FG-15

FG-15B
Country of originChina
First flight1986-02-02
DesignerChina Hexi Chemical and Machinery Corporation
ApplicationApogee kick motor
Associated LVLong March 3
PredecessorFG-02
SuccessorFG-36
StatusOut of Production
Solid-fuel motor
PropellantAP / HTPB
CasingFiberglass
Configuration
Chamber1
Performance
Thrust, vacuum40.9 kN (9,200 lbf)
Specific impulse, vacuum289 s (2.83 km/s)
Total impulse1.432 MN (322,000 lbf)
Burn time35s
Propellant capacity505 kg (1,113 lb)
Dimensions
Length1,489 mm (58.6 in)
Diameter896 mm (35.3 in)
Empty mass75 kg (165 lb)
Used in
Dong Fang Hong 2
References
References[1][2][3]

The FG-15 (AKA DFH-2 AKM and SpaB-170) was a Chinese spin stabilized apogee kick motor burning HTPB-based composite propellant.[3] It was developed by China Hexi Chemical and Machinery Corporation (also known as the 6th Academy of CASIC) for use in the Dong Fang Hong 2 satellite bus for insertion into GSO orbit.[4]

It has a total nominal mass of 580 kg (1,280 lb), of which 505 kg (1,113 lb) is propellant load and its burn out mass is 75 kg (165 lb). It has an average thrust of 40.9 kN (9,200 lbf) with a specific impulse of 289 seconds burning for 35 seconds, with a total impulse of 1.432 MN (322,000 lbf). This motor introduced a series of innovations for the Chinese solid motor industry: first use of glass fibre wound cases, carbon/carbon nozzle throat insert material, contoured divergent nozzle, and non-destructive test of the motor grain.

The initial version had the manufacturing code FG-15 was associated to the DFH-2 bus and flew twice. The FG-15B was used by the DFH-2A bus and flew five times.

Date Carrier Rocket Motor Launch site Mission Result
1984-01-29 Long March 3 FG-15 Xichang Satellite Launch Center STTW-T1 Failure to ignite
1984-04-09 Long March 3 FG-15 Xichang Satellite Launch Center STTW-T2 Success
1986-02-02 Long March 3 FG-15B Xichang Satellite Launch Center DFH-2A-T1 Success
1988-03-09 Long March 3 FG-15B Xichang Satellite Launch Center ChinaSat-1 (DFH-2A-T2) Success
1998-12-24 Long March 3 FG-15B Xichang Satellite Launch Center DFH-2A-T3 Success
1990-02-05 Long March 3 FG-15B Xichang Satellite Launch Center DFH-2A-T4 Success
1991-12-28 Long March 3 FG-15B Xichang Satellite Launch Center ChinaSat-4 (DFH-2A-T5) Failure to ignite

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "DFH-2 AKM". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "5.6.38: Shanxi AKM". Jonathan Space Report. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  3. ^ a b Norbert Bgügge. "Some Chinese solid fuel aerospace motors". B14643.DE. Archived from the original on 2015-09-26. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  4. ^ Harvey, Brian (2013). "Rocket Engines". China's Space Program — The Great Leap Forward. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 97. ISBN 978-1461450436. Retrieved 2015-07-25.