Tag: China
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Chinese Long March 2D launches Venezuela’s VRSS-1 satellite
A Chinese Long March 2D (Change Zheng 2D) has launched with Venezuela’s VRSS-1 ‘Francisco de Miranda’ remote sensing satellite on Saturday. The launch took from place from the Pad 603 at the Launch Complex 43 in the South Launch Site (SLS), marking another important step in the growing cooperation between the two countries. VRSS-1 Launch: After the…
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China back in action with dual Compass launch
China has launched a new pair of navigation satellites today to upgrade its satellite navigation constellation. The launch of the Compass-M5 and Compass-M6 satellites took place at 19:10UTC on Tuesday from the LC2 launch complex of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, using the powerful Long March-3B/E (Chang Zheng-3B/E). Chinese Launch: Developed from the DFH-3B satellite platform, the Compass-M…
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Long March 3C launches China’s third tracking and data relay satellite
A Long March 3C (Chang Zheng 3C) has returned China back into action for the first time since their Shenzhou-9 manned rendezvous and docking mission. The launch of the TL-1 Tianlian-1 (3) ‘Sky Link’ sent the country’s third tracking and data relay satellite into orbit. Launch occured at 15:43 UTC on Wednesday from the Xichang Satellite…
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Shenzhou-9 successfully returns to Earth
The three member crew of China’s Shenzhou-9 have safely returned to Earth, following a successful – and historic – docked mission with the unmanned space module Tiangong-1. The crew – including China’s first female taikonaut – touched down at the primary landing site in Inner Mongolia at around 2am UTC on Friday. Shenzhou-9 Return: The…
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China’s Shenzhou-9 successfully docks with Tiangong-1
The three person crew of Shenzhou-9 – including the first Chinese woman to fly in space – have successfully conducted the first crewed docking for their country. Docking between their vehicle and the Tiangong-1 module – which has been on orbit since last year – was conducted at around 6:07am UTC on Monday morning. Chinese…
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Chinese Long March 2F/G launches Shenzhou-9 on historic mission
Four years after the launch of the historical Shenzhou-7 EVA mission, China is writing another chapter his space history with the launch of the manned Shenzhou-9 mission. On board, the three person crew – including the first female taikonaut – launched at 10:37 UTC on Saturday onboard the Long March 2F/G, from the 921 Launch Pad…
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China launches Yaogan 15 via Long March 4C at short notice
A Chinese Long March 4C has launched with a military passenger – understood to be the Yaogan 15 military satellite – from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. Launch was recorded at 07:31 UTC, catching out most observers, with the only news of the launch on Tuesday leaking out on the internet, prior to official media…
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China launches Tianhui-1B via Long March 2D
China launched the second TH-1 Tianhui-1 satellite – Tianhui-1B – on Sunday, using a Long March 2D (Chang Zheng-2D) launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Launch took place at 07:10UTC from the 603 launch pad from the LC-43 launch complex.Chinese Launch: Like the first satellite, launched on August 24th, 2010, the new satellite will be used…
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Chinese Long March 3B/E launches Apstar-7
China opened their 2012 commercial launch manifest with the lofting of the Apstar-7 into orbit. The launch took place at 10:27UTC from the LC2 launch platform at the from the Xichang satellite Launch Center, using a Long March 3B/ (Chang Zheng-3B/E) launch vehicle. Chinese Commercial Launch: Apstar-7 satellite is an advanced telecommunications satellite based on…
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China paving the way for first female taikonaut
China appears to be on the brink of selecting female taikonaut for the up-coming Shenzhou 9 mission, likely to launch in early June. Following the success of last year’s Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1 unmanned docking, 2012 is expected to mark another first, with a crewed Shenzhou-9 set to launch and dock with Tiangong 1. Chinese Preparations…