Watch the Launch

SatNet LEO Group 02 (Demo Flight)

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Communications

Low Earth Orbit 201 Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Demonstration flight of the Long March 8A rocket with upgraded first stage and boosters engines, and a new larger liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen second stage with new YF-75H engines derived from ones used on the Long March 5. Payload is a batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. The constellation will eventually consists of 13000 satellites.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Feb. 11, 2025, 11:28 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • Feb. 11, 2025, 9:30 a.m.

Liftoff.


LL2 • Feb. 11, 2025, 7:43 a.m.

Unofficial Webcast by International Rocket Launches has started


Cosmic_Penguin • Feb. 7, 2025, 9:20 a.m.

Tweaked launch window per new NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 24, 2025, 9:36 a.m.

Delayed to NET February 11 per new NOTAMs.


Long March 8A

Family:
Configuration: 8A

The Long March 8A is an orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology based on the Long March 8. It has an increased capability of up to 7 tonnes to a 700 km altitude sun-synchronous orbit. It implements a larger 3.35 meters diameter liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen 2nd stage, coupled with 2 upgraded version of the YF-75D engines used on the Long March 5 (known as the YF-75H) with increased thrust to 10 tonnes each through measures such as increased turbopump speeds. The Long March 8A can also use a larger 5.2 meters diameter payload fairing.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    50.5 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    5.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    371.0 T
  • Thrust
    4800.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 8A
  • Family
  • Variant
    8A
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 8A
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    9800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    3500.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    7000.0 kg

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 496 Failures: 14 Pending: 5

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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