A brief review of ground and flight failures of Chinese spacecraft

• Published in: Progress in aerospace sciences Vol. 107; pp. 19 - 29
• Main Authors: Ji, Xin-Yan, Li, Yun-Ze, Liu, Guo-Qing, Wang, Jing, Xiang, Shu-Hong, Yang, Xiao-Ning, Bi, Yan-Qiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Aerospace industry; Anomalies mechanism; Chinese space program; Chinese spacecraft; Communication satellites; Deep space; Environmental protection; Failure; Failure analysis; Failure cause; Ground tests; Manned spacecraft; Navigation satellites; Redundancy; Remote sensing; Space exploration; Spacecraft anomalies; Subsystems; China; Spacecraft anomalies; Failure cause; Anomalies mechanism
• ISSN: 0376-0421; 1873-1724
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paerosci.2019.04.002

The historical failure data of launched spacecraft are very useful to improve the designing and manufacturing of spacecraft, optimize ground tests and reduce the flight risks of spacecraft. In 2010, the study of spacecraft failure data was initiated in China. Since 2017, 2593 on-orbit failure data and 1298 ground failure data for 120 spacecraft launched from 2000 to 2017 have been identified and collected, including navigation satellites, communication satellites, remote sensing satellites, deep space exploration missions and manned spacecraft. In this paper, the development of China's aerospace manufacturing industry in the last decade is objectively evaluated by analysis of these failures, based on the most comprehensive available statistics of Chinese spacecraft. Detailed failure causes, failure impacts, affected subsystems, higher-risk components of spacecraft are analyzed. The failures exposure rate of ground tests and the number of early flight failures are also numerically estimated. Finally, the statistical evidence is provided in this paper to support the conclusion: reducing design errors, improving advanced research, adequate redundancy, effective space environmental protection measures, and adequate ground testing are the key to improve spacecraft quality.