News in Brief

LM-11 Successfully Launches 2 GECAM Satellites into Orbit on One Launch

A LM-11 carrier rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 4:14 Beijing time on December 10,launching the Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) satellites into orbit successfully.

LM-11 was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology(CALT) under CASC.The rocket has carried out 9 land and 2 sea launch missions now with all the 11 launches being successful.There were three highlights for the LM-11 carrier rocket.

· It was the first time for LM-11 to complete its assembly test in the Haiyang Solid Launch Vehicle Production Base

The rocket motor,case and electrical products were directly delivered to Haiyang city,and then assembled and tested in the Haiyang Solid Launch Vehicle Production Base,marking a phasic achievement of the Dongfang Spaceport,and laying a solid foundation for CALT to transfer the solid launch vehicles' production to Haiyang city.

· It was the first time for LM-11 to be assembled in Haiyang and launched from the land

After the assembly and test,the LM-11 carrier rocket was transferred from Haiyang city to Laiyang city.This means the Dongfang Spaceport can serve not only for sea launch but also land launch missions.

· It was the first time for LM-11 to undertake a launch mission for national space exploration

The GECAM satellites,developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,consisted of two microsatellites orbiting at an altitude of 600 km,and are China's first for monitoring gravitational wave electromagnetic counterparts with high sensitivity with an all-sky field of view.

This was the 355th flight mission of the Long March series launch vehicle.(HU Lanyue/China Space News)

Maiden Flight of Private Commercial Launch Vehicle Succeeded

At 15:12 Beijing time on November 7,the Ceres-1 commercial carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center,successfully launching the Tianqi 11 satellite into its preset orbit.

The Ceres-1 carrier rocket is lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Photo:Galactic Energy

The small solid-propellant rocket was developed by Galactic Energy (Beijing)Space Technology Co.,Ltd to meet the demand of launching microsats into near Earth orbit.

As one of the satellites in Tianqi Constellation for IoT communications,the Tianqi 11 satellite is designed to provide data acquisition and transmission services.It was developed by Shanghai ASES Spaceflight Technology Co.,Ltd under the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and operated by Beijing Guodian Gaoke Technology Co.(CASC)

LM-4C Successfully Launched Two Satellites,Marking the Completion of China's Space Missions in 2020

At 23:44 Beijing time,a LM-4C carrier rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 27,2020,launching the Yaogan 33 satellite and a micro-nano technology experiment satellite into their planned orbits.The launch was a complete success.

All launch missions for CASC in 2020 have been concluded.

The two satellites were developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).They will be used for scientific experiments,land resources survey,crop yield estimation,and disaster prevention and mitigation.The micro-nano technology experimental satellite was installed on the sidewall of the payload adapter.

The LM-4C carrier rocket was also developed by SAST.It is a three-stage conventional liquid propellant rocket that is capable of launching different satellites with different orbit requirements.The LM-4C carrier rocket is capable of sending payloads weighing up to 3 tons into a sun-synchronous orbit 700 km above the Earth.

This mission was the 357th launch of a Long March family rocket.

In 2020,CASC completed 32 launch missions.China's space industry has produced a remarkable scorecard this year:the completion of Beidou Navigation Satellite System,Chang'e 5 robotic mission,China High Resolution Earth Observation System,the success of the Mars mission,and the maiden flights of LM-5B and LM-8.

In 2020,the launch missions of CASC have shown the characteristics of critical missions and high launch frequency.CASC has overcome the severe pressure and great challenges brought by the COVID-19 epidemic,successfully completed the launch missions,and made a solid step toward being a space power.(ZHAO Cong/China Space News)

China's New-Generation Carrier Rocket LM-8 Makes Its Maiden Flight

At 12:37 Beijing time on December 22,2020,China's new-generation carrier rocket LM-8 lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site,successfully deploying five satellites into their planned orbits.The LM-8 maiden flight mission was a complete success.China's new-generation carrier rocket family has added a new member.Hence,during the 13th Five-Year Plan period,the launch missions of new-generation carrier rockets of China's space industry have successfully been concluded.

The successful debut flight of the LM-8 launch vehicle further enhanced China's carrier rocket spectrum and China's Sun-synchronous orbit launch capability,laying a solid foundation for the start of various space launch missions during the 14th Five-Year Plan period,providing fresh impetus for growth of a space power.

