Issue 37

08 Flash Archive · Members Only

Successful Test Flight of Space Plane Tianxing-1 Y5B

Space Transportation conducted a successful Tianxing-1 Y5B suborbital test flight on 9 December 2021.

Author Minhas Published December 19, 2021

9 Dec 2021: Chinese hypersonic/spaceplane firm Space Transportation conducted a successful sub-orbital test flight of Tianxing-1 Y5B, the fifth test flight and sixth flight overall.

– There were no further details or images released for the flight.

– The Tianxing-1 is designed to launch vertically and maintain horizontal flight in the upper atmosphere using its fin-like wings, before gliding back down to Earth horizontally.

– Space Transportation conducted a test flight of a 3,700kg technology demonstrator Tianxing-1 in Apr 2019. The test was in cooperation with Xiamen University and took place just months after its Aug 2018 founding.

– A second Tianxing-1 launch occurred on 23 Dec 2019 and an engine test for Tianxing-2 on 10 Nov 2020.

– On Aug 31 2021, Space Transportation reported the first successful test flight of the Tianxing-2, representing the third flight test of the series of rockets.

– The fourth test occurred on 12 Sep 2021 with another Tianxing-1 flight test mission.

– Tianxing I and II are single-stage recyclable aircraft, vertical take-off, horizontal landing, with recovery and partial reuse capabilities.

– The Tianxing-2 is intended to be a modular carrier platform for carrying out flight tests over Mach 10.

– To date all launches have been sub-orbital.

Space Transportation raised $46.3 million in Aug 2021, and reportedly plans various large-scale technology verification flights through 2022. They aim for a first flight of a suborbital space tourism vehicle prototype in 2023, followed by a first crewed test in 2025. A first “global” hypersonic vehicle flight is slated for 2028, with a full-scale global hypersonic vehicle flight in 2030.

It is clear from China’s official space plans and industry trends that China fully intends to develop reusable launch vehicles including spaceplanes. While spaceplane development has historically been driven by the military and China’s state-owned aerospace giants, recent years have seen a greater number of civilian-oriented spaceplane projects developed by private firms. For a comprehensive look at China’s Space Plane efforts, see the Air University China Aerospace Studies Institute paper.

Issue 37

Tianxing-1 Y5B December 2021 test.

Tianxing-1 April 2019 test.

Tianxing I & II reusable aircraft concepts.

Tianxing I test article/model.