The Tianlong-3 Crash: The Challenges and Opportunities of Liquid Rockets

The Tianlong-3 Crash: The Challenges and Opportunities of Liquid RocketsOn June 30th, a rocket named "Tianlong-3" crashed in the Gongyi mountainous region of Henan, attracting public attention to China's rocket launch technology. This is not just a simple launch accident, but a reflection of the challenges and opportunities facing the development of liquid rockets

The Tianlong-3 Crash: The Challenges and Opportunities of Liquid Rockets

On June 30th, a rocket named "Tianlong-3" crashed in the Gongyi mountainous region of Henan, attracting public attention to China's rocket launch technology. This is not just a simple launch accident, but a reflection of the challenges and opportunities facing the development of liquid rockets.

Cause of the Crash: Imbalance between Powerful Thrust and Launchpad Resistance

The crash of Tianlong-3 was not caused by a landing failure, but by an accidental launch during a test. The rocket uses liquid propellants, which have high combustion efficiency and can provide powerful thrust. However, during the test, the thrust of Tianlong-3 exceeded the load-bearing capacity of the launchpad, causing the rocket to "shoot" out of control, ultimately leading to a crash.

Liquid Rockets: A Powerful Double-Edged Sword

Liquid rockets are known for their powerful thrust, enabling them to carry large satellites or conduct deep space exploration missions. Compared to solid rockets, liquid rockets have the following advantages:

• High Combustion Efficiency: Liquid rockets have a higher combustion efficiency than solid rockets, providing greater thrust.

• Strong Controllability: The liquid propellant in a liquid rocket can be precisely controlled, making it easier to adjust the rocket's attitude after launch and shut down the engine mid-flight.

However, liquid rockets also have some drawbacks:

• High Complexity: The propellants of liquid rockets need to be stored at low temperatures, and must be refueled before launch, extending the preparation time.

• Easy to Volatilize: Liquid propellants are easily volatile and corrosive. Once fueled, they must be launched as soon as possible, otherwise losses will occur.

• Lower Safety: Liquid rocket propellants are flammable and explosive, requiring higher safety standards.

Tianlong-3's Liquid Rocket Design: The Pursuit of Reuse

The reason for Tianlong-3's use of liquid rocket design is not only to pursue powerful thrust, but also to achieve rocket reusability. Compared to traditional single-use rockets, reusable rockets can effectively reduce launch costs and improve resource utilization. Tianlong-3 plans to conduct 30 commercial launches annually, meaning it must be able to withstand multiple launches and recoveries.

Challenges and Development of Rocket Recovery Technology

Currently, there are three main types of rocket recovery technology:

• Parachute Recovery: Using parachutes to slow down, airbags for cushioning, or using a helicopter to hook the rocket, achieving a safe landing. However, this method has low control accuracy and can easily damage the engine.

• Vertical Recovery: Using engine thrust to decelerate, allowing for precise control of the landing point. However, this consumes some of the propellant, reducing the rocket's payload capacity.

• Wing-Assisted Return: The rocket is equipped with wings, allowing it to glide to a landing. This is safer, but increases the weight and cost of the rocket, affecting its payload capacity.

Currently, vertical recovery has been successfully practiced and is the mainstream scheme for rocket recovery research. To achieve vertical recovery, the rocket needs sufficient power, thus requiring a liquid rocket design.

Comparison between Tianlong-3 and Falcon 9

Tianlong-3 and SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket share a similar design philosophy, both using reusable liquid rocket technology. Here's a comparison of their specific parameters:

| Parameter | Tianlong-3 | Falcon 9 |

|---|---|---|

| Height | 70 meters | 70 meters |

| Diameter | 3.8 meters | 3.7 meters |

| Weight | 590 tons | 549 tons |

| Thrust | 820 tons | 829 tons |

| Near-Earth Orbit Payload | 17 tons | 22.8 tons |

Data shows that Falcon 9 is slightly superior to Tianlong-3 in terms of thrust and payload. However, Falcon 9 has also experienced multiple recovery failures, indicating that its recovery technology is still not fully developed.

Conclusion: The Future and Challenges of Liquid Rockets

The Tianlong-3 crash reminds us that the development and application of liquid rockets face numerous challenges. In terms of safety and reliability, liquid rockets need further improvement. In terms of economics and efficiency, liquid rockets need continuous optimization of design and recovery technology.

Although the path of liquid rockets is full of challenges, it also holds tremendous opportunities. With continuous technological advancements, liquid rockets will play an increasingly important role in future space exploration, opening new avenues for humanity's exploration of the universe.

References:

[1] "Space Launch Vehicles: Liquid and Solid, What do you know about them?" Science China, 2019-08-26

[2] "Reusable Rockets: Free Travel between Earth and Space" Guangming Daily, 2023-04-07

[3] "Tianbing Technology Responds to "Rocket Body Fell into the Mountains and Disintegrated during Testing": Personnel were Evacuated Prior to the Experiment, No Casualties" Global Times, 2024-06-30

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