FG-15

FG-15B
Country of originChina
First flight1986-02-02
DesignerChina Hexi Chemical and Machinery Corporation
ApplicationApogee kick motor
Associated LVLong March 3
PredecessorFG-02
SuccessorFG-36
StatusOut of Production
Solid-fuel motor
PropellantAP / HTPB
CasingFiberglass
Configuration
Chamber1
Performance
Thrust, vacuum40.9 kN (9,200 lbf)
Specific impulse, vacuum289 s (2.83 km/s)
Total impulse1.432 MN (322,000 lbf)
Burn time35s
Propellant capacity505 kg (1,113 lb)
Dimensions
Length1,489 mm (58.6 in)
Diameter896 mm (35.3 in)
Empty mass75 kg (165 lb)
Used in
Dong Fang Hong 2
References
References

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

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 lbf). 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
1984-01-29Long March 3FG-15Xichang Satellite Launch CenterSTTW-T1Failure to ignite
1984-04-09Long March 3FG-15Xichang Satellite Launch CenterSTTW-T2Success
1986-02-02Long March 3FG-15BXichang Satellite Launch CenterDFH-2A-T1Success
1988-03-09Long March 3FG-15BXichang Satellite Launch CenterChinaSat-1 (DFH-2A-T2)Success
1998-12-24Long March 3FG-15BXichang Satellite Launch CenterDFH-2A-T3Success
1990-02-05Long March 3FG-15BXichang Satellite Launch CenterDFH-2A-T4Success
1991-12-28Long March 3FG-15BXichang Satellite Launch CenterChinaSat-4 (DFH-2A-T5)Failure to ignite