The research and development for the LM-8 rocket officially started in May 2017.The rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.It was injected with a green liquid propellant.LM-8 is a new-generation medium launch vehicle in China.

As a combination carrier rocket,LM-8 combines heritage with advanced technology,improved economy,and adaptability.The research team will further improve the performance of the rocket,shorten the development cycle,and launch a more advanced and economical LM-8 to meet demands for launch services from different users.

The design concept of the LM-8 is modularization,seriation,and combination.The rocket's design and technologies are mainly based on those already used by the LM-3A and LM-7.Construction of the LM-8 was finished in the shortest time with the minimum cost.

Table 1 In-service new-generation LM launch vehicle

LM-8 is lifting off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site Photo:SU Dong

The successful maiden flight verified the overall design approach,boosts the development of national space industry products,and further improves China's launch capability.

LM-8 focuses on the surging demands for launch missions for sun synchronous orbits.It is capable of sending payloads weighing 4.5 tons into a sun-synchronous orbit 700 km above the Earth.It can also be used for missions to low-Earth and geostationary transfer orbits.LM-8 can play a key role in the construction of China's follow-up satellite networking project and provide commercial launch services.

LM-8 also shouldered the important mission to verify the reusable technology of carrier rocket.The rocket used for the first time engine thrust control technology,improving the adaptability of the carrier rocket,and laying a solid foundation for reusability.

LM-8 deployed the New Technology Demonstrator 7 experimental satellite which was designed and built by the China Academy of Space Technology,along with four small private satellites.

The mission marked the 356th flight of China's Long March carrier rocket family.(REN Yueming/China Space News)

Gaofen 14 Satellite Launched Atop A LM-3B

Gaofen 14 satellite is being launched atop a LM-3B Photo:GAO Nan

A LM-3B launch vehicle was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 11:58 Beijing time on December 6,transferring the Gaofen 14 satellite into its preset orbit successfully.

This was the first time for LM-3B to transport a spacecraft into a sun-synchronous orbit.

The rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under CASC.

Based on the configuration of LM-3 series launch vehicle,the LM-3B launched this time utilized a 4.2 m fairing with a length of 58 m and a takeoff mass of about 456 tons.

The Gaofen 14 satellite was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under CASC.

The satellite was designed to obtain high-definition stereoscopic images of the globe that can be used to generate large-scale digital topographic maps,digital orthophoto maps and other products,providing basic geographic information support for national economic development and the Belt and Road initiative.

This was the 354th launch of the LM series launch vehicle.(SONG Haowei/China Space News)

LM-3B Successfully Launched Tiantong 1-02 Satellite

At 23:59 Beijing time on November 12,a LM-3B carrier rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center,successfully launched the Tiantong 1-02 satellite into its preset orbit.

The satellite developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under CASC is an important part of the Tiantong 1 satellite system which consists of space-based assets,ground facilities as well as user terminals.

The Tiantong 1-02 satellite will network with the Tiantong 1-01 satellite to form the space-based assets.

Tiantong 1 satellite mobile communications system,independently developed by China,will provide continuous all-weather,stable and reliable mobile communications services to users in China and surrounding areas,the Middle East and Africa,as well as most sea areas in the Pacific and the Indian ocean .

The LM-3B carrier rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under CASC.

This was the 352nd launch of the LM series launch vehicle.(MIAO Shanshan/China Space News)

Tiantong 1-02 satellite is flying aboard a LM-3B Photo:ZHANG Yini

A LM-6 Launched 13 Satellites into Orbit

At 11:19 Beijing time on November 6,a LM-6 carrier rocket blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center,placing 13 satellites into their preset orbits,including 10 NewSats of Satellogic based in Argentina and 3 domestic satellites namely Taiyuan science popularization satellite (8103),Tianyan 05 satellite and Beihang Kongshi satellite 1.

According to NewSat launch service contract signed between CGWIC and the URUGUS from Paraguay,a subsidiary of Satellogic,10 NewSats would be launched atop a LM-6 launch vehicle.It was the first time that the LM-6 launch vehicle carried out an international commercial satellite launch service,as well as the first international commercial satellite launch order for a new-generation Long March series of launch vehicles to be completed.

