below_freezing
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would the jammers not themselves be emitters that can be taken out with anti radiation missiles?
China Space Military：Recon, Satcom, Navi, ASAT/BMD, Orbital Vehicle, SLV, etc.
- Thread starter kvLin
- Start date
would the jammers not themselves be emitters that can be taken out with anti radiation missiles?
Yes lets not talk about it since the Chinese freaked out about it. A missile fired from a ship that blew up a satellite. China should have no concern about it.
asad71
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Let's not forget People Power. Taiwanese can see HK and the Portuguese colony adjusting very well with the mother. HK leads in the forex investment in PRC. Economic considerations and the emotional factor will not allow any shooting war between the two. In fact, Taiwan, if left US-free, would be very happy to rejoin the mainland.
Martian2
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Chinese reconnaissance satellite reaches orbit
Carrying China's "Yaogan XIII" remote-sensing satellite, a Long March 2C carrier rocket blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 30, 2011. China successfully sent to space its "Yaogan XIII" remote-sensing satellite at 2:50 a.m.on Wednesday. The satellite will be used to conduct scientific experiments, carry out surveys on land resources, estimate crop yield and help with natural disaster-reduction and prevention. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)
China return Long March 2C to flight with YaoGan Weixing-13 launch | NASASpaceFlight.com
"China return Long March 2C to flight with YaoGan Weixing-13 launch
November 29th, 2011 by Rui C. Barbosa
China has launched a new remote sensing satellite on Tuesday, with the YaoGan Weixing-13 satellite lofted into orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch - which took place at 18:50 UTC - also marks the return to flight of the Long March 2C launch vehicle, following the August 18 launch failure that doomed the SJ-11 ShiJian 11-04 satellite.
Chinese Launch:
This launch comes 18 days after the launch of the previous satellite in the series, the YG-12 YaoGan Weixing-12, which was launched on November 11.
Once again the official Chinese media refer the new satellite as a new remote sensing bird that will be used for “scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment, and disaster monitoring.”
However, as was the case in the last launches of the YaoGan Weixing series, western analysts believe this class of satellites is being used for military purposes.
Analysts also believe that the YG-13 YaoGan Weixing-13 is a new 2nd generation SAR satellite developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Shanghai Academy, and equipped with a new SAR radar capable of 1.5 meter spatial resolution.
The YG-13 will probably substitute the YG-6 satellite launched on April 22, 2009 from Taiyuan by a Chang Zheng-2C (Long March 2C) rocket. Other second generation radar satellites were the YaoGan Weixing-8, launched on launched on December 15, 2009, and the YaoGan Weixing-10, launched on August 9, 2010.
This was the 152nd successful Chinese orbital launch, the 152nd launch of a Chang Zheng launch vehicle, the 35th successful orbital launch from Taiyuan and the 15th successful orbital Chinese launch in 2011, equaling the Chinese annual launch record of 2010, and the 3rd from Taiyuan this year.
The 2010 record is expected to be broken within days, as China ups the pace on their launch campaign."
Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | Chinese reconnaissance satellite reaches orbit
"The Yaogan series of satellites gather optical and radar reconnaissance imagery for Chinese military and intelligence agencies. Yaogan 13 may carry a synthetic aperture radar sensor to peer through clouds for all-weather, night-and-day image collection."
[Note: Thank you to Greyboy2 for the newslink.]
Carrying China's "Yaogan XIII" remote-sensing satellite, a Long March 2C carrier rocket blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 30, 2011. China successfully sent to space its "Yaogan XIII" remote-sensing satellite at 2:50 a.m.on Wednesday. The satellite will be used to conduct scientific experiments, carry out surveys on land resources, estimate crop yield and help with natural disaster-reduction and prevention. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)
China return Long March 2C to flight with YaoGan Weixing-13 launch | NASASpaceFlight.com
"China return Long March 2C to flight with YaoGan Weixing-13 launch
November 29th, 2011 by Rui C. Barbosa
China has launched a new remote sensing satellite on Tuesday, with the YaoGan Weixing-13 satellite lofted into orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch - which took place at 18:50 UTC - also marks the return to flight of the Long March 2C launch vehicle, following the August 18 launch failure that doomed the SJ-11 ShiJian 11-04 satellite.
Chinese Launch:
This launch comes 18 days after the launch of the previous satellite in the series, the YG-12 YaoGan Weixing-12, which was launched on November 11.
Once again the official Chinese media refer the new satellite as a new remote sensing bird that will be used for “scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment, and disaster monitoring.”
However, as was the case in the last launches of the YaoGan Weixing series, western analysts believe this class of satellites is being used for military purposes.
Analysts also believe that the YG-13 YaoGan Weixing-13 is a new 2nd generation SAR satellite developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Shanghai Academy, and equipped with a new SAR radar capable of 1.5 meter spatial resolution.
The YG-13 will probably substitute the YG-6 satellite launched on April 22, 2009 from Taiyuan by a Chang Zheng-2C (Long March 2C) rocket. Other second generation radar satellites were the YaoGan Weixing-8, launched on launched on December 15, 2009, and the YaoGan Weixing-10, launched on August 9, 2010.
This was the 152nd successful Chinese orbital launch, the 152nd launch of a Chang Zheng launch vehicle, the 35th successful orbital launch from Taiyuan and the 15th successful orbital Chinese launch in 2011, equaling the Chinese annual launch record of 2010, and the 3rd from Taiyuan this year.
The 2010 record is expected to be broken within days, as China ups the pace on their launch campaign."
Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | Chinese reconnaissance satellite reaches orbit
"The Yaogan series of satellites gather optical and radar reconnaissance imagery for Chinese military and intelligence agencies. Yaogan 13 may carry a synthetic aperture radar sensor to peer through clouds for all-weather, night-and-day image collection."
