Author Topic: LaoSat-1 - CZ-3B - Xichang - November 20, 2015 (16:07 UTC)  (Read 27932 times)

Offline Skyrocket

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Re: LaoSat-1 - CZ-3B - Xichang - November 20, 2015 (16:07 UTC)
« Reply #40 on: 12/26/2015 11:21 am »
Well, now official Chinese publications say that in fact Laosat-1 is based on DFH-4S, not DFH-3B.

If I understand correctly, the two names actually referred to the same satellite bus.
Is it stated for sure somewhere?

I see that "DFH-3B is an updated version of DFH-3 bus".
I see that "DFH-4S and DFH-4E are inherited from DFH-4".
I believe DFH-3 and DFH-4 are different enough to have a single descendant :-)

My impression is that DFH-3B refers to a DFH-3 upgrade which still fits into CZ-3C while DFH-4S is a lighter and smarter version of DFH-4 which still requires CZ-3B. You see, Laosat-1 is a very modest vehicle with a 300 kg payload but it still weighs 4000 kg.

This article gives a hint, that it might be the same and that for some time the disgination was not finalized as a DFH-3 or DFH-4 version:
http://www.defense.gouv.fr/ema/sitta/les-salons-precedents/zhuhai-airshow-2010/zhuhai-2010-article-espace

Online Liss

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Re: LaoSat-1 - CZ-3B - Xichang - November 20, 2015 (16:07 UTC)
« Reply #41 on: 12/26/2015 10:21 pm »
Essentially this is the only valid hypothesis -- one cannot explain parallel use of the two names during all the five years of the development unless they refer to the same design. (Yet I'm not sure these were the same back in 2010.)
But my point is that Laosat-1 was designed by downsizing DFH-4 and not by enlarging DFH-3.
This message reflects my personal opinion based on open sources of information.

Offline Skyrocket

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Re: LaoSat-1 - CZ-3B - Xichang - November 20, 2015 (16:07 UTC)
« Reply #42 on: 12/26/2015 10:31 pm »
Essentially this is the only valid hypothesis -- one cannot explain parallel use of the two names during all the five years of the development unless they refer to the same design. (Yet I'm not sure these were the same back in 2010.)
But my point is that Laosat-1 was designed by downsizing DFH-4 and not by enlarging DFH-3.

It is not the first time, that the designation of Chinese satellite types is rather confusing.

Offline Satori

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