Tianhui-1B CZ-2D launch, JSLC - May 6, 2012

[Salo Ukr]

China launches new mapping satellite
English.news.cn   2012-05-06 16:38:54

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sci/2012-05/06/c_131571160.htm

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Photos:

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Launch video: http://news.cntv.cn/china/20120506/105615.shtml

The exact launch time is 07:10:04.736 UTC.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

First TLE set from NORAD shows the satellite is in a  492.8 x 503.6 km x 97.36 deg. orbit. (@ 09:52 UTC)

[input~2]

Flight velocity vs. flight time from video screenshot.
The additional velocity   increase (white dots) after 2nd stage (yellow dots) MECO could come AFAIU from the 2nd stage Vernier engines           

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Flight velocity vs. flight time from video screenshot.
The additional velocity   increase (white dots) after 2nd stage (yellow dots) MECO could come AFAIU from the 2nd stage Vernier engines           

Looks like it: FYI the launch video was clear enough to show the launch timeline:
1st stage engine shutdown / separation: T+156.37 s
Fairing separation: T+186.37 s
2nd stage main engine shutdown: T+334.341 s
2nd stage vernier engines shutdown: T+626.27 s
Spacecraft separation: T+671.27 s

[input~2]

Flight velocity vs. flight time from video screenshot.
The additional velocity   increase (white dots) after 2nd stage (yellow dots) MECO could come AFAIU from the 2nd stage Vernier engines           

Looks like it: FYI the launch video was clear enough to show the launch timeline:
1st stage engine shutdown / separation: T+156.37 s
Fairing separation: T+186.37 s
2nd stage main engine shutdown: T+334.341 s
2nd stage vernier engines shutdown: T+626.27 s
Spacecraft separation: T+671.27 s

Thanks, Ivan, for this confirmation!

[JohnFornaro]

I gotta say how I admire how you all deduce the various statistics by observation alone.

[input~2]

The exact launch time is 07:10:04.736 UTC.

This is practically the same launch time (within 0.66s) as the one for TH-1 in August 2010!

[jcm]

First TLE set from NORAD shows the satellite is in a  492.8 x 503.6 km x 97.36 deg. orbit. (@ 09:52 UTC)

And the orbit is sun-synchronous with a descending node local time of 13:30,
same as the initial TH 1-01 orbit; TH 1-01  has now drifted to 13:22 according to my calculations.

Chinese sources are calling the satellite Tianhui yihao 02 xing, roughly "Mapping-1 Sat 02" or Tianhui-1 SV02, Tianhui 1-02

[Galactic Penguin SST]

The rocket used is CZ-2D s/n Y17. (source)

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has just identified several 2nd stages or debris from various CZ-2C/2D launches dating back up to 5 years and including this last one for TH-1B

38262/2007-019 & 38263/2007-019C for CZ-2D YG-2 launched in 2007

38264/2008-061C for CZ-2D YG-4 launched in 2008

38265/2009-069B & 38266/2009-069C for CZ-2CD YG-7 launched  in 2009

38267/2010-040B & 38268/2010-040C for CZ-2D TH-1 launched in 2010

38269/2012-020B & 38270/2012-020C for CZ-2D TH-1B

Edited from comments received

[limen4]

38265/2009-069B & 38266/2009-069C for CZ-2C YG-7 launched  in 2009

2nd stage of YG-11 launcher also identified? BTW - YG-7 launcher was also CZ-2D.

[Phillip Clark]

At the moment the above newly-catalogued objects have not been assigned *names* by USSTRATCOM.   They are most likely small objects in orbit - like the separation motor covers which we routinely see or sub-satellites in one or two cases - and not the rocket stages themselves.   The rocket stages were most likely de-orbited after the satellites were deployed in orbit.

[input~2]

YG-7 launcher was also CZ-2D.

You are right! I was misled by the wrong reference to CZ-2C for YG-7 in  the List of threads about performed Chinese space launches (which I have now corrected)