Long March, expendable launch systems, China

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches two Beidou-3 navigation satellites

Published on Jan 12, 2018

A Long March-3B launch vehicle launched two Beidou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 11 January 2018, at 23:18 UTC (07:18 local time). The twin satellites are coded as the 26th and 27th in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

 

[Administrator]

Long March-11 launches two Jilin satellites

Published on Jan 19, 2018

A Long March-11 carrier rocker launched two new remote sensing satellites, Jilin-1 07 and Jilin-1 08, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 19 January 2018, at 04:12 UTC (12:12 local time). The launch was the third mission of the Long March 11 launch vehicle. The two satellites were developed by the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2D launches China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (Zhangheng-1/张衡一号)

Published on Feb 2, 2018

A Long March-2D launch vehicle (Chang Zheng-2D) launched China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 2 February 2018, at 07:51 UTC (15:51 local time). Known as Zhangheng-1 (张衡一号) after Zhang Heng, a renowned scholar of the East Han Dynasty, the satellite will record electromagnetic data associated with earthquakes above six magnitude in China and those above seven magnitude around the world, in a bid to identify patterns in the electromagnetic disturbances in the near-Earth environment.

 

[Administrator]

Beidou-3 navigation satellites launched by Long March-3B

Published on Feb 12, 2018

A Long March-3B launch vehicle, with an Yuanzheng-1 (YZ-1) upper stage, launched two new Beidou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 12 February 2018, at 05:10 UTC (13:10 local time).

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2D launches LKW-4

Published on Mar 18, 2018

A Long March-2D launch vehicle (Chang Zheng-2D) launched a new remote sensing satellite (Ludikancha Weixing-4, LKW-4) from the from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, on 17 March 2018, at 07:10 UTC (15:10 Beijing time). LKW-4 satellite will mainly be used for remote sensing exploration of land resources.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches two new BeiDou-3 navigation satellites

Published on Mar 30, 2018

A Long March-3B launch vehicle launched two new Beidou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 29 March 2018, at 17:56 UTC (01:56 local time). The twin satellites are coded as the 30th and 31st satellites in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches Yaogan-31 01 satellites

Published on Apr 10, 2018

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the first group of Yaogan-31 remote sensing satellites, along with a micro nano technology experiment satellite, from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 10 April 2018, at 04:25 UTC (12:25 local time). The Yaogan-31 01 satellites will be used for electromagnetic environment surveys and other related technology tests.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-11 launches five Zhuhai-1 satellites

Published on Apr 26, 2018

A Long March-11 carrier rocket launched five Zhuhai-1 remote sensing satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, on 26 April 2018, at 04:42 UTC (12:42 local time). Zhuhai-1 is a commercial remote sensing satellite constellation that will provide data service for areas including agriculture, land and water resources, environmental protection, and transportation.

 

[Administrator]

APStar-6C launched by Long March-3B

Published on May 3, 2018

A Long March-3B launch vehicle launched the APStar-6C communication satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 3 May 2018, at 16:06 UTC (4 May, 00:06 local time). The satellite was developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and will be used by APT Satellite Co. Ltd. to provide TV transmission, communication, Internet and multimedia services to customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

 

[Administrator]

Gaofen-5 launched by Long March-4C

Published on May 8, 2018

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the Gaofen-5 satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China, on 8 May 2018, at 18:28 UTC (9 May, 02:28 local time). Gaofen-5 is a hyperspectral imaging satellite, the first China-made satellite capable of monitoring air pollution. Gaofen-6 will be launched later this year to form a constellation with other Gaofen satellites in orbit.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches Queqiao (Chang'e-4 relay satellite/ 鹊桥)

Published on May 20, 2018

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched Queqiao (鹊桥, “Magpie Bridge”), the relay satellite for the Chang'e-4 lunar mission, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 20 May 2018, at 21:28 UTC (21 May, at 05:28 local time). Queqiao will be placed into a halo orbit around the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange point and will provide relay communications for the Chang'e-4 lunar mission (lander and rover), expected to be launched later this year to the Aitken Basin, in the south pole region of the Moon. Together with the relay satellite, two microsatellites, Longjiang-1 and Longjiang-2 were also be sent into orbit.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2C launches PRSS-1 & PakTES-1A

