Tag: China
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Long March 3C in secretive launch with new Upper Stage
The Chinese opened their 2015 campaign with the launch of a Long March 3C with the first of a new generation of navigation satellites. The launch of what is now being called BDS I 1-S took place at 13:52 UTC from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, utilizing the debut use of the new Expedition-1 (Yuanzheng-1)…
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Europe, China issue call for joint science mission
One of two Double Star spacecraft developed for a joint ESA-China science mission is seen in a pre-launch sun illumination test in 2004. Credit: CNSA/CAST/CSSAR Europe and China are planning a joint robotic space mission for launch in 2021, and officials are asking scientists to propose projects aimed at research in astronomy, exploring the solar…
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Chinese pathfinder probe arrives in lunar orbit
China’s lunar test probe and returned this stunning view of the Earth and the far side of the moon in October. Credit: Xinhua/SASTIND A Chinese spacecraft launched in October has settled into a circular orbit around the moon for rendezvous simulations and reconnaissance ahead of a planned lunar sample return mission, according to state media…
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2014’s launch tally highest in two decades
The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket flew nine times in 2014, more than any other U.S. launcher. Six of the missions flew from Cape Canaveral, which was the starting point for 16 space launches in 2014, tied for the highest number of launches there since 2003. Credit: ULA There were more successful space launches…
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In an eerie scene, Chinese villagers visit rocket crash site
Photo credit: China News Service The expended first stage of a Long March rocket tumbled into a forested region of southwestern China a few minutes after successfully blasting off Dec. 31 with a Chinese weather satellite, and photographers were there to capture the booster’s fall back to Earth, according to Chinese state media. The images…
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China sends new weather satellite into orbit
A Long March 3A rocket launched at 0102 GMT Wednesday (8:02 p.m. EST Tuesday) with the Fengyun 2G weather satellite. Credit: Xinhua China launched a spacecraft Wednesday to replenish the country’s fleet of meteorological satellites providing warnings of weather fronts and tropical cyclones across Asia. The Fengyun 2G satellite lifted off at 0102 GMT Wednesday…
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Trio of ocean surveillance satellites launched by China
A Long March 4C rocket lifts off from the Jiuquan satellite launching center at 1933 GMT (2:33 p.m. EST) on Wednesday. Credit: Xinhua A package of small satellites that will likely track global naval activity lifted off aboard a Chinese Long March 4C rocket on Wednesday. Chinese authorities made no announcement of the launch ahead…
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Long March 4C lofts Yaogan Weixing-25 mission
The Chinese successfully launched the Yaogan Weixing-25 mission – consisting of three satellites – from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Wednesday. The launch took place from the 603 launch pad of the LC43 launch complex utilizing a Long March-4C (Chang Zheng-4C) launch vehicle. Chinese Launch: The Yaogan Weixing-25 mission is composed of three satellites,…
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Chinese-Brazilian Earth observation satellite launched
A Long March 4B rocket lifts off with the CBERS 4 Earth observation satellite. Credit: Xinhua An Earth-watching satellite developed by China and Brazil lifted off on a Long March 4B rocket Saturday, replacing an environmental craft lost in a launch mishap last year. The CBERS 4 spacecraft — the fifth in a series of…
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China launches Kuaizhou-2 in second launch within 24 hours
The Chinese have launched their second mission in the space of 24 hours, with the orbiting of the Kuaizhou-2 natural disaster monitoring satellite. Launch took place at 06:37 UTC – utilizing the second launch of the KZ Kuaizhou all-solid rocket – from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Chinese Launch: Unlike a lot of Chinese launches…