Category: behind the scenes

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |  January2025 |#西昌衛星發射中心 #XichangSatelliteLaunchCenter #ChangZheng3B  #LongMarch3B  #长征三号 CarrierRocket Successfully launch deployed #Shijian 25 Experimental   #Satellites  ….  #ASummary

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On the 7th January 2025 schedule to launch  CNSA _China National Space Administration -China – People’s Republic of China 0400 Hours Hong Kong –Beijing Time China- People’s Republic of China…. at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province of the Xichang Launch Center, the Long March 3B carrier rocket was launched, sending This morning, China successfully launched the Shijian 25 satellite into space using the Long March 3B carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The satellite entered the planned orbit smoothly and the launch mission was a complete success. The satellite is mainly used for satellite fuel replenishment and life extension service technology verification..

At 04:00 on January 7, the Long March 3B carrier rocket ignited and took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and then sent the Practice 25 satellite into its predetermined orbit. This marked a “good start” for China’s space launch mission in 2025.

The Long March 3B rocket, Long March 3A rocket and Long March 3C rocket together constitute the Long March 3A series of rockets, which are developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The Practice 25 satellite is developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

This year, the Long March 3A series of rockets are expected to carry out more than 10 launch missions. The rocket team will continue to improve the rocket’s mission adaptability by promoting de-missionized batch production, cross-parallel working mode, and tightening quality control.

Since August last year, the First Academy has tried to use a professional test and launch team to participate in the Long March 3 series of launch missions, promoting the transformation of the rocket test and launch model from a scientific research model to a professional model, thereby optimizing personnel allocation and freeing up the designer team. After nearly half a year of internship training, 9 positions in the first phase of this launch mission have been taken over, and the optimization of the professional test and launch model will continue to be promoted in the future.

The Shijian No. 25 refueling service aircraft was developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is used for satellite fuel replenishment and life extension services, and provides sufficient energy guarantee for the long-term operation of satellites in orbit. It can carry 1.3 tons of fuel at a time, accounting for 52% of its own weight.


When the refueling service aircraft receives a distress signal from a fuel-shortage satellite, it will, under the guidance of the ground dispatch system and with the help of its front-end navigation system, achieve “automatic driving and door-to-door service.” After arriving near the satellite, the aircraft uses the navigation system to autonomously track and approach the satellite. When the aircraft is within about 2 meters of the satellite, it will cooperate with the robotic arm to achieve precise docking with the satellite’s fuel refueling port, establish a fuel transfer path, and smoothly carry out “space refueling.

During the mission, the launch site test team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implemented the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and implemented the spirit of the Ninth Working Conference of the Group Corporation. At the same time, it gave full play to the political function of the party organization, guided the test team members to improve their political stance, bear in mind their mission and responsibilities, and made every effort to ensure the complete success of the launch mission.

This launch is the 555th launch of the Long March series of launch vehicles.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 | #BRI #December2024|#太原卫星发射中心#TaiyuanSatelliteLaunchCenter  – Advance  International Iconic #长征六号 #ChangZheng6A #LongMarch6A Yao 22 with Qianfan polar orbit 03 satellite group #Satellite….  #ASummary

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中国的First Ocean Salinity Detection Satellite was successfully launched

At 1241 Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 14th December 2024 , China- People’s Republic of China- CNSA –China National Space Administration   Successfully launched  Chang Zheng – Long March 6 Carrier Rocket ignited and took off at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center Shanxi Province..

[The third launch of the Long March 6-modified Qianfan rocket was a success!]

At 12:41 on December 5, the Long March 6-modified carrier rocket soared into the sky at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and then sent the Qianfan polar orbit 03 satellite group into the predetermined orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success.

The Long March 6-modified rocket was developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a new generation of non-toxic and pollution-free carrier rocket, and it is also China’s first solid-liquid bundled medium-sized carrier rocket. The carrying capacity of the 700-kilometer altitude sun-synchronous orbit is greater than 4.5 tons.



During this mission, the Long March 6-modified rocket encountered the coldest weather since its first flight. A few days before the launch, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center welcomed the first snow of this winter, and the lowest temperature once dropped to minus 26 degrees Celsius. In response to this, the test team worked closely with the launch site to add insulation measures to the tower and increase the air supply temperature of the air conditioner; by adopting the zero-second detachment technology of the rocket air conditioner connector, the rocket and the satellite in the fairing can “enjoy the warm air of the air conditioner” until the last moment before takeoff, providing better protection for the satellite environment. In addition, the rocket test team and the launch site carefully selected the relatively high temperature at noon to transfer and launch the rocket to ensure that all work was fool proof.


