China sends nine satellite into orbit after launching a carrier rocket at sea
- A Long March-11 carrying nine satellites lifted off from a ship in the Yellow Sea
- The satellites will provide remote-sensing data while travelling in pre-set orbit
- The successful Tuesday launch is said to be China’s second sea-based mission
- Came three days after the nation lost a remote-sensing satellite during operation
China has successfully launched a carrier rocket from a ship in the Yellow Sea on Tuesday morning, sending nine satellites into the planned orbit.
The Long March-11, a solid propellant carrier rocket, blasted off at 9:23am local time today from waters off the coast of east China’s Shandong province.
After travelling 535 kilometres (332 miles) within about 13 minutes, the rocket delivered nine Jilin 1 high-resolution Earth-observation satellites – three to take videos and six to take pictures – in sun-synchronous orbits, reported state media.
China has successfully launched a carrier rocket from a ship in the Yellow Sea on Tuesday morning, sending nine satellites into the planned orbit. The CZ-11 rocket, carrying nine satellites, rises from a ship in the Yellow Sea in east China’s Shandong province Tuesday
The CZ-11 rocket, or Long March-11, carrying nine satellites, rises from a ship in the Yellow Sea in east China’s Shandong province Tuesday. The launch came just three days after China lost an optical remote-sensing satellite after it failed to reach the pre-set obit on Saturday
The country’s latest space project is said to be China’s second sea-based launch mission. The rocket’s first ship-based launch took place in the Yellow Sea in June last year
The launch came just three days after China lost an optical remote-sensing satellite after it failed to reach the pre-set obit on Saturday.
The country’s latest space project is said to be China’s second sea-based launch mission. The rocket’s first ship-based launch took place in the Yellow Sea in June last year and sent seven satellites into orbit.
The nine satellites, developed by Changguang Satellite Technology, weighs about 42 kilogrammes (93 pounds), according to reports.
They can provide remote-sensing data and a range of services including forestry, agriculture and maritime, for their clients.
The rocket lifted off from Debo 3, a self-propelled deck barge that was modified for the mission, said state media.
The nine satellites, developed by Changguang Satellite Technology, weighs about 42 kilogrammes (93 pounds), according to reports. The CZ-11 rocket, carrying nine satellites, rises from a ship in the Yellow Sea in east China’s Shandong province on September 15
The Long March-11, weighing about 58 tonnes, is a light-lift solid launch vehicle and the only solid-fuel rocket in the Long March family, the pillar of China’s space programmes
The Long March-11, weighing about 58 tonnes, is a light-lift solid launch vehicle and the only solid-fuel rocket in the Long March family, the pillar of China’s space programmes, said Chinese media.
Before the Tuesday launch, it had conducted nine successful flights, including China’s first sea launch conducted in June 2019.
The entire flight was controlled and monitored by engineers on board a support ship anchored several kilometres from the Debo 3.
‘The Tuesday mission marked China’s first commercial application launch from sea,’ Jin Xin, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Long March-11 launch vehicle, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
The mission also helped to optimise seaborne launch procedures and improve the safety and reliability of such operations, laying a foundation for frequent sea-based launches in the future, said Jin.
The launch comes after China has failed to send its optical remote-sensing satellite Jilin-1 Gaofen 02C into its planned orbit on Saturday.
Last week, the nation also saw its Long March 4B rocket booster exploding into a massive cloud of orange smoke after crashing into a nearby town and narrowly missing a school.