Long March, expendable launch systems, China

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches Gaofen-10

Oct 4, 2019

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the Gaofen-10 satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 4 October 2019, at 18:51 UTC (5 October, at 02:51 local time). Gaofen-10 (高分十号) is a microwave remote sensing satellite capable of providing photographs with a resolution of less than a meter, part of China’s high-definition Earth observation project. According to official sources, Gaofen-10 will be used in land survey, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimate, as well as disaster relief.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4B launches Gaofen-7 satellite

Nov 3, 2019

A Long March-4B launch vehicle launched the Gaofen-7 Earth-observation satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 3 November 2019, at 03:22 UTC (11:22 local time). According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA): Gaofen-7 (高分七号) is “China’s first civil-use optical transmission three-dimensional surveying and mapping satellite that reaches the sub-meter level”. The satellite “can draw stereoscopic maps with an error of less than one meter for the topography of China and even the whole world.”

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches BeiDou-3 IGSO-3

Nov 4, 2019

A Long March-3B rocket launched the third BeiDou-3 navigation satellite in an Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (BDS-3 IGSO-3), from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 4 November 2019, at 17:43 UTC (5 November, at 01:43 local time). BDS-3 IGSO-3 is the 49th satellite of the BDS satellite family, the 24th satellite of the BDS-3 system and the third BeiDou-3 navigation satellite to be positioned in an Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit.
Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

 

[Administrator]

Long March-6 launches five Ningxia-1 satellites

Nov 13, 2019

A Long March-6 launch vehicle launched five Ningxia-1 satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 13 November 2019, at 06:35 UTC (14:35local time). The satellites are part of a commercial satellite project invested by the Ningxia Jingui Information Technology Co., Ltd. and will be mainly used for remote sensing detection.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches two BeiDou-3 satellites

Nov 23, 2019

A Long March-3B launch vehicle, with an Yuanzheng-1 (Expedition-1) upper stage, launched two new BeiDou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 23 November 2019, at 00:55 UTC (08:55 local time). The satellites are the 50th and 51st satellites in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches Gaofen-12

Nov 27, 2019

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the Gaofen-12 Earth observation satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 27 November 2019, at 23:52 UTC (28 November, at 07:52 local time). Gaofen-12 (高分十二) is a microwave remote sensing satellite capable of providing photographs with a resolution of better than a meter. According to official sources, it will be used in land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimate, disaster relief and can also serve projects along the Belt and Road.
Credit: China Central Television

 

[Administrator]

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

Dec 16, 2019

A Long March-3B launch vehicle launched two new BeiDou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 16 December 2019, at 07:20 UTC (15:20 local time). With the launch of BeiDou-3 MEO-23 and BeiDou-3 MEO-24, a total of 24 medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites of the BDS-3 have been successfully sent into space, and the deployment of the core BDS-3 constellation system has been completed, according to Yang Changfeng, chief designer of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

 

[Administrator]

CBERS-4A launch

Dec 19, 2019

A Long March-4B launch vehicle launched the China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite-4A (CBERS-4A) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 20 December 2019, at 03:22 UTC (11:22 local time). CBERS-4A will replace CBERS-4, launched in 2014, and is equipped with three optical payloads: a wide-range panchromatic multispectral camera developed by China, and a multispectral camera and a wide-field imager developed by Brazil. The same rocket launched into orbit eight microsatellites, including the first Ethiopian satellite, ETRSS-1, a wide-range multispectral remote-sensing microsatellite donated to Ethiopia.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-5 Y3 launch

Dec 27, 2019

The Long March-5 Y3 launch vehicle was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, Hainan Province, China, on 27 December 2019, at 12:46 UTC (20:46 local time). This was the third launch of the Long March-5 rocket, China’s largest launch vehicle. The payload is Shijian 20, an experimental geostationary communications satellite.

 

[Administrator]

China's Long March 3B Launches Experimental Communications Satellite

Jan 7, 2020

A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launched a "new communication technology experiment satellite" from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, China on Jan. 7, 2019, according to China Central Television (CCTV).