[Note: Thank you to Greyboy2 for the newslink.]
Martian2
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China's DFH-4 matches Western standards for modern communications satellites
The characteristics of a modern communications satellite are:
1. It is the size of a city bus and weighs about 10,000 pounds.
2. It lasts for 15 years.
3. It has approximately 32 transponders.
China's DFH-4 satellite bus (or platform) designed and built by CGWIC (i.e. China Great Wall Industrial Corporation)
DFH-4 satellite technical specifications
"
A typical satellite has 32 transponders. Transponders each work on a specific radio frequency wavelength, or “band.” Satellite communications work on three primary bands: C, Ku and Ka. C was the first band used and, as a longer wavelength, requires a larger antenna. Ku is the band used by most current VSAT systems. Ka is a new band allocation that isn’t yet in wide use. Of the three, it has the smallest wavelength and can use the smallest antenna." (Source: Beyond line of sight communications)
Western satellite specifications look identical to China's DFH-4 satellite. (Source: User:Bhamer/sandbox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
China's DFH-4 is comparable to Western satellites. Its 30 transponders (or perhaps the Pakistanis weren't willing to buy more than 30 transponders) are very close to the average of 32 transponders on a modern satellite. At 5,200 kg or 11,440 pounds, it is approximately the same weight as Western satellites in the 10,000-pound class. The DFH-4 uses the "three primary bands: C, Ku, Ka," and L bands. Its solar panels generate the standard 8 kW of power.
----------
China Looks To Boost Satellite Manufacturing With DFH-4 Line
"China Looks To Boost Satellite Manufacturing With DFH-4 Line
By PETER B. de SELDING
Space News Staff Writer
posted: 18 October 2006
03:30 pm ET
...
PARIS -- The first of a new line of high-power telecommunications satellites produced in China and already sold to two export customers is scheduled for launch in late October for China's Sinosat direct-broadcast television provider, Chinese space officials said.
The Sinosat-2 satellite, the first of the DFH-4 spacecraft built by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), has faced several delays but is now expected to be launched in the coming weeks by a Chinese Long March 3B rocket from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
If it functions as planned, the DFH-4 satellite design will bring China's domestic satellite manufacturing industry closer to the level of its U.S., European and Japanese counterparts.
DFH-4 is the third generation of China-built telecommunications spacecraft and carries some 800 kilograms of payload -- four times the capacity of the previous Chinese product, the DFH-3. Weighing up to 5,300 kilograms at launch, the DFH-4 platform is built to operate for 15 years -- double the DFH-3's life expectancy -- and provide up to 10 kilowatts of power at the end of its service life.
...
Wang said CAST has tested the DFH-4 design to a maximum capacity of 54 transponders, 38 in Ku-band and 16 in C-band. The satellite's upper limit would be around 5,600 kilograms, he said in the presentation. (article continues)"
The characteristics of a modern communications satellite are:
1. It is the size of a city bus and weighs about 10,000 pounds.
2. It lasts for 15 years.
3. It has approximately 32 transponders.
China's DFH-4 satellite bus (or platform) designed and built by CGWIC (i.e. China Great Wall Industrial Corporation)
DFH-4 satellite technical specifications
A typical satellite has 32 transponders. Transponders each work on a specific radio frequency wavelength, or “band.” Satellite communications work on three primary bands: C, Ku and Ka. C was the first band used and, as a longer wavelength, requires a larger antenna. Ku is the band used by most current VSAT systems. Ka is a new band allocation that isn’t yet in wide use. Of the three, it has the smallest wavelength and can use the smallest antenna." (Source: Beyond line of sight communications)
Western satellite specifications look identical to China's DFH-4 satellite. (Source: User:Bhamer/sandbox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
China's DFH-4 is comparable to Western satellites. Its 30 transponders (or perhaps the Pakistanis weren't willing to buy more than 30 transponders) are very close to the average of 32 transponders on a modern satellite. At 5,200 kg or 11,440 pounds, it is approximately the same weight as Western satellites in the 10,000-pound class. The DFH-4 uses the "three primary bands: C, Ku, Ka," and L bands. Its solar panels generate the standard 8 kW of power.
----------
China Looks To Boost Satellite Manufacturing With DFH-4 Line
"China Looks To Boost Satellite Manufacturing With DFH-4 Line
By PETER B. de SELDING
Space News Staff Writer
posted: 18 October 2006
03:30 pm ET
...
PARIS -- The first of a new line of high-power telecommunications satellites produced in China and already sold to two export customers is scheduled for launch in late October for China's Sinosat direct-broadcast television provider, Chinese space officials said.
The Sinosat-2 satellite, the first of the DFH-4 spacecraft built by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), has faced several delays but is now expected to be launched in the coming weeks by a Chinese Long March 3B rocket from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
If it functions as planned, the DFH-4 satellite design will bring China's domestic satellite manufacturing industry closer to the level of its U.S., European and Japanese counterparts.
DFH-4 is the third generation of China-built telecommunications spacecraft and carries some 800 kilograms of payload -- four times the capacity of the previous Chinese product, the DFH-3. Weighing up to 5,300 kilograms at launch, the DFH-4 platform is built to operate for 15 years -- double the DFH-3's life expectancy -- and provide up to 10 kilowatts of power at the end of its service life.
...
Wang said CAST has tested the DFH-4 design to a maximum capacity of 54 transponders, 38 in Ku-band and 16 in C-band. The satellite's upper limit would be around 5,600 kilograms, he said in the presentation. (article continues)"
Martian2
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The Western media are currently full of reports (e.g. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...with-mission-to-land-on-the-moon-6283344.html) that China is laying the groundwork to land a taikonaut on the Moon. I just want to make sure everyone knows that China's cryogenic heavy-lift rocket engines passed their tests with flying colors.
