At the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, "HaoLong" space cargo shuttle—a contender for China's low-cost space station cargo transport system and winner of the contracts for flight verification phase—was officially unveiled. Developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China), the HaoLong space cargo shuttle is designed to provide an economical, winged cargo transportation solution to the Chinese space station.

Leveraging cutting-edge aviation technologies, "Haolong" is capable of being launched by a carrier rocket, docking with the space station, and upon separation, executing de-orbit braking and re-entry maneuvers, culminating in a horizontal landing on an airport runway. Its reusability allows cargo transport both to and from the space station, offering greater cost-effectiveness and enhanced return capabilities compared to traditional cargo spacecraft.

It can re-enter the atmosphere, fly and land horizontally at a designated airport, allowing for recovery and reuse in an airline-like operation pattern. Therefore, it is expected to reduce the turnaround cycle and cost per mission significantly.

Notably, the winged configuration of "Haolong" promises its greater return opportunities and better reentry and return environmental conditions, creating favorable conditions for it to carry out cargo download missions.

Currently, "HaoLong" has completed its conceptual design phase and is moving forward with full-scale engineering development.

Source :Lingnan on the Cloud

货运航天飞机“昊龙”亮相中国航展

在第十五届中国航展上，入选空间站低成本货物运输系统方案并获得工程飞行验证阶段合同的“昊龙”货运航天飞机正式亮相。“昊龙”货运航天飞机，是为了进一步降低中国空间站货物运输成本，由中国航空工业集团公司成都飞机设计研究所自主设计研制的一型带翼低成本空间站货物运输飞行器。

“昊龙”货运航天飞机采用商业运载火箭发射，与中国空间站交会对接，完成货物上下行之后，无动力自主返回，水平着陆于指定机场。“昊龙”货运航天飞机具备突出的可重复使用能力，兼顾空间站上行和下行运输，相比传统货运飞船具有更好的经济性和下行运输能力。

“昊龙”货运航天飞机实现了可重复使用。能再入大气层飞行、水平着陆，实现航天器航班化的回收处置和重复使用，大幅降低货运飞行器的重复使用周期和单次任务成本。

此外，“昊龙”货运航天飞机具有货物下行能力。采用带翼构型使得“昊龙”货运航天飞机具有更多的返回机会、更好的再入返回环境条件，都是对下行需求的有力支撑。

目前，“昊龙”货运航天飞机已经完成了方案设计，正全面开展工程研制。

译 | 赵凡
审 | 邹晓华