the mid-sized launcher that the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology detailed in 2007. The configuration displayed then had the two K3 core modules, four K2 boosters and a special 3-meter-dia. module, H3, that would presumably be an optional third stage for missions beyond low Earth orbit. But the range of payloads quoted for Long March 7, 10-20 tons, shows that it would be built with a variety of booster combinations. A single YF-100 would presumably provide second-stage propulsion.[6]
References
- 1 2 "Chang Zheng-7 (Long March-7)". SinoDefence. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
- ↑ "长征七号运载火箭 (The Long March 7 Launch Vehicle)" (in Chinese). baike.com. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
- ↑ "2016年，还有哪些航天大事值得期待？ | 科学人 | 果壳网 科技有意思". www.guokr.com. 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
长征七号火箭原名长征二号F/H，最初可以看做长征二号F火箭换用YF-100和YF-115液氧煤油发动机的产物，但在实际研制中它应用了全数字化设计手段，代表了我国60年来运载火箭研制的最高水平
- ↑ 17 March 2015, China Outlines New Rockets, Space Station and Moon Plans
- ↑ SINA News Sina, 19 November 2010,
- 1 2 Bradley Perrett, Aviation Week, 15 March 2010, Longer Marches
- ↑ Bradley Perrett, Aviation Week, 5 March 2010
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