Developed by SAST,the LM-6 carrier rocket is a new-generation 3-stage cryogenic liquid rocket with the capability of fast launch.It is the first one in the new-generation of Long March series of launch vehicles that its conducted flight mission.LM-6 is capable of launching single and multiple satellites to different orbits in one launch.It has a launch capacity of 1 ton into a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit after two firings of its third stage.

Since its maiden flight in 2015,the LM-6 launch vehicle has conducted 4 missions and is scheduled to carry out 4 missions next year.

A LM-6 is putting 13 satellites into planned orbits Photo:LV Yutao

The 10 NewSats (NewSat 9– 18),commercial remote sensing satellites,were designed and developed by Satellogic of Argentina,each with a mass of 41 kg and design lifetime of 3 years.All satellites piggybacked multi spectral payloads and high spectral payloads.After entering their orbit,the 10 satellites will be part of the company's global remote sensing satellite constellation.LM-6 will launch multiple batches of satellites for the deployment of the constellation.

Satellogic purchased dedicated launch services for the first time for this mission.Before this mission,7 Newscast had been launched into orbits through 4 piggyback missions atop LM-4 series and LM-2D launch vehicles.

Taiyuan science popularization satellite(8103) will be mainly used for experiments in celestial remote sensing observation,Earth observation and Space-Earth coordinated programming education,supplying a platform for teenagers to encourage space popularization and for practical education.The satellite program was initiated jointly by Taiyuan Education Bureau and China Center for Aerospace Science and Technology International Communications under CASC.Students from the Taiyuan Jinshan School were involved in the satellite development and the Northwestern Polytechnical University provided technical support for satellite development and ground TT&C.

The other two satellites were Tianyan 05 satellite jointly developed by ADASpace based in Chengdu and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Beihang Kongshi satellite 1 developed by Spacety based in Changsha in cooperation with Beihang Universtiy.

The mission was the forth launch of LM-6 and the 351st mission of Long March series of launch vehicles.(ZHAO Cong/China Space News)

A LM-2C Launches 3 Yaogan 30-07 Group Satellites and 1 NanoSat

3 Yaogan 30-07 Group and 1 NanoSat are being launched atop a LM-2C Photo:ZHANG Yini

A LM-2C carrier rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 23:19 Beijing time on October 26,carrying 3 Yaogan 30-07 group satellites and one NanoSat and launched them into preset their orbits.

The LM-2C carrier rocket was developed by CALT,which is the longest serving launch vehicle in China's carrier rocket fleet.It is also one of the reliable platforms for new technology demonstration for China's space transportation systems.

A drop zone safety control system was piggybacked in the fairing of the LM-2C,with the main electronics recovered from the fairing drop zone safety control system which conducted its flight test on July 26,2019.In the test,some critical technical products for the new-generation measurement system were piggybacked for the maiden flight demonstration.Intelligent rocket related technologies were also incorporated in the first flight demonstration for the complicated reentry process of the fairing using the drop zone safety control system.

The Yaogan 30-07 group satellites are mainly used for electromagnetic environment detection and related technological tests.The piggybacked NanoSat will be used for data acquisition.

This was the 350th launch of the LM series launch vehicle.(GAO Yiming/China Space News)

A LM-3B Sends GF-13 into Orbit Successfully

At 0:57 Beijing time on October 12,China Launched the GF-13 satellite atop a LM-3B launch vehicle from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.The satellite entered its preset orbit successfully.

The GF-13 was developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).It is a high-orbit optical remote sensing satellite which was designed for use in areas including land survey,crop yield estimation,environmental management,meteorological early warning and forecast as well as for comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation,providing an information service for the national economic construction.

The LM-3B carrier rocket was developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).The rocket for this mission has conducted the most technological improvements in recent years,with 16 new technologies incorporated for first flight and first uses,mainly involving the satellite fairing,onboard pressurization feed system,igniter of the third stage and laser inertial unit.

It was the 349th launch of the Long March series launch vehicle.(LIU Yan/China Space News)

A LM-3B is sending GF-13 into orbits Photo:XIE Qiyong

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