The TH-12 (Chinese: 天火-12; pinyin: Tiānhuǒ-12, lit. Sky Fire 12) is an oxidizer-rich gas-generator cycle rocket engine burning LOX and kerosene under development by Space Pioneer. The TH-12 utilizes 3D printing and has the highest target thrust among all commercial rocket engines in China. The engine features deep throttling for reusability, re-ignition, thrust vectoring, and multi-mode starters.[2]

TH-12
Country of originChina
ManufacturerSpace Pioneer
StatusUnder development
Liquid-fuel engine
PropellantLOX / RP-1
Performance
Thrust, vacuum1,350 kilonewtons (300,000 lbf)
Thrust, sea-level1,090 kilonewtons (250,000 lbf)
Throttle range40%~110%
Thrust-to-weight ratio163
Specific impulse, vacuum335s
Specific impulse, sea-level285s
Used in
Tianlong-3
References
Notes[1]

History

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Space Pioneer proposed the TH-12 engine for its Tianlong-3 launch vehicle.[3] Engine development was underway in December 2020, with the first gas generator test performed in September 2022. In November 2022, a full-stage developmental TH-12 engine successfully completed its first static fire test.[4]

On July 24, 2023, the TH-12 engine, in the flight configuration of the first Tianlong-3 rocket, successfully completed a full-duration hot fire test at rated conditions for a single burn duration of 100 seconds, accumulating a total test duration of 200 seconds. This test demonstrated that the engine met the flight requirements for the Tianlong-3 rocket.[5]

In early January 2024, the TH-12 engine completed a calibration hot fire test for the first flight batch, subjecting the engine to a 50-second process verification test at rated conditions, demonstrating rapid startup, smooth operation, and normal shutdown.[6] Later that month, the TH-12 engine underwent a spot check hot fire test for the first flight batch, fully simulating the flight conditions of the inaugural Tianlong-3 launch. The test involved 6 consecutive ignitions of the engine without removal from the test stand, accumulating a total test duration exceeding 1,000 seconds, with the single engine operating time surpassing the planned flight duration by a factor of 6.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "天火-12 - 天火系列发动机 - 天兵科技". www.spacepioneer.cc. Space Pioneer. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ "天兵科技百吨级液体火箭发动机半系统热试车圆满成功". www.jiuyoucapital.com.cn. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. ^ Brügge, Norbert. "SpacePioneer". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. ^ Chang, He. "天兵科技 110 吨液体火箭发动机全系统热试车成功". ithome. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  5. ^ Space Pioneer. "热烈庆祝天兵科技百吨级液体火箭发动机 首飞状态全系统长程热试车圆满成功" (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 2024-03-11. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  6. ^ "热烈庆祝天兵科技天龙三号批产发动机校准试车圆满成功" (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 2024-03-11. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  7. ^ "热烈庆祝天兵科技天龙三号首飞批次发动机抽检试车圆满成功" (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 2024-03-11. Retrieved 11 March 2024.