Author Topic: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)  (Read 23151 times)

Offline wbhh

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YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« on: 11/30/2008 07:53 am »
YaoGan-4 will be launched in JiuQuan lanuch center tomorrow.

http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2008-11-30/1138532516.html

Offline William Graham

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #1 on: 11/30/2008 12:01 pm »
More details (in English)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/30/content_10434376.htm

Carrier rocket will be a Long March 2D. Interesting that Yaogan launches seem to alternate between the 4C and 2D. It'll also be interesting to see how many objects are catalogued from this launch, IIRC there was only one from the last Yaogan launch on a 2D, leading to speculation that the satellite had failed to separate.

Offline wbhh

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #2 on: 12/01/2008 04:43 am »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #3 on: 12/01/2008 04:54 am »
Thanks wbhh for the update.

Not enough detail in the media for Rui to write an article for the site, and we are still dominated by STS-126, but congrats to China on yet another launch.
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Offline wbhh

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #4 on: 12/01/2008 07:52 am »
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/s/2008-12-01/1321532684.html  (in chinese)

it said: the satellite will be used in scientific experiment, national land resources survey, crop growth estimate, disaster prevention and reduction.

almost everyone know it probably is a military satellite.
« Last Edit: 12/01/2008 09:05 am by wbhh »

Offline Satori

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #5 on: 12/01/2008 08:55 am »
Images from China Daily.com...

Offline Satori

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #6 on: 12/01/2008 09:53 am »
Other image of todays launch...

Offline Phillip Clark

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #7 on: 12/01/2008 11:11 am »
More details (in English)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/30/content_10434376.htm

Carrier rocket will be a Long March 2D. Interesting that Yaogan launches seem to alternate between the 4C and 2D. It'll also be interesting to see how many objects are catalogued from this launch, IIRC there was only one from the last Yaogan launch on a 2D, leading to speculation that the satellite had failed to separate.

Alternatively, the phasing burn of the CZ-2D second stage brought the stage out of orbit after deploying the satellite.   There was also supposed to have been a nanosatellite on the second Yaogan launch, but no second object was tracked in orbit.
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane - WJ.

Offline Chris Bergin

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Offline Phillip Clark

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #9 on: 12/01/2008 04:45 pm »
If Yaogan 1/3 represent the military Jianbing-5 radar imaging satellites and Yaogan 2/4 are the military Jianbing-6 optical (what is the source for the satellites being optical reconnaissance?) imaging satellites, then maybe the Jianbing-6 series is a replacement for the Jianbing-3 series, which comprised the three Ziyuan-2 satellites?

And maybe the most recent manoeuvres of the last working Jianbing-3 satellite to a much higher orbit than previously seen has had something to do with the second Jianbing-6 launch?

Thank you, China, for another interesting puzzle or two.
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane - WJ.

Offline William Graham

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #10 on: 12/01/2008 09:06 pm »
Any news on how many objects are being tracked?

Offline jcm

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #11 on: 12/01/2008 09:41 pm »
Any news on how many objects are being tracked?

One so far:
 S33446 2008-061A      Yaogan Wexing 4     633 x    652 x  97.92

But it's early days, they could still find another object. I am however betting on the
'second stage is deorbited after separation' idea, with a side bet on 'second stage is
suborbital, Yaogan has internal apogee motor for orbit insertion'.

 - Jonathan
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Offline Satori

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #12 on: 12/02/2008 10:06 am »
YaoGan-4 launch video



« Last Edit: 12/02/2008 10:09 am by Satori »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #13 on: 12/02/2008 09:18 pm »
YaoGan-4 launch video



What's it shedding from its fairing? Looks like China went for the world record amount of tyvek covers ;)
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Offline Satori

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #14 on: 12/02/2008 10:39 pm »
If Yaogan 1/3 represent the military Jianbing-5 radar imaging satellites and Yaogan 2/4 are the military Jianbing-6 optical (what is the source for the satellites being optical reconnaissance?) imaging satellites, then maybe the Jianbing-6 series is a replacement for the Jianbing-3 series, which comprised the three Ziyuan-2 satellites?

The article New Chinese Missiles Target the Greater Asian Region by Richard Fisher Jr. is citting another article by Jonathan Weng ("China satellite launch indicates rapid progress" Jane’s Defence Review, June 13, 2007, p. 25.) where is pointed that the JianBing-6 series is for optical observation.

I didn't have access to this last article.
« Last Edit: 12/02/2008 10:41 pm by Satori »

Online Liss

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #15 on: 12/03/2008 12:18 pm »
What's it shedding from its fairing? Looks like China went for the world record amount of tyvek covers ;)
These are covers of sort; I've seen photos where first all the shroud is patched with the covers, then this wrapped on upper composite is transported from assembly and test building to the launch area with air conditioning provided, and then it's launched still with wraps on.
This message reflects my personal opinion based on open sources of information.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #16 on: 12/03/2008 07:23 pm »
What's it shedding from its fairing? Looks like China went for the world record amount of tyvek covers ;)
These are covers of sort; I've seen photos where first all the shroud is patched with the covers, then this wrapped on upper composite is transported from assembly and test building to the launch area with air conditioning provided, and then it's launched still with wraps on.


Thanks, never seen so many covers liberate like that before! :)
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Offline eeergo

Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #17 on: 12/04/2008 10:29 pm »
What's it shedding from its fairing? Looks like China went for the world record amount of tyvek covers ;)
These are covers of sort; I've seen photos where first all the shroud is patched with the covers, then this wrapped on upper composite is transported from assembly and test building to the launch area with air conditioning provided, and then it's launched still with wraps on.


Thanks, never seen so many covers liberate like that before! :)

There are some other vehicules that use(d) this cover-shedding technique: PSLV, older Arianes... however, the CZ-2D seems to like 'em big and plentiful. See pics for reference.
-DaviD-

Online Liss

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Re: YaoGan-4 (launch on Dec 1, 2008)
« Reply #18 on: 12/07/2008 09:01 pm »
Chinese forums and blogs seem to converge on the following set of designations:

2006.04.26  CZ-4C  Taiyuan  Yaogan-1 = Jianbing-5
2007.05.25  CZ-2D  Jiuquan  Yaogan-2 = Jianbing-6
2007.11.11  CZ-4C  Taiyuan  Yaogan-3 = Jianbing-7
2008.12.01  CZ-2D  Jiuquan  Yaogan-4 = Jianbing-8

For me, it's superfluous. I cannot distinguish between 1 and 3, and between 2 and 4; so I would think only Jianbing-5 and Jianbing-6 exist today.

I've seen multiple mentions of Jianbing-5 at official Chinese sites. I've seen unique mentions of Jianbing-7 and Jianbing-9 in the context of R&D projects and no mention of Jianbing-6 and Jianbing-8 at official or semi-official sites.
This message reflects my personal opinion based on open sources of information.

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