Long March, expendable launch systems, China

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Long March-11 launches Tianping-2A, Tianping-2B and Tianping-2C

Mar 30, 2022

A Long March-11 launch vehicle launched three satellites, Tianping-2A, Tianping-2B and Tianping-2C, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 30 March 2022, at 02:29 UTC (10:29 local time). According to official sources, Tianping-2A, Tianping-2B and Tianping-2C (天平二号A, B, C) have entered their planned orbits and will provide services such as “atmospheric space environment survey and orbital prediction model correction”.

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Long March-4C launches Gaofen-3 03

Apr 7, 2022

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the third Gaofen-3 satellite (Gaofen-3 03, 高分三号03) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, 6 April 2022, at 23:47 UTC (7 April, at 07:47 local time). According to official sources, the satellite has entered the desired orbit and will form a network with Gaofen-3 and Gaofen-3 02 to improve “ocean observation, water conservancy applications, disaster monitoring, environmental monitoring and other fields.”

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Long March-3B launches ZhongXing-6D (ChinaSat-6D)

Apr 15, 2022

A Long March-3B rocket launched the ZhongXing-6D satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 15 April 2022, at 12:00 UTC (20:00 local time). ZhongXing-6D (中星6D, also known as ChinaSat-6D) is a communications satellite designed to “provide reliable, stable and safe radio and television transmission and communication services”, replacing the ZhongXing-6A satellite launched in 2010.

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Long March-4C launches AEMS

Apr 16, 2022

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the Atmospheric Environment Monitoring Satellite (AEMS) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, 15 April 2022, at 18:16 UTC (16 April, at 02:16 local time). According to official sources, the satellite has entered the desired orbit. AEMS, also known as Daqi-1 (大气一号, Atmosphere-1), is described as “the world’s first satellite with CO₂ laser detection capability” that can “realize all-day and high-precision detection of carbon dioxide”.

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Long March-2C launches Siwei-01 and Siwei-02

Apr 29, 2022

A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched the Siwei-01 and Siwei-02 satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, 29 April 2022, at 04:11 UTC (12:11 local time). According to official sources, the satellites have entered the planned orbits and will “provide commercial remote sensing data services for industries including surveying and mapping, environmental protection, as well as urban security and digital rural development.” Siwei-01 and Siwei-02 (四维01/02), also known as SuperView Neo 1-01 and 02, are “two commercial earth observation satellites of 0.5m resolution” designed and developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

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Long March-11 launches five Jilin-1 satellites

Apr 30, 2022

A Long March-11 launch vehicle launched five Jilin-1 satellites, Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D04-07 (吉林一号高分03D04星~07) and Jilin-1 Gaofen 04A (吉林一号高分04A), from a sea-based platform in the Yellow Sea, on 30 April 2022, at 03:30 UTC (11:30 local time). According to official sources, the satellites have entered their planned orbits and will provide “richer remote sensing data and product services for users in forestry, agriculture, grassland, marine, resources, environment, urban construction and other industries.” Jilin-1 Gaofen 04A is also known as “Anxi Tieguanyin-2” (安溪铁观音二号).

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Long March-2D launches eight satellites

May 5, 2022

A Long March-2D launch vehicle launched eight satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 5 May 2022, at 02:38 UTC (10:38 local time). Jilin-1 Kuanfu-01C (吉林一号 宽幅01C) is an Earth-observation satellite designed and manufactured by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. (CGSTL, 长光卫星技术有限公司), used to obtain “panchromatic and multispectral images with large width and high-resolution and provide the remote sensing services for smart city construction, territorial and mineral resources exploration”. The seven Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D27-33 (吉林一号高分03D27-33星) satellites are high-resolution remote sensing satellites that will provide “high-resolution remote sensing information and images for valuable customers”.

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Long March-2C launches three LEO communication test satellites

May 20, 2022

A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched three low Earth orbit (LEO) communication test satellites (颗低轨通信试验卫星) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 20 May 2022, at 10:30 UTC (18:30 local time). According to official sources, the satellites have entered the planned orbits and will “carry out tests and verifications of in-orbit communication technologies”.

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Long March-2D launches Yaogan-35 02 satellites

Jun 23, 2022

A Long March-2D launch vehicle launched the second group of three Yaogan-35 satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 23 June 2022, at 02:22 UTC (10:22 local time). According to official sources, the satellites (遥感三十五号02组卫星A星、B星、C星, Yaogan-35 02 A, B and C) have entered the planned orbits successfully and will be “mainly used in scientific experiments, land and resources surveys, agricultural production estimates, and disaster prevention and mitigation.”

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Long March-4C launches Gaofen-12-03

Jun 27, 2022

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the third Gaofen-12 Earth observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 27 June 2022, at 15:46 UTC (23:46 local time). Gaofen-12-03 (高分十二号03) is a microwave remote sensing satellite capable of providing photographs with a resolution of better than a metre. According to official sources, “Gaofen-12-03 will be mainly used in land surveys, urban planning, determining and registering land rights, road network design, crop yield estimates, and disaster prevention and relief.”
Credit: China Media Group(CMG)/China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)