Tag: China
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China back in action with dual Compass launch
China has launched a new pair of navigation satellites today to upgrade its satellite navigation constellation. The launch of the Compass-M5 and Compass-M6 satellites took place at 19:10UTC on Tuesday from the LC2 launch complex of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, using the powerful Long March-3B/E (Chang Zheng-3B/E). Chinese Launch: Developed from the DFH-3B satellite platform, the Compass-M…
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Long March 3C launches China’s third tracking and data relay satellite
A Long March 3C (Chang Zheng 3C) has returned China back into action for the first time since their Shenzhou-9 manned rendezvous and docking mission. The launch of the TL-1 Tianlian-1 (3) ‘Sky Link’ sent the country’s third tracking and data relay satellite into orbit. Launch occured at 15:43 UTC on Wednesday from the Xichang Satellite…
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Shenzhou-9 successfully returns to Earth
The three member crew of China’s Shenzhou-9 have safely returned to Earth, following a successful – and historic – docked mission with the unmanned space module Tiangong-1. The crew – including China’s first female taikonaut – touched down at the primary landing site in Inner Mongolia at around 2am UTC on Friday. Shenzhou-9 Return: The…
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China’s Shenzhou-9 successfully docks with Tiangong-1
The three person crew of Shenzhou-9 – including the first Chinese woman to fly in space – have successfully conducted the first crewed docking for their country. Docking between their vehicle and the Tiangong-1 module – which has been on orbit since last year – was conducted at around 6:07am UTC on Monday morning. Chinese…
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Chinese Long March 2F/G launches Shenzhou-9 on historic mission
Four years after the launch of the historical Shenzhou-7 EVA mission, China is writing another chapter his space history with the launch of the manned Shenzhou-9 mission. On board, the three person crew – including the first female taikonaut – launched at 10:37 UTC on Saturday onboard the Long March 2F/G, from the 921 Launch Pad…
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China launches Yaogan 15 via Long March 4C at short notice
A Chinese Long March 4C has launched with a military passenger – understood to be the Yaogan 15 military satellite – from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. Launch was recorded at 07:31 UTC, catching out most observers, with the only news of the launch on Tuesday leaking out on the internet, prior to official media…
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China launches Tianhui-1B via Long March 2D
China launched the second TH-1 Tianhui-1 satellite – Tianhui-1B – on Sunday, using a Long March 2D (Chang Zheng-2D) launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Launch took place at 07:10UTC from the 603 launch pad from the LC-43 launch complex.Chinese Launch: Like the first satellite, launched on August 24th, 2010, the new satellite will be used…
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Chinese Long March 3B/E launches Apstar-7
China opened their 2012 commercial launch manifest with the lofting of the Apstar-7 into orbit. The launch took place at 10:27UTC from the LC2 launch platform at the from the Xichang satellite Launch Center, using a Long March 3B/ (Chang Zheng-3B/E) launch vehicle. Chinese Commercial Launch: Apstar-7 satellite is an advanced telecommunications satellite based on…
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China paving the way for first female taikonaut
China appears to be on the brink of selecting female taikonaut for the up-coming Shenzhou 9 mission, likely to launch in early June. Following the success of last year’s Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1 unmanned docking, 2012 is expected to mark another first, with a crewed Shenzhou-9 set to launch and dock with Tiangong 1. Chinese Preparations…
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Long March 3C launches fifth Compass-G satellite into orbit
The Chinese were back in action on Friday, launching the fifth Compass-G satellite into orbit via their Long March 3C (Chang Zheng 3C) launch vehicle. The 16:12 UTC launch from the C2 launch complex of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in Sichuan Province was China’s third launch of the year. Chinese Launch: The Compass Navigation Satellite…