The Chang Zheng – Long March 6 modified rocket continued to use a stacked layout to implement the “one rocket, 18 satellites” launch mission. The launch of the Qianfan Polar Orbit 03 satellite group was provided by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Great Wall Company as the general contractor. The Qianfan Polar Orbit 03 satellite group includes 18 low-orbit broadband Internet satellites. It is the third batch of satellites of the first generation of Qianfan constellation satellites of Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. The first three batches of Qianfan satellites were successfully launched by the ChangZheng – Long March 6 modified Carrier rocket….

“Long March 6A” is a medium-sized solid-liquid bundled carrier rocket developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It adopts a two-and-a-half-stage series-parallel structure. The core stage and the core stage are connected in series, and the core stage is clustered with four boosters. The main power of the core stage is a liquid oxygen-kerosene engine, and the boosters use solid propellant engines.

The whole “Long March 6A” rocket is about 50 meters high (with a standard fairing of 4.2 meters in diameter), the core stage diameter is 3.35 meters, the booster diameter is 2 meters, and the diameter of the fairing is optional. The diameter is 3.35 meters, 3.8 meters, 4.2 meters and 5.2 meters. The takeoff mass is about 530 tons, the takeoff thrust is about 734 tons, and the arrow has a carrying capacity of about 5 tons in a 700-kilometer circular sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). At present, the arrow has further improved its carrying capacity by replacing the YF115B engine that can be restarted twice for the second stage.

During this mission, the Long March 6A rocket encountered the coldest weather since its maiden flight. A few days before the launch, the lowest temperature at the Taiyuan launch site dropped to minus 26 degrees Celsius. In response, the test team and the launch site added insulation measures to the tower and raised the air supply temperature of the air conditioner; by adopting the zero-second detachment technology of the rocket air conditioner connector during takeoff, better protection was provided for the rocket and the satellite in the fairing. In addition, the rocket test team and the launch site also chose the relatively high temperature at noon to transfer and launch the rocket.

On October 15, 2024, the Long March 6A Yao 20 rocket carried out the launch mission of the 18 satellites of the Thousand Sails polar orbit 02 group, 51 days after this launch mission. At present, the Long March 6A carrier rocket has entered the high-density launch phase, and the model continues to optimize the personnel configuration, ground equipment recovery, test operation procedures, etc., to further shorten the launch interval to meet the future intensive launch needs.

The “Qianfan” constellation is the G60 Global Multimedia Satellite (GMS) constellation, a giant low-orbit Internet satellite constellation launched and operated by Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. The satellites are designed and manufactured by Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. The constellation aims to provide space-based broadband Internet services covering the world. The first phase of the constellation plans to launch 108 satellites in 2024, and then launch 1,296 satellites before 2027, and ultimately plans to launch more than 12,000 satellites.

The “Qianfan” polar orbit 03 group is the first generation of satellites in the “Qianfan” constellation and the third batch of networking satellites. So far, the number of satellites launched into space in the “Qianfan” constellation has reached 54. This batch of satellites uses the stackable flat-panel satellite platform independently developed by Gess Aerospace. In December 2023, Gess Aerospace’s G60 satellite digital factory was officially put into production and the first batch of satellites were rolled off the production line. In the future, it will be able to achieve a production capacity of about 1 satellite per day, with an annual output of about 300 satellites. The “Qianfan” constellation is China’s first giant low-orbit constellation to enter large-scale continuous networking launches.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#BRI #October2024| #酒泉卫星发射中心 #JiuquanSatelliteLaunchCenter – #神舟十九号 #ChangZheng2F #LongMarch2F Yao 19  #CarrierRocket Successfully in Readiness for the #Tiangong #ChinaSpaceStation …. #ASummary

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On the day Tuesday of  Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 22nd  October 2024 CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China At 0745 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time  , the Chang Zheng -Long March 2F Yao 19 carrier rocket successfully deployed to the launch complex at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China.. in that readiness  

神舟十九号The Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft and the Long March 2F Yao 19 carrier rocket combination have been transferred to the launch area. At present, the launch site facilities and equipment are in good condition. The subsequent pre-launch functional inspections, joint tests and other work will be carried out as planned, and the launch is scheduled to be carried out in the near future.

