FG-15

The FG-15 (AKA DFH-2 AKM and SpaB-170) was a Chinese spin stabilized apogee kick motor burning HTPB.[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]

FG-15B

Country of origin	China
First flight	1986-02-02
Designer	China Hexi Chemical and Machinery Corporation
Application	Apogee kick motor
Associated L/V	Long March 3
Predecessor	FG-02
Successor	FG-36
Status	Out of Production
Solid-fuel motor
Propellant	HTPB
Casing	Fiberglass
Configuration
Chamber	1
Performance
Thrust (vac.)	40.9 kN (9,200 lbf)
Isp (vac.)	289 s (2.83 km/s)
Total impulse	1.432 MN (322,000 lbf)
Burn time	35s
Propellant capacity	505 kg (1,113 lb)
Dimensions
Length	1,489 mm (58.6 in)
Diameter	896 mm (35.3 in)
Dry weight	75 kg (165 lb)
Used in
Dong Fang Hong 2
References
References	[1][2][3]

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 lb_f). 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

• China Hexi Chemical and Machinery Corporation
• Dong Fang Hong 2
• Long March 3

References

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. 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.