Rocket to go to moon under design
The following impressive video is a successful 200-second rocket-engine burn of the forthcoming 2014 Long March V. Having completed this milestone, the talented rocket scientists have moved on to designing and building the final heavy-lift rocket engine that will carry Chinese taikonauts to the Moon.
Rocket to go to moon under design
"Rocket to go to moon under design
By Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-05 07:26
BEIJING: A new heavy-thrust carrier rocket is under scientific research, with the goal of sending astronauts to the moon, scientists said.
A model of the Long March V rocket
Although there is no official timetable yet for China's moon landing, scientists are researching a new powerful carrier rocket with a lift-off thrust of 3,000 tons, Liang Xiaohong, vice-president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told China Daily on Thursday.
"The heavy-thrust launcher's lift-off thrust will be three times that of the Long March-5, China's current largest launcher," said Liang, who is also a member of the 11th CPPCC national committee.
The large-thrust Long March-5 launch vehicle has a lift-off thrust of 1,000 tons, which enables it to send a maximum payload of 25 tons to the near-Earth orbit and a payload of 10 tons to the higher geo-stationary orbit. Designed for transporting heavyweight satellites and space stations, it is slated to take off in 2014, according to Liang.
Compared to the Long March-5, the heavy-thrust launcher will be more powerful, but its payload capacity is still under discussion, he said.
The Long March-5 is also likely to be used in the preparatory stage of a future moon landing, he added.
China is currently studying the feasibility of a moon landing, despite US President Barack Obama's decision to kill NASA's $100-billion plans to return astronauts to the moon.
Bao Weimin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a CPPCC national committee member, said: "A moon landing program is very necessary, because it could drive the country's scientific and technological development."
Besides the heavy-thrust carrier rocket under study, the academy is also developing a new family of carrier rockets for future space programs.
"The Long March-6 will be a small-thrust carrier rocket, and the Long March-7 will be a medium-thrust launch vehicle. Together with the Long March-5, they will form a family that can cover all necessities for launch vehicles and replace the current carrier rockets," Liang said.
So far, the Long March-5 project has entered the testability analysis stage, he added.
About 100,000 square meters of workshops have been completed so far at a new base being built in the Binhai New Area of the northern coastal city of Tianjin. The facility will be used for testing and manufacturing the Long March-5. Construction began last year with an investment of 1.5 billion yuan ($220 million), Liang said.
Eventually, a total investment of 10 billion yuan will be poured into the base, which will be able to produce a maximum of 12 Long March-5 launch vehicles each year, he said.
Qi Faren, former chief designer of Shenzhou spaceships and a CPPCC national committee member, said on Thursday that the Long March-5 will be used to launch China's space station mission.
"We aim to send the core module of the space station into orbit before 2020. Without the large-thrust launcher, the 20-ton core module cannot be in place," he said.
Before that, however, the first task of the Long March 5 may be to send the Fengyun-4 weather satellite into space from the launch center under construction at Wenchang in Hainan, China's southern island province, according to Liang.
The new Fengyun-4 satellite, which is under design, weighs about eight to nine tons, which cannot be lifted by the current launchers that can carry a maximum payload of 5.2 tons to geo-stationary orbit, he added.
Hou Lei contributed to the story"
Rocket to go to moon under design
The following impressive video is a successful 200-second rocket-engine burn of the forthcoming 2014 Long March V. Having completed this milestone, the talented rocket scientists have moved on to designing and building the final heavy-lift rocket engine that will carry Chinese taikonauts to the Moon.
Rocket to go to moon under design
"Rocket to go to moon under design
By Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-05 07:26
BEIJING: A new heavy-thrust carrier rocket is under scientific research, with the goal of sending astronauts to the moon, scientists said.
A model of the Long March V rocket
Although there is no official timetable yet for China's moon landing, scientists are researching a new powerful carrier rocket with a lift-off thrust of 3,000 tons, Liang Xiaohong, vice-president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told China Daily on Thursday.
"The heavy-thrust launcher's lift-off thrust will be three times that of the Long March-5, China's current largest launcher," said Liang, who is also a member of the 11th CPPCC national committee.
The large-thrust Long March-5 launch vehicle has a lift-off thrust of 1,000 tons, which enables it to send a maximum payload of 25 tons to the near-Earth orbit and a payload of 10 tons to the higher geo-stationary orbit. Designed for transporting heavyweight satellites and space stations, it is slated to take off in 2014, according to Liang.
Compared to the Long March-5, the heavy-thrust launcher will be more powerful, but its payload capacity is still under discussion, he said.
The Long March-5 is also likely to be used in the preparatory stage of a future moon landing, he added.
China is currently studying the feasibility of a moon landing, despite US President Barack Obama's decision to kill NASA's $100-billion plans to return astronauts to the moon.
Bao Weimin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a CPPCC national committee member, said: "A moon landing program is very necessary, because it could drive the country's scientific and technological development."
Besides the heavy-thrust carrier rocket under study, the academy is also developing a new family of carrier rockets for future space programs.
"The Long March-6 will be a small-thrust carrier rocket, and the Long March-7 will be a medium-thrust launch vehicle. Together with the Long March-5, they will form a family that can cover all necessities for launch vehicles and replace the current carrier rockets," Liang said.
So far, the Long March-5 project has entered the testability analysis stage, he added.
About 100,000 square meters of workshops have been completed so far at a new base being built in the Binhai New Area of the northern coastal city of Tianjin. The facility will be used for testing and manufacturing the Long March-5. Construction began last year with an investment of 1.5 billion yuan ($220 million), Liang said.
Eventually, a total investment of 10 billion yuan will be poured into the base, which will be able to produce a maximum of 12 Long March-5 launch vehicles each year, he said.
Qi Faren, former chief designer of Shenzhou spaceships and a CPPCC national committee member, said on Thursday that the Long March-5 will be used to launch China's space station mission.