According to CCTV news on January 18, 2024, Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program, said that the six Takionauts for the Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19 flight crews have been confirmed and are undergoing targeted training. In addition, China’s manned lunar landing will be accelerated and steadily advanced. In February, the China Manned Space Engineering Office announced that the Shenzhou 19 manned flight mission will be carried out in 2024. The astronaut crew has been selected and is currently undergoing mission training. According to the October manned spaceflight calendar released by the China Manned Space Engineering Office, China plans to launch the Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft in late October to welcome back the Shenzhou 18 crew.

In October 2024, Yang Liwei said that the Shenzhou-19 crew training program had been completed and they were currently checking for deficiencies and making up for them in order to get into the best possible condition in preparation for the launch at the end of the month..

The Shenzhou 19 manned spaceflight mission logo is a red, yellow and blue circular logo composed of the Chinese space station, the Shenzhou manned spacecraft, the earth and the starry sky. The number “19” incorporates the elements of a Chinese dragon, dancing and rising. There are 19 stars around it, corresponding to the Shenzhou 19 manned spaceflight mission, and together they reflect the prosperity of China’s space industry

27th October 2024

[Shenzhou 19 completes full system rehearsal]

 The Shenzhou 19 ship-rocket combination was transferred to the launch area on the 22nd of this month, and is scheduled to be launched at an appropriate time in the near future. Today, the launch site organized various units to carry out a full system rehearsal.


All positions of the test and launch system of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center participated in this rehearsal. Under the unified dispatch of the launch site system, the tower, rocket, spacecraft and other subsystems carried out functional inspections, and implemented a full-process simulation exercise from flight preparation, ignition and takeoff to ship-rocket separation. The three astronauts of Shenzhou 19 performed the flight mission in accordance with the process simulation. After entering the spacecraft’s return capsule, they began a joint inspection and test of people, ships, rockets, and the ground, and completed all key operations of the standby and takeoff stages during the rocket’s simulated takeoff. The astronaut system also carried out preparatory work such as medical examinations of the crew, and conducted 1:1 rehearsals of tasks such as the departure ceremony, cabin status settings, and post-entry procedures

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#WenchangSpacecraftLaunchCenter #文昌航天發射場 #BRI #October2024 | Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center, #长征十二号 #ChangZheng12 #LongMarch12 Yao 1  will become China’s most powerful single-core rocket for low-orbit transport… first flight rocket joint rehearsal ….. #ASummary

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On CNSA –China National Space Administration    …. ChangZheng  Long March 12 first flight rocket joint rehearsal…. At  Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China  At 7:00 a.m Beijing time . on October 8th 2024 .. , the joint rehearsal mission execution team had assembled in the Sanping factory. At the pre-shift meeting for the rocket joint rehearsal, General Dispatcher Cao Guobin was arranging various tasks in detail. At 8:00, the rocket was placed on the long rocket transport vehicle to prepare for the first joint rehearsal mission after the National Day. At 8:30, as the rocket slowly drove into the No. 2 launch station in the launch area, a new space journey will begin again……rocket with a diameter of 3.8 meters among the “Long March” rockets.

China’s most powerful single-core rocket for low-orbit transport…

The Long March 12 (LM-12/CZ-12) is a new generation of carrier rocket developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a medium-sized cryogenic liquid carrier rocket with a two-stage tandem configuration. The first and second stages are all powered by liquid oxygen-kerosene engines. The rocket was originally the Eighth Academy’s bid for a new generation of manned carrier rockets, and was later renamed XLV20. The original 5CBC configuration (5 cores in parallel for the takeoff stage) was changed to a single core stage configuration.

The first stage of the Long March 12 is equipped with four YF-100K liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, using an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, using pump-back swing, supporting bidirectional swing of ±8 degrees, and a thrust adjustment range of 65%~105%. The sea level thrust of a single engine is about 128 tons (1250 kN), and the sea level specific impulse is 301.84 seconds. The second stage is equipped with two YF-115 liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, using an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, supporting bidirectional swing of ±4 degrees, a thrust adjustment range of 80%~100%, a vacuum thrust of about 18 tons (180 kN), and a vacuum specific impulse of about 342 seconds.

The Long March 12 rocket is 59 meters high, with a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. It can be equipped with optional fairings with diameters of 4.2 meters and 5.2 meters. It has a takeoff mass of 433 tons and a maximum takeoff thrust of about 510 tons (5,000 kilonewtons). The rocket has a carrying capacity of no less than 10 tons in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 300 kilometers and a carrying capacity of no less than 6 tons in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 700 kilometers.

The Long March XII rocket is the first 3.8-meter-diameter model of the Long March rocket. It will also become China’s single-core-stage carrier rocket with the largest takeoff mass and the strongest low-orbit carrying capacity in service.

