On the day of 12TH December 2024 Hours Hong- Kong SAR – Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China At 1517 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time , the Chang Zheng -Long March 2D Yao 60 / YZ 3 Yao 5 China successfully launched the high-speed laser diamond constellation test system at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using the Long March 2D carrier rocket/Expedition 3 upper stage. The five satellites successfully entered the predetermined orbit and the launch mission was a complete success. This mission is the 551st flight of the Long March series of carrier rockets…..
[Long March 2D rocket/Expedition 3 upper stage successfully launches high-speed laser Diamond Constellation test system – China launches high-speed laser diamond constellation test system 】
At 15:17 on December 12, the Long March 2D carrier rocket/Expedition 3 upper stage lifted the high-speed laser Diamond Constellation test system and soared into the sky at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Subsequently, the upper stage sent the five satellites of the system into the predetermined orbit respectively, and the launch mission was a complete success. The Long March 2D rocket and the Expedition 3 upper stage were both developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The Long March 2D rocket has the ability to launch single and multiple satellites with different orbit requirements at the three major satellite launch centers in Jiuquan, Taiyuan and Xichang, and its 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit carrying capacity is 1.3 tons. The Expedition 3 upper stage, known as the “space bus”, has the ability to autonomously deploy more than 20 times in rapid orbits, and is mainly used for multi-satellite deployment missions in different orbits.
This launch is the 551st launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets. The Long March 2D carrier rocket is a room-temperature liquid two-stage carrier rocket with a takeoff thrust of about 300 tons, corresponding to a capacity of 1.3 tons for a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous circular orbit. It has the ability to launch single and multiple satellites in accordance with different orbital requirements at the three major satellite launch centers in Jiuquan, Taiyuan, and Xichang. The Expedition 3 upper stage is a new type of space transportation tool that uses nitrogen tetroxide and methylhydrazine as propellants, is equipped with a 5kN main engine and an autonomous navigation and guidance system, and has the ability to autonomously maneuver and deploy more than 20 times in rapid orbits. It is mainly used for multi-satellite deployment missions in different orbits, and can directly send multiple satellites to predetermined space locations. It can also play an important role in rapid and flexible entry into space, space maneuvers, and space utilization.
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.
The improved Kuaizhou-1A rocket has greatly increased its carrying capacity and successfully launched a radar remote sensing satellite in Xichang..
During on 4th December 2024 at 1246 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time launching from one of many complexes Xichang Satellite Launch center, Sichuan Province –China – People’s Republic of China on中國製造 Expace Technology Corporation, , the Kuaizhou No. 1A solid carrier rocket ignited and lifted off at the At 12:46 Beijing time on December 4, 2024, at the launch pad of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, the “Kuaizhou-1A” solid carrier rocket ignited and took off, sending the “Haishao-1” remote sensing satellite into low Earth orbit (LEO).
“Haishao-1” (CAS Satellite 08) is a small synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing satellite that can realize on-board imaging and inversion and extraction of ocean dynamic information, and has a wide range of application scenarios.
Kuaizhou-1A is a four-stage small launch vehicle developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Rocket Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the 9th Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. It adopts a four-stage tandem configuration, with solid rocket engines in the first, second and third stages and a room-temperature liquid engine in the fourth stage. The liquid final stage of the rocket is equipped with a nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4)/monomethylhydrazine (CH6N2) engine, which has the ability to ignite multiple times and can carry out multi-satellite launch missions in different orbits.
The improved launch vehicle “Kuaizhou-1A” was used this time, which adopted technologies such as high payload ratio optimization, de-tasking, landing area control, and online variable parameters, and achieved significant improvements in carrying capacity, satellite available envelope, reliability, and performance. Compared with the previous version, the external diameter of the fairing of the improved “Kuaizhou-1A” rocket has been increased from 1.4 meters to 1.8 meters, and the carrying capacity of the 500-kilometer, 45-degree low-Earth orbit (LEO) has been increased from 390 kilograms to 500 kilograms, the carrying capacity of the 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) has been increased from 260 kilograms to 360 kilograms, and the carrying capacity of the 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) has been increased from 200 kilograms to more than 300 kilograms.
Since its successful maiden flight, the Kuaizhou-1A rocket has carried out a total of 28 launches, 26 of which were successful, with a success rate of 92.86%. It is China’s solid-propellant carrier rocket with the most launches and the most successes. Since the successful launch of the Kuaizhou-1A Yao 23 rocket on June 22, 2022, the rocket has achieved 14 consecutive victories, which is the second longest winning streak of China’s active solid rockets, second only to the 17 consecutive victories of the Long March 11 rocket, which is still ongoing. On the afternoon of September 20, 2024, the Kuaizhou-1A Yao 31 rocket carried out the 27th launch of the arrow, 75 days away from this launch.
This launch is the fourth launch of the Kuaizhou-1A rocket in 2024, the 18th launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, the 61st launch in China, and the 231st orbital space launch in the world.
On the 3rd December 2024 schedule to launch CNSA _China National Space Administration -China – People’s Republic of China 1356 Hours Hong Kong –Beijing Time China- People’s Republic of China…. at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province at the At 13:56 Beijing time on December 3, 2024, at the No. 2 launch station of the Xichang Launch Center, the Long March 3B carrier rocket was launched, sending the Communication Technology Experimental Satellite No. 13 into the geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
[China’s 60th orbital space launch in 2024, Long March 3B welcomes its 100th launch]
The Communication Technology Experimental Satellite No. 13 is mainly used for satellite communications, radio and television, data transmission and other services, and carries out relevant technical tests and verifications. The
Long March 3B modified type 2 (CZ-3B/G2) has a total height of 56.326 meters, a maximum core stage diameter of 3.35 meters, a booster diameter of 2.25 meters, a takeoff mass of 458.97 tons, and a maximum capacity of 5.55 tons in the standard geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
From its first flight on February 15, 1996 to this launch, the Long March 3B rocket has carried out 100 launch missions in the past 28 years, with 98 successes (including 2 partial successes), and a success rate of 98%. So far, the Long March 3B rocket has become China’s first single-model rocket to complete 100 launch missions.
This mission is the 7th launch of the Long March 3B rocket in 2024, the 17th launch from the Xichang Launch Center, the 60th launch in China and the 230th orbital space launch in the world.
[This satellite badge of Third Aunt’s launch is very interesting]
At 13:56 on December 3, the Long March 3B carrier rocket ignited and took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and then successfully sent the Communication Technology Experimental Satellite No. 13 into the predetermined orbit. So far, the Long March 3B carrier rocket has officially entered the “100 Launch Club”, becoming the first single-model Long March rocket in China to have exceeded 100 space launches.
Figure 1 is the satellite badge of Third Aunt’s launch mission. The Monkey King Sun Wukong and the golden hoop are very eye-catching. And this time Third Aunt launched during the day, which is interesting.
The satellite launched this time was developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is mainly used for satellite communications, radio and television, data transmission and other services, and carries out relevant technical tests and verifications.
On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 12 first flight rocket …. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China At 7:00 am Beijing time on 26 November 2024.. This morning, the Long March 12 Y1 carrier rocket was successfully transferred from the technical area to the launch area at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. It will be launched in the near future. The first flight is a must . The Long March 12 is a new generation of medium-sized carrier rocket in China and also the first 3.8-meter-diameter single-core liquid carrier rocket in China.
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.