"We aim to send the core module of the space station into orbit before 2020. Without the large-thrust launcher, the 20-ton core module cannot be in place," he said.
Before that, however, the first task of the Long March 5 may be to send the Fengyun-4 weather satellite into space from the launch center under construction at Wenchang in Hainan, China's southern island province, according to Liang.
The new Fengyun-4 satellite, which is under design, weighs about eight to nine tons, which cannot be lifted by the current launchers that can carry a maximum payload of 5.2 tons to geo-stationary orbit, he added.
Hou Lei contributed to the story"
Martian2
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China opens 2012 with ZiYuan-3 launch via Long March 4B
China's Long March 4B rocket sent a 2,650kg Ziyuan III high-resolution remote-sensing satellite into a 500km orbit above the Earth. The Long March 4B also carried a satellite from Luxemburg.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/01/chi...-long-march-4b/
"China opens 2012 with ZiYuan-3 launch via Long March 4B
January 8th, 2012 by Rui C. Barbosa
China launched a new high-resolution remote sensing satellite on Monday at 03:17 UTC using the Long March 4B (Chang Zheng-4B -Y26) launch vehicle from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. According to the official Xinhua News Agency, the ZiYuan-3 is its first high-resolution geological mapping satellite, to be used for civil purposes.
Chinese Launch:
The ZiYuan-3 (ZY-3) is the first of a new series of high-resolution civilian remote sensing satellites, grown from a project that was initiated in March 2008.
The new satellite carries three high-resolution panchromatic cameras and an infrared multispectral scanner (IRMSS). The cameras are positioned at the front-facing, ground-facing and rear-facing positions.
Two cameras (front-facing and rear-facing) have a spectral resolution of 3.5m and 52.3km ground swath while the ground-facing camera has a spectral resolution of 2.1m and 51.1km ground swath. The IRMSS has a spectral resolution of 6.0m and 51.0km ground swath.
At launch the satellite had a mass of 2,630 kg. The satellite is equipped with two 3 meters solar arrays for power generation and will orbit a 505.984 km sun-synchronous solar orbit with 97.421 degree inclination. This orbit will have a re-visit cycle of 5 days.
Operational period will be four years with a possible life extension to five years.
The new satellite will conduct surveys on land resources, help with natural disaster-reduction and prevention and lend assistance to farming, water conservation, urban planning and other sectors, surveying the area between 84 degrees north and 84 degrees south latitude.
The ZiYuan program seems to cover different civil and military earth observation as well as remote sensing programs. The ZiYuan-1 program is focused on Earth resources and looks to have two distinct military and civil branches (this one being operated together with Brazil).
The satellites are operated jointly by the Center for Earth Operation and Digital Earth (CEODE) and the Brazilian INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - National Institute of Space Research).
The ZiYuan-2 program is probably used for aerial surveillance being operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) while the new ZiYuan-3 series will be used for stereo mapping (like the TH-1 TianHui-1 mapping satellite that is operated by the PLA). ZiYuan-3 will be operated by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping.
Together with ZY-3, China also launched the VesselSat-2 microsatellite built by LuxSpace Sarl, an affiliate of OHB AG.
Vesselsat-2 weighs 28 kg and will be integrated into ORBCOMM’s Next Generation (OG2) constellation of 18 AIS-enabled satellites after an in-orbit test and checkout phase. The specific orbit of the VesselSat satellites will allow ship monitoring and surveillance in the equatorial regions with a much higher revisit frequency than platforms in polar orbit.
The exclusive rights to use the data of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) payload belong to ORBCOMM Inc., a global supplier of satellite-based communication and data services.
Launch Vehicle:
The first orbital space launch of 2012 was the 156th successful Chinese orbital launch, the 156th successful launch of the Chang Zheng launch vehicle family and the 37th orbital launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The CZ-4B Chang Zheng-4B is the launch vehicle.
The feasibility study of the CZ-4 Chang Zheng-4 began in 1982 based on the FB-1 Feng Bao-1 launch vehicle. Engineering development was initiated in the following year. Initially, the Chang Zheng-4 served as a back-up launch vehicle for Chang Zheng-3 to launch China’s communications satellites.
After the successful launch of China’s first DFH-2 communications satellites by Chang Zheng-3, the main mission of the Chang Zheng-4 was shifted to launch sun-synchronous orbit meteorological satellites. In other hand The CZ-4B Chang Zheng-4B launch vehicle was first introduced in May 1999 and also developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology (SAST), based on the CZ-4 Chang Zheng-4.
The rocket is capable of launching a 2,800 kg satellite into low Earth orbit, developing 2,971 kN at launch. With a mass of 249,000 kg, the CZ-4B is 45.80 meters long and has a diameter of 3.35 meters.
SAST began to develop the Chang Zheng-4B in February 1989. Originally it was scheduled to be commissioned in 1997, but the first launch didn’t take place until late 1999. The modifications introduce on the CZ-4B Chang Zheng-4B included a larger satellite fairing and the replacement of the original mechanical-electrical control on the Chang Zheng-4 with an electronic control.
Other modifications were an improved telemetry, tracking, control, and self-destruction systems with smaller size and lighter weight; a revised nuzzle design in the second stage for better high-altitude performance; a propellant management system for the second stage to reduce the spare propellant amount, thus increasing the vehicle’s payload capability and a propellant jettison system on the third-stage.
The Chang Zheng-4B uses UDMH/N2O4 for all three stages. The first stage uses a YF-21B motor consisting of four 75,000kg thrust YF-20B thrust chambers motors with swinging nozzles. The second stage is similar to that of the CZ-3A, with a YF-24F rocket motor consisting of one 75,000kg thrust YF-22B main motor with fixed nozzles, and a YF-23F swivelling venire motor with four chambers motors (4,700kg thrust in total).
The third stage is a specially designed unit powered by a 98kN YF-40 rocket motor.