The first flight of the YF-100K engine!

On April 28, 2024, the YF-100K liquid oxygen-kerosene engine developed by the Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation completed a four-engine parallel ignition test. The total thrust of the engine exceeded 500 tons. This was the first large-thrust liquid oxygen-kerosene engine four-engine parallel ignition test, and the four-engine parallel scheme was fully verified.

The YF-100K was born with the proposal of China’s manned lunar landing plan and the need to demonstrate the new generation of manned carrier rockets. It is based on the improvement and optimization of the YF-100. This engine is the main power of China’s new generation of manned carrier rocket “Long March 10”. It adopts pump back swing. Compared with the YF-100 in use, it has the advantages of small mass eccentricity, small swing envelope, and easy layout of swing components.

The maiden flight of the Long March 12 rocket is also the maiden flight of the YF-100K engine, which will test its performance in actual launches and accumulate flight samples for the main power of the Long March 10 takeoff stage. At the same time, the YF-100K will pave the way for the improvement and upgrading of the new generation of carrier rockets currently in service, such as the Long March 5, whose four boosters are equipped with a total of 8 YF-100 engines. By replacing them with the YF-100K engines with better performance, the rocket will further release its already powerful carrying capacity.

China’s Hainan commercial space launch site launches first rocket

It is expected that in August 2024, the Long March 12 (Yao-1) carrier rocket will carry out its maiden flight at the No. 2 station of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center in China, and China’s new generation of carrier rockets will welcome a new member. At the same time, this is also the first rocket launch of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center, which means that China’s first commercial space launch center has officially been put into use.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 | #BRI #August2024|#太原卫星发射中心#TaiyuanSatelliteLaunchCenter  – Advance  International Iconic #长征六号 #ChangZheng6 #LongMarch6  Y21 Advance #InternetCommunicationSatellite #Qianfan Polar Orbit 01 Group deploying 18 #Satellite constellation..

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At 1442 Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 6TH August 2024 , China- People’s Republic of China- CNSA –China National Space Administration   Successfully launched  Chang Zheng – Long March 6 Yao 58 Carrier Rocket ignited and took off at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center Shanxi Province..  Successfully launch China successfully launched the Qianfan Polar Orbit 01 Group Satellite Successfully into its pre-determined orbit…  

Successfully launched the Qianfan Polar Orbit 01 Group Satellite into space using the Chang Zheng -Long March 6 modified carrier rocket at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The satellite successfully entered the predetermined orbit near-polar orbit (800km×90°), and the launch mission was a complete success…….  

The scene was so explosive! It is worthy of being the best-looking rocket in China! I finally checked in at all the domestic space launch sites

The Qianfan 01 group of satellites has realized the first batch of China’s flat-panel satellite mass production and the launch of 18 satellites in a single rocket] The first batch of 18 commercial networking satellites of the Qianfan constellation that were successfully launched this time are the first batch of the first generation of satellites (GEN1 satellites) of the Qianfan constellation. The Qianfan constellation will provide global users with satellite (broadband) Internet services with low latency, high speed and high reliability.

Long March 6 Yao 21 Carrier Rocket is the first flight of the double-start version of YF-115 This time Long March 6 Yao 21  Carrier Rocket carried out the Qianfan Polar Orbit 01 satellite launch mission, it has three significant features: First, the second-stage power system adopts double start for the first time status, further improving the rocket’s carrying capacity……

Secondly, this mission is the first commercial launch mission of the Long March 6A rocket. The model has accelerated its adaptation to the commercial launch mode and adopted the rolling batch production method of general products, which has greatly improved the commercial performance of the rocket.

Third, this mission is the first launch of 18 satellites in one rocket by the Long March 6A carrier rocket. In order to make more reasonable and effective use of the space inside the fairing, the satellites adopt a stacked layout. After the rocket enters orbit, it passes through at a certain angular speed. Rotation to achieve high-precision and high-reliability separation of multiple satellites.

“Qianfan Constellation” is one of the two major low-orbit satellite Internet constellation plans under construction in China. Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. is the operator to lead the planning, construction, operation and other businesses. The long-term plan for the space segment of the “Qianfan Constellation” will deploy more than 15,000 satellites.

As one of the research and development parties of the “Qianfan Constellation”, the Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center is mainly responsible for the development of satellite systems, including the development of platform products and payloads, as well as the assembly, integration and testing of the entire satellite. The Qianfan Polar Orbit 01 group of satellites has realized the first batch of China’s flat-panel satellite mass production and the launch of 18 satellites in a single rocket.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration