Blue Arrow Space: The "Tian Que" vacuum engine TQ-15A completed its first full-system test.
Recently, the "Tianque" vacuum-type liquid oxygen methane engine (TQ-15A) successfully completed its first full-system hot fire test in Huzhou. The test lasted 20 seconds, during which the engine started and shut down normally and operated smoothly.
The TQ-15A is currently the largest thrust vacuum-type liquid oxygen methane engine in China.Its vacuum thrust reaches 836kN,and it is the second-stage main engine of the Zhuque-2 rocket's second batch.Compared to the existing 80-ton + 10-ton two-stage engine layout, the TQ-11 vernier engine has been removed. The main engine has changed from non-gimbaled to pre-pump gimbaled, reducing the complexity of the second-stage engine system. The total weight is reduced by approximately 400kg. The thrust chamber further increases the nozzle area ratio, and the turbine exhaust is introduced into the thrust chamber's large nozzle for cooling, solving the problem of interference caused by the turbine exhaust. The TQ-15A engine's vacuum thrust is increased by 9%, the vacuum specific impulse is increased by 130m/s, the thrust adjustment range is widened to 55%~110%, and it has a three-start capability, which can significantly improve the adaptability of rocket launch missions.
This TQ-15A engine is a servo-mechanism-equipped engine without a large nozzle. This test focused on assessing the feasibility of the engine system, assembly, and various component improvement schemes, verifying the correctness of the start-up and shutdown sequence, and obtaining the measured performance data and operating characteristics of the engine. The engine started and shut down according to the predetermined program, and operated smoothly, achieving the expected design goals.
This round of testing plans to conduct 5 tests (including two multi-starts), with a cumulative test time of 970 seconds. After the first test, the long-term operating reliability of the engine, operating adaptability during large-range thrust adjustment, coordination between the engine and servo system, multi-starts, high and low inlet pressure, and operating adaptability under various conditions such as overcooled propellant will continue to be tested to fully verify the engine design scheme and obtain performance data under large-nozzle conditions.
Since its establishment in September 2017, the Zhuque-2 launch vehicle has completed the research and development of the first batch of rocket technical status. Currently, The Zhuque-2 Y1 rocket has left the factory and completed the cryogenic filling and combined practice, and the assembly of the Y2 rocket is underway at the Jiaxing LandSpace Space Center.Based on this, the company's R&D team has carried out research and development iteration and optimization improvement for the second batch of rockets, making it have better performance and higher reliability.
In September 2018, China Zhongji Investment participated in LandSpace's B+ round of financing.