The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center:
Situated in the Kelan County on the northwest part of the Shanxi Province, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) is also known by the Wuzhai designation. It is used mainly for polar launches (meteorological, Earth resources and scientific satellites).
The center is at a height of 1400-1900m above sea level, and is surrounded by mountains to the east, south and north, with the Yellow River to its west. The annual average temperature is 4-10 C, with maximum of 28 C in summer and minimum of -39 C in winter.
TSLC is suitable for launching a range of satellites, especially for low earth and sun-synchronous orbit missions. The center has state-of-the-art facilities for launch vehicle and spacecraft testing, preparation, launch and in-flight tracking and safety control, as well as for orbit predictions.
The launch center has two launch complexes with a launch pad each (LC7 and LC9), a technical area for rocket and spacecraft preparations, a communications complex, mission command and control complex, and a space tracking complex.
The stages of the launchers are transported by railway, and offloaded at a transit station south of the launch complex. They are then transported by road to the technical area for checkout and testing.
The launchers are assembled at the launch pad using a crane at the top of the umbilical tower to hoist each stage in place. Satellites are airlifted to the Taiyuan Wusu Airport 300 km away, and then transported to the center by road."
----------
Bonus:
If you have never seen the assembly of a Chinese rocket, look below and now you have seen "a Long March 5 prototype being assembled!"
A Long March 5 section is hoisted into place.
Technicians inspect a Long March 5 rocket segment.
A technician proceeds with Long March 5 assembly.
Different Long March 5 segments are being aligned.
[Note: Thank you to ChineseTiger1986 for the newslink. Thank you to HouShanghai for the Long March 4B launch photograph. Thank you to Qwerrty and ChineseTiger1986 for the Long March 5 assembly photographs.]
China's Long March 4B rocket sent a 2,650kg Ziyuan III high-resolution remote-sensing satellite into a 500km orbit above the Earth. The Long March 4B also carried a satellite from Luxemburg.
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/01/chi...-long-march-4b/
"China opens 2012 with ZiYuan-3 launch via Long March 4B
January 8th, 2012 by Rui C. Barbosa
China launched a new high-resolution remote sensing satellite on Monday at 03:17 UTC using the Long March 4B (Chang Zheng-4B -Y26) launch vehicle from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. According to the official Xinhua News Agency, the ZiYuan-3 is its first high-resolution geological mapping satellite, to be used for civil purposes.
Chinese Launch:
The ZiYuan-3 (ZY-3) is the first of a new series of high-resolution civilian remote sensing satellites, grown from a project that was initiated in March 2008.
The new satellite carries three high-resolution panchromatic cameras and an infrared multispectral scanner (IRMSS). The cameras are positioned at the front-facing, ground-facing and rear-facing positions.
Two cameras (front-facing and rear-facing) have a spectral resolution of 3.5m and 52.3km ground swath while the ground-facing camera has a spectral resolution of 2.1m and 51.1km ground swath. The IRMSS has a spectral resolution of 6.0m and 51.0km ground swath.
At launch the satellite had a mass of 2,630 kg. The satellite is equipped with two 3 meters solar arrays for power generation and will orbit a 505.984 km sun-synchronous solar orbit with 97.421 degree inclination. This orbit will have a re-visit cycle of 5 days.
Operational period will be four years with a possible life extension to five years.
The new satellite will conduct surveys on land resources, help with natural disaster-reduction and prevention and lend assistance to farming, water conservation, urban planning and other sectors, surveying the area between 84 degrees north and 84 degrees south latitude.
The ZiYuan program seems to cover different civil and military earth observation as well as remote sensing programs. The ZiYuan-1 program is focused on Earth resources and looks to have two distinct military and civil branches (this one being operated together with Brazil).
The satellites are operated jointly by the Center for Earth Operation and Digital Earth (CEODE) and the Brazilian INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - National Institute of Space Research).
The ZiYuan-2 program is probably used for aerial surveillance being operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) while the new ZiYuan-3 series will be used for stereo mapping (like the TH-1 TianHui-1 mapping satellite that is operated by the PLA). ZiYuan-3 will be operated by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping.
Together with ZY-3, China also launched the VesselSat-2 microsatellite built by LuxSpace Sarl, an affiliate of OHB AG.
Vesselsat-2 weighs 28 kg and will be integrated into ORBCOMM’s Next Generation (OG2) constellation of 18 AIS-enabled satellites after an in-orbit test and checkout phase. The specific orbit of the VesselSat satellites will allow ship monitoring and surveillance in the equatorial regions with a much higher revisit frequency than platforms in polar orbit.
The exclusive rights to use the data of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) payload belong to ORBCOMM Inc., a global supplier of satellite-based communication and data services.
Launch Vehicle:
The first orbital space launch of 2012 was the 156th successful Chinese orbital launch, the 156th successful launch of the Chang Zheng launch vehicle family and the 37th orbital launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The CZ-4B Chang Zheng-4B is the launch vehicle.
The feasibility study of the CZ-4 Chang Zheng-4 began in 1982 based on the FB-1 Feng Bao-1 launch vehicle. Engineering development was initiated in the following year. Initially, the Chang Zheng-4 served as a back-up launch vehicle for Chang Zheng-3 to launch China’s communications satellites.
After the successful launch of China’s first DFH-2 communications satellites by Chang Zheng-3, the main mission of the Chang Zheng-4 was shifted to launch sun-synchronous orbit meteorological satellites. In other hand The CZ-4B Chang Zheng-4B launch vehicle was first introduced in May 1999 and also developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology (SAST), based on the CZ-4 Chang Zheng-4.
The rocket is capable of launching a 2,800 kg satellite into low Earth orbit, developing 2,971 kN at launch. With a mass of 249,000 kg, the CZ-4B is 45.80 meters long and has a diameter of 3.35 meters.
