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BeiDou-3 satellites launch, 15 October 2018

A Long March-3B rocket launched another pair of BeiDou-3 navigation satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, o...

Long March-3B / BeiDou-3, 15 October 2018

The launch of two GNSS satellites Beidou via Long March 3B took place in Xichang, SW China at 04:23 UTC. This is the 28th launch of China in 2018.

Beidou-3 M15 & M16

Overview

Destination: Medium Earth Orbit
Mission: Navigation

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

These two satellites will be used to provide global navigation coverage as part of the Chinese Beidou (Compass) satellite navigation system.

Long March 3B/YZ-1

Family:
Configuration: B/YZ-1

The Long March 3B is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 and 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan. A three-stage rocket with four strap-on liquid rocket boosters, it is currently the most powerful member of the Long March rocket family and the heaviest of the Long March 3 rocket family, and is mainly used to place communications satellites into geosynchronous orbits.

Specifications
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    54.8 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    425.0 T
  • Thrust
    5923.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 3B/YZ-1
  • Family
  • Variant
    B/YZ-1
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 3B/YZ-1
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $70000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    11500.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    5100.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    2000.0 kg
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 477 Failures: 14 Pending: 6

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

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

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


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