2017 LM-5 Launch Failure Investigation Finished

According to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, the investigation into the LM-5 launch failure concluded with the cause of the LM-5 launch failure last July. The modified first stage liquid-oxygen and liquid hydrogen (LH2/LOX) engines had completed several ground hot firing tests which verified the effectiveness of the measures taken.

On July 2 of 2017, a LM-5 launch vehicle lifted off from the Hainan Wenchang launch site, but suffered a failure 346 seconds after liftoff. According to analysis by simulation calculation and ground test results, the cause of the failure was tracked down to a turbopump exhaust on a subsystem in one LH2/LOX engine in the rocket’s first stage.The turbopump’s local structure was abnormal due to complex thermal conditions which caused a loss of thrust instantaneously and the launch mission failed.

At present, the third LM-5 carrier rocket is under production for a launch planned at the end of 2018. In the future, the fourth LM-5 will conduct Chang’e 5 spacecraft launch mission for the nation’s third stage of the lunar exploration program.