Published on Jul 9, 2018

A Long March-2C rocket successfully launched two satellites, PRSS-1 and PakTES-1A, from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan province, on 9 July 2018, at 03:56 UTC (11:56 local time). Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite No. 1 (PRSS-1, 巴基斯坦遥感卫星一号) and Pakistan scientific experimental satellite (PakTES-1A, 科学实验卫星PakTES-1A) were launched for the National Space Agency of Pakistan SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission). According to the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) PRSS-1 is in good condition with its solar panels unfolded.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches two BeiDou-3 navigation satellites

Published on Jul 29, 2018

A Long March-3B rocket launched two new BeiDou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 29 July 2018, at 01:48 UTC (09:48 local time). The twin satellites are the 33rd and 34th in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, respectively the 9th and 10th for the BeiDou-3 system. China expects to have a basic system with 18 BeiDou-3 satellites orbiting by the end of the year.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4B launches Gaofen-11

Published on Jul 31, 2018

A Long March-4B (Chang Zheng-4) rocket launched Gaofen-11, an optical remote sensing satellite, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center , Shanxi Province, northern China, on 31 July 2018, at 03:00 UTC (11:00 local time). The high-resolution Earth observation satellite will be used for land survey, urban planning, road network design, agriculture, and disaster relief.

 

[Administrator]

BeiDou-3 satellites launched by Long March-3B

Published on Aug 24, 2018

A Long March-3B rocket launched two new BeiDou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 24 August 2018, at 23:52 UTC (25 August, 07:52 local time). According to official sources, the satellites entered the designated orbit after flying for more than three hours. The twin satellites are the 35rd and 36th in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, respectively the 11th and 12th for the BeiDou-3 system. Another six BeiDou-3 are scheduled to be launched in 2018, China expects to have a basic system with 18 BeiDou-3 satellites orbiting by the end of the year.

 

[Administrator]

Haiyang-1C (HY-1C) launched by Long March-2C

Published on Sep 7, 2018

A Long March-2C (CZ-2C) rocket successfully launched the Haiyang-1C (HY-1C) satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 7 September 2018, at 03:15 UTC (11:15 local time). The HY-1C satellite will help monitor ocean color and water temperatures, providing basic data for research on the global oceanic environment, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches BeiDou-3 satellites

Published on Sep 19, 2018

A Long March-3B launch vehicle (Chang Zheng-3) launched two BeiDou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 19 September 2018, at 14:07 UTC (22:07 local time). The satellites (BeiDou-3 MEO-13 & BeiDou-3 MEO-14) entered the scheduled orbit after three hours, according to official sources. The twin satellites are the 37rd and 38th in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, respectively the 13th and 14th for the BeiDou-3 system. Another four BeiDou-3 are scheduled to be launched in 2018, China expects to have a basic system with 18 BeiDou-3 satellites orbiting by the end of the year.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2C launches Yaogan-32 satellites

Published on Oct 9, 2018

A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched two Yaogan-32 remote sensing satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 9 October 2018, at 02:43 UTC (10:43 local time). The satellites will be used for electromagnetic environmental detection and other related experiments.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4B launches HY-2B satellite

Published on Oct 24, 2018

A Long March-4B (Chang Zheng-4) rocket launched the HY-2B remote sensing satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 24 October 2018, at 22:57 UTC (25 October 2018, 06:57 local time). HaiYang-2B (HY-2B) will form a network for marine environment monitoring with the HY-2A satellite launched seven years ago and the subsequent HY-2C and HY-2D.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2C launches CFOSat (China-France Oceanography Satellite)

Published on Oct 28, 2018

A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched CFOSat (China-France Oceanography Satellite) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 29 October 2018, at 00:47 UTC (08:47 local time). CFOSat was developed jointly by CNES (Centre national d'études spatiales) and CNSA (China National Space Administration) to study ocean surface winds and waves. The satellite has two radar instruments: SWIM (Surface Waves Investigation and Monitoring) which will survey the length, height and direction of waves; and SCAT (wind SCATterometer) which will measure the strength and direction of winds. As secondary payload, Long March-2C launched five small satellites: Xiaoxiang-1, Zhaojin-1, Tianfuguoxing-1, Changshagaoxin and CubeBel-1.