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Yaogan 41

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Overview

Destination: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Geostationary Transfer Orbit 101 Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Chinese reconnaissance satellite explicitly named in official news as a "high orbit optical remote sensing satellite". Satellite was found in standard geostationary transfer orbit after launch; other details TBD.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 15, 2023, 2:31 p.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 15, 2023, 1:47 p.m.

Liftoff confirmed.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 11, 2023, 9:42 a.m.

Refined launch window per new NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 10, 2023, 5:09 p.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload identity extremely uncertain.


Long March 5

Family:
Configuration:

Long March 5 is a Chinese heavy lift launch system developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). CZ-5 is the first Chinese vehicle designed from the ground up to focus on non-hypergolic liquid rocket propellants. Currently, two CZ-5 vehicle configurations are planned, with maximum payload capacities of ~25,000 kilograms (55,000 lb) to LEO and ~14,000 kilograms (31,000 lb) to GTO. The Long March 5 roughly matches the capabilities of American EELV heavy-class vehicles such as the Delta IV Heavy.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    57.0 m
  • Diameter
    5.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    867.0 T
  • Thrust
    10600.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 5
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 5
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    25000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    14000.0 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: 515 Failures: 14 Pending: 8

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

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China launches large classified optical satellite towards geostationary orbit

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Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

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