Long March, expendable launch systems, China

[Administrator]

Long March-2D launches TianHui-4

Dec 29, 2021

A Long March-2D launch vehicle launched the TianHui-4 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 29 December 2021, at 11:13 UTC (19:13 local time). According to official sources, TianHui-4 (天绘-4, Sky Map-4) has entered the planned orbit and will be “mainly used to carry out scientific experimental research, land resources census, geographic information mapping and other tasks”.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-3B launches TJSW-9

Dec 29, 2021

A Long March-3B rocket launched the Communication Technology Test Satellite 9 (TJSW-9) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 29 December 2021, at 16:43 UTC (30 December, at 00:43 local time). According to official sources, TJSW-9 (通信技术试验卫星九号) has successfully entered the planned orbit and will be “mainly used to carry out multi-band and high-speed satellite communication technology verification”.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2D launches Shiyan-13

Jan 17, 2022

A Long March-2D launch vehicle launched the Shiyan-13 satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 17 January 2022, at 02:35 UTC (10:35 local time). According to official sources, the Shiyan-13(试验十三) satellite entered the planned orbit successfully and will be “mainly used for space environment exploration and related technical tests.”

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches L-SAR 01A

Jan 27, 2022

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the L-SAR 01A satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 25 January 2022, at 23:44 UTC (26 January, 07:44 local time). According to official sources, L-SAR 01 (陆地探测一号01) is a satellite group composed of two satellites (L-SAR 01A and L-SAR 01B) equipped with L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The satellites are designed to orbit at an altitude of 600 km and will be used to monitor the geological environment, landslides and earthquakes. The L-SAR 01B satellite is scheduled to be launched at the end of February.
Credit: China Media Group(CMG)/China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches L-SAR 01B

Feb 27, 2022

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the L-SAR 01B satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 26 February 2022, at 23:44 UTC (27 February, 07:44 local time). According to official sources, L-SAR 01 (陆地探测一号01) is a satellite group composed of two satellites (L-SAR 01A and L-SAR 01B) equipped with L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The satellites are designed to orbit at an altitude of 600 km and will be used to monitor the geological environment, landslides and earthquakes. The L-SAR 01A satellite was launched on 25 January 2022.
Credit: China Media Group(CMG)/China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

 

[Administrator]

Long March-8 Y2 launches 22 satellites

Feb 27, 2022

The Long March-8 Y2 launch vehicle launched 22 small satellites from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, Hainan Province, China, on 27 February 2022, at 03:06 UTC (11:06 local time). Long March-8 Y2 is the second Long March-8 launch vehicle and the first one to be launched without boosters. According to official sources, the 22 satellites “will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation”.
Credit: China Media Group(CMG)/China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

 

[Administrator]

Long March-2C launches seven satellites

Mar 5, 2022

A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched seven satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 5 March 2022, at 06:01 UTC (14:01 local time). According to official sources, the satellites have entered the planned orbits. The six Yinhe satellites (Yinhe-02) are part of an experimental communication network called “Mini Spider Constellation” (小蜘蛛网), developed by GalaxySpace (银河航天) to verify broadband Internet technologies. The seventh spacecraft is a remote sensing 6U cubesat named “XingYuan” (星愿).
Credit: China Media Group(CMG)/China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)/GalaxySpace

 

[Administrator]

Long March-4C launches Yaogan-34-02

Mar 17, 2022

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the second Yaogan-34 remote-sensing satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 17 March 2022, at 07:09 UTC (15:09 local time). According to official sources, the optical remote sensing satellite Yaogan-34-02 (遥感三十四号02星) will form a network with Yaogan-34-01 and subsequent satellites, that will be “mainly used for the survey of land resources, urban planning, the confirmation of land rights, road network design, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and reduction”.

 

[Administrator]

The first launch of Long March-6A

Mar 29, 2022

The first Long March-6A launch vehicle launched two satellites, Tiankun-2 (天鲲二) & Pujiang-2 (浦江二), from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi Province, northern China, on 29 March 2022, at 09:50 UTC (17:50 local time). According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), Long March-6A is a new generation medium-launch vehicle, with a liquid-propelled core booster and four solid-fuel side boosters, designed to send a payload of up to 4 tons into a 700km Sun-synchronous orbit.

 

[Administrator]

Long March-6A explained

Mar 30, 2022

The Long March-6A launch vehicle is a new generation medium-launch vehicle, with a liquid-propelled core booster and four solid-fuel side boosters, designed to send a payload of up to 4 tons into a 700km Sun-synchronous orbit.

 

[Administrator]

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”.

 

[Administrator]

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.”

 

[Administrator]

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.

 

[Administrator]

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”.

 

[Administrator]

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).

 

[Administrator]

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).

 

[Administrator]

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”.

 

[Administrator]

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”.

 

[Administrator]

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.”

 

[Administrator]

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)