SAST began to develop the Chang Zheng-4B in February 1989. Originally it was scheduled to be commissioned in 1997, but the first launch didn’t take place until late 1999. The modifications introduce on the CZ-4B Chang Zheng-4B included a larger satellite fairing and the replacement of the original mechanical-electrical control on the Chang Zheng-4 with an electronic control.
Other modifications were an improved telemetry, tracking, control, and self-destruction systems with smaller size and lighter weight; a revised nuzzle design in the second stage for better high-altitude performance; a propellant management system for the second stage to reduce the spare propellant amount, thus increasing the vehicle’s payload capability and a propellant jettison system on the third-stage.
The Chang Zheng-4B uses UDMH/N2O4 for all three stages. The first stage uses a YF-21B motor consisting of four 75,000kg thrust YF-20B thrust chambers motors with swinging nozzles. The second stage is similar to that of the CZ-3A, with a YF-24F rocket motor consisting of one 75,000kg thrust YF-22B main motor with fixed nozzles, and a YF-23F swivelling venire motor with four chambers motors (4,700kg thrust in total).
The third stage is a specially designed unit powered by a 98kN YF-40 rocket motor.
The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center:
Situated in the Kelan County on the northwest part of the Shanxi Province, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) is also known by the Wuzhai designation. It is used mainly for polar launches (meteorological, Earth resources and scientific satellites).
The center is at a height of 1400-1900m above sea level, and is surrounded by mountains to the east, south and north, with the Yellow River to its west. The annual average temperature is 4-10 C, with maximum of 28 C in summer and minimum of -39 C in winter.
TSLC is suitable for launching a range of satellites, especially for low earth and sun-synchronous orbit missions. The center has state-of-the-art facilities for launch vehicle and spacecraft testing, preparation, launch and in-flight tracking and safety control, as well as for orbit predictions.
The launch center has two launch complexes with a launch pad each (LC7 and LC9), a technical area for rocket and spacecraft preparations, a communications complex, mission command and control complex, and a space tracking complex.
The stages of the launchers are transported by railway, and offloaded at a transit station south of the launch complex. They are then transported by road to the technical area for checkout and testing.
The launchers are assembled at the launch pad using a crane at the top of the umbilical tower to hoist each stage in place. Satellites are airlifted to the Taiyuan Wusu Airport 300 km away, and then transported to the center by road."
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Bonus:
If you have never seen the assembly of a Chinese rocket, look below and now you have seen "a Long March 5 prototype being assembled!"
A Long March 5 section is hoisted into place.
Technicians inspect a Long March 5 rocket segment.
A technician proceeds with Long March 5 assembly.
Different Long March 5 segments are being aligned.
[Note: Thank you to ChineseTiger1986 for the newslink. Thank you to HouShanghai for the Long March 4B launch photograph. Thank you to Qwerrty and ChineseTiger1986 for the Long March 5 assembly photographs.]
Martian2
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China Launches Second Satellite of the Week
"China successfully launched the meteorological satellite Fengyun-II 07 on Friday morning from southwest Xichang Satellite Launch Center." [Photo/Xinhua]
China Launches Second Satellite of the Week
"China Launches Second Satellite of the Week
Stephen Clark, Spaceflight Now
Date: 13 January 2012 Time: 01:22 PM ET
A new Chinese weather satellite streaked into space Friday on top of a Long March 3A rocket, China's second flawless space launch this week.
The Fengyun 2F spacecraft lifted off at 0056 GMT Friday (7:56 p.m. EST Thursday) from the Xichang space base in southwestern China's Sichuan province, according to the Chinese defense ministry. Liftoff occurred at 8:56 a.m. Beijing time.
The 172-foot-tall rocket released the 3,000-pound satellite in an oval-shaped transfer orbit about 24 minutes after launch. State media reported the launch was successful.
It was the second Chinese space launch this week, coming four days after a Long March 4B rocket hauled a high-resolution mapping satellite into orbit from another space center.
Fengyun 2F will enter service for the China Meteorological Administration. The spacecraft will collect real-time weather imagery every 15 minutes for forecasters in China and neighboring countries.
In the next few weeks, the satellite will raise its orbit to an altitude of 22,300 miles over the equator and position itself over the equator at 112 degrees east longitude. Fengyun 2F will begin its operational life as a backup satellite, serving with other weather satellites launched in 2006 and 2008.
Fengyun 2F features improvements over earlier Fengyun 2-series satellites, including an extension of its design life to four years. The craft carries instruments for visible and infrared high-resolution cloud imagery and for monitoring space weather."
"China successfully launched the meteorological satellite Fengyun-II 07 on Friday morning from southwest Xichang Satellite Launch Center." [Photo/Xinhua]
China Launches Second Satellite of the Week
"China Launches Second Satellite of the Week
Stephen Clark, Spaceflight Now
Date: 13 January 2012 Time: 01:22 PM ET
A new Chinese weather satellite streaked into space Friday on top of a Long March 3A rocket, China's second flawless space launch this week.
The Fengyun 2F spacecraft lifted off at 0056 GMT Friday (7:56 p.m. EST Thursday) from the Xichang space base in southwestern China's Sichuan province, according to the Chinese defense ministry. Liftoff occurred at 8:56 a.m. Beijing time.
The 172-foot-tall rocket released the 3,000-pound satellite in an oval-shaped transfer orbit about 24 minutes after launch. State media reported the launch was successful.
It was the second Chinese space launch this week, coming four days after a Long March 4B rocket hauled a high-resolution mapping satellite into orbit from another space center.
Fengyun 2F will enter service for the China Meteorological Administration. The spacecraft will collect real-time weather imagery every 15 minutes for forecasters in China and neighboring countries.
In the next few weeks, the satellite will raise its orbit to an altitude of 22,300 miles over the equator and position itself over the equator at 112 degrees east longitude. Fengyun 2F will begin its operational life as a backup satellite, serving with other weather satellites launched in 2006 and 2008.
