DRO-A/B

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Lunar Orbit
Mission: Technology

Lunar Orbit Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Two spacecraft by the Chinese Academy of Sciences designed to perform communication and navigation testing from a Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) around the Moon with a 3rd satellite in Low Earth Orbit.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • March 14, 2024, 8:34 a.m.

Upper stage problem sent payload to wrong orbit; independent orbit determination results pending.


hitura-nobad • March 13, 2024, 2:41 p.m.

Liftoff confirmed


Cosmic_Penguin • March 11, 2024, 3:21 a.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; launch vehicle and payload identities highly uncertain.


Long March 2C/YZ-1S

Family:
Configuration: C/YZ-1S

The Long March 2C is a family of expendable launch vehicles made and operated by China. It is a two stage launch vehicle with storable propellants, consisting of Nitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    42.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Launch Mass
    233.0 T
  • Thrust
    2962.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 2C/YZ-1S
  • Family
  • Variant
    C/YZ-1S
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 2C/YZ-1S
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    3850.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    1250.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    1400.0 kg

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 512 Failures: 14 Pending: 7

Agency Type:

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceNews

Chinese spacecraft appear to reach lunar orbit despite launch setback

HELSINKI — Two Chinese spacecraft appear to have successfully reached their intended lunar orbits despite an initial launch issue that left them stranded in low Earth orbit. A slide attributed […]

SpaceNews

China appears to be trying to save stricken spacecraft from lunar limbo

Tracking data appears to show China is attempting to salvage spacecraft initially intended for the moon but left stranded by a rocket stage malfunction.

Arstechnica

Rocket Report: Starship heats up in third flight; Chinese lunar launch failure

"Frustration with Artemis’s high price tag is justifiable."

The National

Surprise Chinese lunar mission hit by launch anomaly

A pair of Chinese spacecraft, apparently intended for lunar orbit, have potentially been lost following an issue with a Long March rocket's upper stage on Wednesday.

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1)


Long March 4B
Success
23 hours, 32 minutes ago
Shijian 26
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese experimental satellite claimed to be for "Earth observation & environmental management" purposes, details not known.


Long March 3
Success
1 day, 10 hours ago
Tianwen-2
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Tianwen-2 is a planned Chinese asteroid sample return and comet orbiter mission due for launch in May 2025. The spacecraft will visit the Near Earth …


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 14 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-32
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Starship
Failure
2 days, 4 hours ago
Flight 9
Orbital Launch Mount A - SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

9th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 10 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-1
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 10 hours ago
Starlink Group 12-22
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 5 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-16
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M
Success
6 days, 19 hours ago
Kosmos 2588
43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Unknown classified payload for the Russian military.


Kinetica 1
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
6 satellites
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Carried 6 satellites to Sun-synchronous orbit, including commercial Earth observation satellites Taijing-3-04 & Taijing-4-02A: * Taijing-3-04 * T…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 12-15
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.