The satellite was manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2D launches Jilin-1 “Red Flag-1 H9” satellite

Jan 15, 2020

A Long March-2D rocket launched the a new Jilin-1 optical remote-sensing satellite, known as Red Flag-1 H9, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 15 January 2020, at 02:53 UTC (10:53 local time). Red Flag-1 H9 (红旗一号—H9) was developed by the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. and has a super-wide coverage and a resolution at the sub-meter level. It is also capable of high-speed data storage and transmission and will provide remote-sensing data and services for governmental and industrial users. On the same rocket, three small satellites, including NewSat7 and NewSat8 developed by an Argentinian company, were also launched into orbit.

 

[Administrator]

The first Long March-5B prepares for launch

Feb 13, 2020

The first Long March-5B launch vehicle arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, and is being prepared to launch China’s new crewed spacecraft in April. Long March-5B is being developed based on the Long March-5 rocket and will mainly be used for launching different modules of China’s next space station.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2D launches four satellites

Feb 19, 2020

A Long March-2D rocket launched four new technology test satellites (JSW-C, D, E, F) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 19 February 2020, at 21:07 UTC (20 February, at 05:07 local time). According to official sources, the satellites entered their planned orbits and will be mainly used for new Earth-observation technology tests. Two satellites were developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the other two satellites were respectively developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology and the DFH Satellite Co., Ltd.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches new BeiDou-3 satellite

Mar 11, 2020

A Long March-3B launch vehicle launched a new BeiDou-3 navigation satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 9 March 2020, at 11:55 UTC (19:55 local time). The satellite, sent into a geostationary orbit, is the 54th of the BeiDou family and the penultimate of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System. Yang Changfeng (chief designer, BeiDou), Chen Zhonggui (chief designer of BDS-3 satellites, China Academy of Space Technology – CAST) and Liu Tianxiong (deputy chief designer of BDS-3 satellites, China Academy of Space Technology - CAST) explain the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2C launches three new Yaogan-30 satellites

Mar 24, 2020

A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched a new group of three Yaogan-30 remote sensing satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 24 March 2020, at 03:43 UTC (11:43 local time). According to official sources, the satellites have entered the planned orbits. The satellite group will work as a constellation for electromagnetic environment detection and related technological tests.
Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

 

[Administrator]

Long March-5B launch

May 5, 2020

The first Long March-5B launch vehicle was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, on 5 May 2020, at 10:00 UTC (18:00 local time). The rocket launched China’s new-generation crewed spacecraft (CMS) on a test mission. CMS is designed to be reusable and it can carry both astronauts and cargo.

 

[Administrator]

China’s new crewed spacecraft in orbit

May 7, 2020

China’s new-generation crewed spacecraft successfully completed orbital maneuvers, autonomously adjusting its orbit six times. Tnew-generation crewed spacecraft (CMS) was launched without a crew on a test mission by the first Long March-5B launch vehicle from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, on 5 May 2020, at 10:00 UTC (18:00 local time). CMS is designed to be reusable, its landing is parachute-assisted and airbag-cushioned.
Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)/China National Space Administration (CNSA)

 

[Administrator]

China’s new crewed spacecraft lands successfully

May 8, 2020

China’s new-generation crewed spacecraft successfully landed at the Dongfeng landing site, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, on 8 May 2020, at 05:49 UTC (13:49 local time). The spacecraft, without a crew on board, entered the return trajectory at 04:21 UTC, the service module was separated at 05:33 UTC and the capsule landed safely at 05:49 UTC (13:49 local time).
Credit:China Central Television (CCTV)/China National Space Administration (CNSA)

 

[Administrator]

Recovery operations for China’s new crewed spacecraft

May 9, 2020

China’s new-generation crewed spacecraft successfully landed at the Dongfeng landing site, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, on 8 May 2020, at 05:49 UTC (13:49 local time). During the two days and 19 hours in orbit, the uncrewed spacecraft carried out a series of space science and technology experiments. The spacecraft was transported to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for inspection and verification work.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-11 launches two satellites

May 29, 2020

A Long March-11 launch vehicle launched two new technology experiment satellites (JSW-G, JSW-H) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 29 May 2020, at 20:13 UTC (30 May, at 04:13 local time). According to official sources, the satellites entered into the planned orbits.