Fengyun 2F features improvements over earlier Fengyun 2-series satellites, including an extension of its design life to four years. The craft carries instruments for visible and infrared high-resolution cloud imagery and for monitoring space weather."
Martian2
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As I have previously mentioned, China's Long March 5 will make its debut in two short years or 2014. A noteworthy aspect of the Long March 5 is its 600kg greater payload capacity than the U.S. Space Shuttle.
China
"One goal for the next five years is to improve China’s Long March rockets, the workhorses that launch its satellites. The Long March-5, in particular, is intended to be able to lift 25 tonnes into low Earth orbit. (Perhaps significantly, this is 600kg more than America’s space shuttles could manage.)"
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Long March 5: "25 tonnes payload to LEO"
U.S. Space Shuttle: "Payload to LEO 24,400 kg (53,600 lb)" or 24.4 tonnes payload to LEO
References:
1. Long March 5 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2. Space Shuttle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
China
"One goal for the next five years is to improve China’s Long March rockets, the workhorses that launch its satellites. The Long March-5, in particular, is intended to be able to lift 25 tonnes into low Earth orbit. (Perhaps significantly, this is 600kg more than America’s space shuttles could manage.)"
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Long March 5: "25 tonnes payload to LEO"
U.S. Space Shuttle: "Payload to LEO 24,400 kg (53,600 lb)" or 24.4 tonnes payload to LEO
References:
1. Long March 5 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2. Space Shuttle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sasquatch
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China publishes high-resolution full moon map
China on Monday published a full coverage map of the moon, as well as several high-resolution images of the celestial body, captured by the country's second moon orbiter, the Chang'e-2.
The map and images, released by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), are the highest-resolution photos of the entirety of the moon's surface to be published thus far, said Liu Dongkui, deputy chief commander of China's lunar probe project.
The images were photographed by a charge-coupled device (CCD) stereo camera on the Chang'e-2 from heights of 100 km and 15 km over the lunar surface between October 2010 and May 2011, according to a statement from SASTIND.
The resolution of the images obtained from Chang'e-2 is 17 times greater than those taken by the its predecessor, the Chang'e-1.
If there were airports and harbors on the moon, the Chang'e-1 could simply identify them, while the Chang'e-2 would be able to detect planes or ships inside of them, said Tong Qingxi, an academic from the Institute of Remote Sensing Applications under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The scientists also spotted traces of the previous Apollo mission in the images, said Yan Jun, chief application scientist for China's lunar exploration project.
Several countries, including the United States, have obtained lunar images with higher resolution, but have not published full-coverage images of the moon with a resolution of seven meters or greater, as China has done, Tong said.
Scientists have made adjustments to the original data to more accurately reflect the topographic and geomorphologic features of the moon, the SASTIND statement said.
Chang'e-2, named after a legendary Chinese moon goddess, was launched on Oct. 1, 2010.
In November 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled an image taken by the satellite of the moon's Sinus Iridum, or Bay of Rainbows, an area where the future Chang'e-3 moon probe may land.
The launch of the Chang'e-3 is scheduled for 2013, marking the first time for a Chinese spacecraft to land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body.
The photos of the possible landing site, combined with China's complete moon map, will provide basic data for the country's future moon landing missions, Tong said.
The images will also help scientists to understand the moon's geological structure, as well as give them information about the concentration and distribution of matter on the moon's surface, Yan said.
The satellite is currently orbiting the moon's second Lagrange Point (L2), located more than 1.5 million km away from Earth.
China publishes high-resolution full moon map - Xinhua | English.news.cn
China on Monday published a full coverage map of the moon, as well as several high-resolution images of the celestial body, captured by the country's second moon orbiter, the Chang'e-2.
The map and images, released by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), are the highest-resolution photos of the entirety of the moon's surface to be published thus far, said Liu Dongkui, deputy chief commander of China's lunar probe project.
The images were photographed by a charge-coupled device (CCD) stereo camera on the Chang'e-2 from heights of 100 km and 15 km over the lunar surface between October 2010 and May 2011, according to a statement from SASTIND.
The resolution of the images obtained from Chang'e-2 is 17 times greater than those taken by the its predecessor, the Chang'e-1.
If there were airports and harbors on the moon, the Chang'e-1 could simply identify them, while the Chang'e-2 would be able to detect planes or ships inside of them, said Tong Qingxi, an academic from the Institute of Remote Sensing Applications under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The scientists also spotted traces of the previous Apollo mission in the images, said Yan Jun, chief application scientist for China's lunar exploration project.
Several countries, including the United States, have obtained lunar images with higher resolution, but have not published full-coverage images of the moon with a resolution of seven meters or greater, as China has done, Tong said.
Scientists have made adjustments to the original data to more accurately reflect the topographic and geomorphologic features of the moon, the SASTIND statement said.
Chang'e-2, named after a legendary Chinese moon goddess, was launched on Oct. 1, 2010.
In November 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled an image taken by the satellite of the moon's Sinus Iridum, or Bay of Rainbows, an area where the future Chang'e-3 moon probe may land.
The launch of the Chang'e-3 is scheduled for 2013, marking the first time for a Chinese spacecraft to land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body.
The photos of the possible landing site, combined with China's complete moon map, will provide basic data for the country's future moon landing missions, Tong said.
The images will also help scientists to understand the moon's geological structure, as well as give them information about the concentration and distribution of matter on the moon's surface, Yan said.
The satellite is currently orbiting the moon's second Lagrange Point (L2), located more than 1.5 million km away from Earth.
China publishes high-resolution full moon map - Xinhua | English.news.cn
Sasquatch
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Venezuela's second Chinese-built satellite to be launched
President Hugo Chavez said on Friday that a new Chinese-built satellite for Venezuela will be launched this year.
