Chinese Startup Fires ‘Blazing’ Oxygen-Rich Engine for Deep Space Missions
Chinese startup Mega Engine has successfully tested its Chi engine, a closed-cycle kerosene-liquid oxygen propulsion system. The engine demonstrated stable operation and rapid startup during a 1,000-second hot fire test. This advancement is part of China's broader initiative to enhance its space capabilities with more efficient propulsion technologies.
- ▪Mega Engine's Chi engine produces between 35 and 75 tons of thrust at sea level and about 87 tons in space.
- ▪The engine features an advanced oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle and can achieve variable thrust.
- ▪Mega Engine is also developing a more powerful 200-ton closed-cycle kerolox engine named Yan for heavy-lift vehicles.
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The space industry is gearing up for longer-duration missions to the Moon and beyond, and that requires new types of propulsion systems with higher efficiency and more thrust. That’s why rocket companies are rushing to test new combustion technologies that may be more capable of getting the job done.cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({"playerId":"92b7b46b-43ed-4e0e-b21b-2c999302d9d7","settings":{"advertising":{"macros":{"AD_UNIT":"/23178111854/od.gizmodo.com/article","CHILD_UNIT":"article","POST_ID":"2000763872","POST_TYPE":"post","CHANNEL":"science","SECTION":"space","SUBSECTION":"","CATEGORIES":"space","TAGS":"china,rocket-engines,rocket-propulsion,the-moon","NOP":"0"},"timeBeforeFirstAd":0}}}).render("cnx-player-main")}); China’s Mega Engine recently put its Chi engine to the test, firing up…
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