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Additional Media

China launches first space telescope to study Milky Way mysteries

China launched on Thursday its first space telescope – Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) – with the aim of studying celestial sources of X-rays in the Milky Way among other strange space phenomen...

Huiyan (HXMT (Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope))

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Astrophysics

Low Earth Orbit Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) is a Chinese X-ray space observatory. This will be China's first astronomy satellite, and it is tasked with observation of black holes, neutron stars and other phenomena based on their X-ray and gamma ray emissions.

Long March 4B

Family:
Configuration: B

The Long March 4B (Chinese: 长征四号乙火箭), also known as the Chang Zheng 4B, CZ-4B and LM-4B is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Launched from Launch Complex 1 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, it is a 3-stage rocket, used mostly to place satellites into low Earth and sun synchronous orbits.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    44.1 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    249.0 T
  • Thrust
    2961.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 4B
  • Family
  • Variant
    B
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 4B
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    4200.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    1500.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 592 Failures: 15 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

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603)


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 2 hours ago
NROL-95
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.


Long March 6A
Success
2 days, 8 hours ago
TJSW-27A & B
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2 Chinese classified satellites claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Long March 7A
Success
2 days, 21 hours ago
Tianlian 3-01
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL-3 (Tian Lian 3) satellites are the 3rd generation…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-51
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.


Starship
Success
1 week ago
Flight 13
Orbital Launch Pad 2 - SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

13th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. Second flight of Starship V3. For the first time, Starship will carry 20 V3 Starlink sa…


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

Share-ride of 5 commercial Earth observation and technology demonstration satellites to SSO, including SpaceTY's TY-48. Details TBD.


Long March 3B/E
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Tianlian 2-06
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL 2 (Tian Lian 2) satellites represent the second g…


Gravity-1
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
9 satellites
Yellow Sea (launch location 5) - Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Carried 9 satellites on a share-ride to sun-synchronous orbit. Details TBD.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
MRV-1
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

The Northrop Grumman/SpaceLogistics MRV-1 is a mission extension payload including a mission robotic vehicle (MRV) and multiple mission extension pod…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 17-39
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.