Chavez made the announcement at a farewell party in Miraflores Palace, the presidential residence, for a group of 50 telecommunications engineers before they travelled to China for training.
The group of civil and military engineers from the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities will be trained in China for six months to operate the new satellite.
"The new satellite will be called 'Miranda.' The Venezuelan people have to know about the technological, scientific, productive, political and social development of our country," Chavez said.
The satellite will help monitor natural phenomena such as earthquakes, flooding and intense rains as well as desertification, the loss of arable land and illegal mining.
The Miranda satellite is expected to be sent into orbit at 639 km from China between September and October, almost four years after the launch of Venezuela's first satellite "Simon Bolivar."
On Oct. 29, 2008, China launched the jointly built telecommunication satellite Venesat-1, also dubbed "Simon Bolivar," making Venezuela the fourth Latin American country that owns a satellite after Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
President Hugo Chavez said on Friday that a new Chinese-built satellite for Venezuela will be launched this year.
Chavez made the announcement at a farewell party in Miraflores Palace, the presidential residence, for a group of 50 telecommunications engineers before they travelled to China for training.
The group of civil and military engineers from the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities will be trained in China for six months to operate the new satellite.
"The new satellite will be called 'Miranda.' The Venezuelan people have to know about the technological, scientific, productive, political and social development of our country," Chavez said.
The satellite will help monitor natural phenomena such as earthquakes, flooding and intense rains as well as desertification, the loss of arable land and illegal mining.
The Miranda satellite is expected to be sent into orbit at 639 km from China between September and October, almost four years after the launch of Venezuela's first satellite "Simon Bolivar."
On Oct. 29, 2008, China launched the jointly built telecommunication satellite Venesat-1, also dubbed "Simon Bolivar," making Venezuela the fourth Latin American country that owns a satellite after Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
Martian2
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Understanding China's high-resolution Moon maps
As everyone knows, China recently published the world's highest-resolution maps of the Moon. To ensure you derive the maximum appreciation of China's Moon maps, I would like to discuss cartography.
Chang'e-2 Spacecraft's Orthographic Projection Moon Diagram.
The first high-resolution map is the easiest to describe. It is a composite picture of the Moon.
The left picture is the near side of the Moon. The right picture is the far side of the Moon, which is tidally locked and cannot be seen from the Earth.
An orthographic projection simply means a three-dimensional object is being shown in two dimensions.
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China's Chang'e-2 Mercator Moon map
A Mercator projection is a cylindrical map that preserves the angles from any given point. It is useful for navigation.
However, the drawback is the size distortion as you move toward the poles. The objects near the top and bottom of the map should be much smaller, because the subtended surfaces become smaller near the north and south geographic poles.
Notice that China's Mercator Moon map shows both the near and far sides of the Moon. For comparison, I have included a Mercator map of the Earth below.
Mercator projection of the Earth between 82°S and 82°N
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China's Chang'e-2 Mollweide equal-area projection Moon map
A Mollweide projection is an elliptical equal-area map that preserves the accuracy of the surface area. It is useful for size comparisons at the expense of sacrificing accuracy in angles.
Notice that China's Mollweide Moon map shows both the near and far sides of the Moon. For comparison, I have included a Mollweide map of the Earth below.
Mollweide projection of the Earth
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Pictures of Chang'e-2 satellite, which photographed the Moon maps.
SOARING SUCCESS: Technicians assembling Chang'e-II at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre prior to October 1, 2010 launch. (Photo: Xinhua)
Image: The Change E 2 Lunar Orbiter as it was being positioned for installation on the Long March 3C launch vehicle at the launch site in Xichang.
Long March 3C rocket, carrying China's second unmanned lunar probe Chang'e II, lifts off from the launch pad at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, at 18:59:57 (Beijing time) on Oct. 1, 2010. (Photo: Xinhua/Li Gang)
As everyone knows, China recently published the world's highest-resolution maps of the Moon. To ensure you derive the maximum appreciation of China's Moon maps, I would like to discuss cartography.
Chang'e-2 Spacecraft's Orthographic Projection Moon Diagram.
The first high-resolution map is the easiest to describe. It is a composite picture of the Moon.
The left picture is the near side of the Moon. The right picture is the far side of the Moon, which is tidally locked and cannot be seen from the Earth.
An orthographic projection simply means a three-dimensional object is being shown in two dimensions.
----------
China's Chang'e-2 Mercator Moon map
A Mercator projection is a cylindrical map that preserves the angles from any given point. It is useful for navigation.
However, the drawback is the size distortion as you move toward the poles. The objects near the top and bottom of the map should be much smaller, because the subtended surfaces become smaller near the north and south geographic poles.
Notice that China's Mercator Moon map shows both the near and far sides of the Moon. For comparison, I have included a Mercator map of the Earth below.
Mercator projection of the Earth between 82°S and 82°N
----------
China's Chang'e-2 Mollweide equal-area projection Moon map
A Mollweide projection is an elliptical equal-area map that preserves the accuracy of the surface area. It is useful for size comparisons at the expense of sacrificing accuracy in angles.
Notice that China's Mollweide Moon map shows both the near and far sides of the Moon. For comparison, I have included a Mollweide map of the Earth below.
Mollweide projection of the Earth
----------
Pictures of Chang'e-2 satellite, which photographed the Moon maps.
SOARING SUCCESS: Technicians assembling Chang'e-II at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre prior to October 1, 2010 launch. (Photo: Xinhua)
Image: The Change E 2 Lunar Orbiter as it was being positioned for installation on the Long March 3C launch vehicle at the launch site in Xichang.
Long March 3C rocket, carrying China's second unmanned lunar probe Chang'e II, lifts off from the launch pad at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, at 18:59:57 (Beijing time) on Oct. 1, 2010. (Photo: Xinhua/Li Gang)
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