On CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China At 19:41 on November 11, China successfully launched the Pathfinder satellite of the Source Exploration Program into its predetermined orbit using a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The launch mission was a complete success. This technology test satellite is intended to verify key technologies for projects such as the HarmonyOS program , rather than directly performing scientific exploration missions
#China’s Origin Exploration Program Pathfinder Satellite Successfully Launched#
This launch of the Long March 2D rocket removed the traditional tail fins and, for the first time, adopted a 3350 composite material fairing and a weight-reduced second stage.
I. Four-star division of labor to verify multiple payloads
- The A satellite carries five types of payloads : a magnetic field and velocity field imager, a very large area gamma-ray space telescope pathfinder, a high-resolution atmospheric boundary layer laser detector, a Langmuir probe, and a space weather effects monitor.
- b, c, and d star formation : The three stars form a space-distributed low-frequency interferometric imaging spectrometer technology experimental system.
- In-orbit process : After entering orbit, the separation of satellite A from the BCD combination, the separation and deployment of the three satellites, formation control, and inter-satellite measurement verification are completed in sequence.
II. Operating Orbit and Launch Sites
- Operating orbit : The satellite has a designed lifespan of 2 years and operates in a sun-synchronous twilight orbit at an altitude of 600 kilometers.
- Launch sequence : This mission marks the 677th flight of the Long March series carrier rockets
III. Laying the groundwork for four flagship missions
- Scope of the plan : The Space Origin Exploration Series of Scientific Satellites will focus on the origin of the universe, the origin of space weather, and the origin of life. The plan is to complete four missions in the next 3-5 years: the “Hongmeng Project”, “Kuafu-2”, an exoplanet survey, and an enhanced X-ray time-varying and polarization space observatory.
- Verification and Completion : After the verification mission is completed, the satellite will conduct demonstration detection and research on space environment monitoring.
- Subsequent development : This means that subsequent main satellite and satellite plans will proceed with engineering development and launch based on technology verification.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned Space CNSA-China National Space Administration