The number of those wishing to create and operate returnable missile systems is multiplying. On Tuesday, Beijing-based startup Space Transportation the first test suborbital launch of the Jiageng-I rocket. The device climbed 26,2 km and safely returned to earth. Scientists from the oldest aerospace university in China, Xiamen University, were directly involved in the development of Jiageng-I and in trial runs with a whole range of experiments.
The Jiageng-I apparatus is a mixture of aviation and space developments. The wingspan of the rocket is 2,5 meters, and the height is 8,7 meters. The weight of the rocket reaches 3700 kg. The maximum speed is 4300 km/h. The test launch was designed to test the aerodynamic qualities of the rocket and was accompanied by a number of other experiments. In particular, the device carried a full load in the form of a head cone of a special configuration. This is a hypersonic radome project that promises to be used in the aircraft of the future to transport people in two hours to anywhere on Earth.
In the future, a rocket based on Jiageng-I can become a relatively inexpensive way to launch small satellites into orbit. Alas, the small wingspan does not allow us to hope for the landing of the device at the airfield on the principle of an aircraft. To land, Jiageng-I used a parachute system. You can also question the lifting properties of the wing of the device, which are unlikely to have sufficient characteristics for planning.
It is interesting to note that Space Transportation was established in August 2018. And now, in April 2019, it launches the first prototype of the development into the sky. The company's commercial project, the Tian Xing-1 rocket, will be capable of launching satellites weighing between 100 and 1000 kilograms into orbit. At this rate, China could quickly reshape the space launch market.
Source: 3dnews.ru