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RCS-FC-SC
RCS-FC-SC (before inflation) [CASIC]
RCS-FC-SC (inflated) [CASIC]
The RCS-FC-SC (Rouxing Chongqi Shihuowu Fanhui Cang - Shiyan Cang, "Flexible Inflatable Cargo Return Module - Test Module") was a Chinese recovery test of a capsule with an inflatable heat shield designed and built by CASIC.
RCS-FC-SC is a small spacecraft of 1.0 m × 1.5 m size. The experiment was mounted on the rear of the XZF-SC service module. For reentry it inflated a 3 m conical heat shield, which also was to decelerate the capsule for landing, so no parachute was needed.
The satellite was launched as a secondary payload on the maiden CZ-5B rocket. It was deployed after reaching low earth orbit. Reentry took place on the following day for a landing in the desert near Jiuquan. It was announced, that the reentry experiment failed.
| Nation: | China |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Technology, reentry |
| Operator: | CASIC |
| Contractors: | CASIC |
| Equipment: | Inflatable heatshield |
| Configuration: | |
| Propulsion: | ? |
| Power: | Batteries |
| Lifetime: | ~1 day |
| Mass: | |
| Orbit: |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCS-FC-SC | 2020-027B | 05.05.2020 | We LC-101 | CZ-5B | with XZF-SC |
