BeiDou-2 'Compass-I5', CZ-3A Xichang launch - December 1, 2011 Launch

[Satori]

China is preparing to launch the BeiDou-2 'Compass-IGSO5' navigation satellite on the first days of December 2011.

[input~2]

Lift-off planned on December 1, around 2055UTC

A1775/11 -  A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY N241651E1060551-N243523E1054832-N242448E1053503-N240617E1055222 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS: SFC-UNL.ALL ACFT ARE PROHIBITED TO  FLY INTO THE AREA. SFC - UNL, 01 DEC 20:50 2011 UNTIL 01 DEC 21:15 2011. CREATED: 29 NOV 06:50 2011

A1776/11 -  A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY N175950E1115821-N183810E1112643-N181111E1105107-N173257E1112248 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS: SFC-UNL.ALL ACFT ARE PROHIBITED TO  FLY INTO THE AREA. SFC - UNL, 01 DEC 21:00 2011 UNTIL 01 DEC 21:30 2011. CREATED: 29 NOV 06:53 2011

A1777/11 -  A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY N160601E1133236-N163603E1130831-N160923E1123303-N153925E1125710  BACK TO  START. VERTICAL LIMITS: SFC-UNL.ALL ACFT ARE PROHIBITED TO FLY  INTO THE AREA. SFC - UNL, 01 DEC 21:00 2011 UNTIL 01 DEC 21:25 2011. CREATED: 29 NOV 06:54 2011

[input~2]

A1775/11 = No-fy zone for CZ-3A 1st stage drop zone over NW Guangxi
A1776/11 = No-fly zone for CZ-3A fairing drop zone over South China Sea
A1777/11 = No-fly zone for CZ-3A 2nd stage over South China Sea

(Identical zones as for I4 back in July)

[spacex]

If successful, new Chinese record for orbital launches in a year at 16.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Apparently the launch is scheduled for 21:07 UTC...

[input~2]

LC3

[input~2]

The nominal sequence for I2 had the following events:

stage 2 / stage 3 sep   T0+271.4s

stage 3 shutdown        T0 + 740.4s

S/C sep                         T0 + 840.6s

[input~2]

With this comment at 1948UTC "launch in one hour and 30 minutes"

[Chris Bergin]

It'll be cool if they have a launch photo posted pretty soon after lift-off!

[input~2]

Lift-off tentatively in 30 minutes

[input~2]

It'll be cool if they have a launch photo posted pretty soon after lift-off!

I wouldn't expect an official launch photo earlier than an hour and a half after lift-off.. but we'll have some from microbloggers earlier

[input~2]

困～五点零七才发射。。

confirms 05:07 LT planned launch time

[input~2]

[input~2]

Launched!

[input~2]

[Chris Bergin]

Awesome! Let's hope that guy has some more photos!!

[Satori]

Launched!

Very good news!

[input~2]

Spectators had a view for less than 30 seconds!

[Chris Bergin]

Ok, will use stock photo

[Chris Bergin]

Rui's article:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/12/china-breaks-record-long-march-3a-launch-beidou-2-satellite/

[input~2]

This microblogger confirms launch at 05:07 LT

[input~2]

[input~2]

Official announcement (in Chinese)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/02/c_122364794.htm

[input~2]

Official announcement (in Chinese)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-12/02/c_122364794.htm

Xinhua announcing launch success and 153 launches for CZ series

[input~2]

Try reloading this one for official pictures of the launch
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2011/12-02/3502351.shtml

[input~2]

First launch picture from Ministry of Defense
http://news.mod.gov.cn/headlines/2011-12/02/content_4321620.htm

[Satori]

Official announcement (in English)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sci/2011-12/02/c_131283096.htm

[Satori]

Launch images http://www.chinanews.com/tp/2011/12-02/3502352.shtml

[Galactic Penguin SST]

And hi-res pictures again!  (All pictures from Xinhua news)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Precise launch time: 21:07:04.189 UTC.

And a short launch video from the official Compass navigation system website...
(edit by input~2: video direct link:
http://www.beidou.gov.cn/video/2011/12/02/20111202ba2c8213a79e47afbd7b3b7dec7d0e73.flv )

Edit: the orbit is now up:

1 37948U 11073A   11335.69590686 -.00000178  00000-0  00000+0 0    15
2 37948 055.0571 334.1091 7298155 175.1257 202.1057 02.27631913    03

Orbit: 217.3 x 35847.8 km × 55.06°

[input~2]

Orbit: 217.3 x 35847.8 km × 55.06°

That's Object A.
Object B is in 168.9 x 35788.4 km x 55.12°

[input~2]

Another video at
http://video.sina.com.cn/p/news/c/v/2011-12-02/110461588383.html

[input~2]

First stage debris report here

AFAIU,  the CZ-3A first stage debris were spotted near Bachang (八昌) village  (N242025E1055332) [misprinted as Bajiang (八江)], Badu  township, Tianlin county, Guangxi province, in a field within the preset drop zone,
The location is about the same as for Compass-I3 1st stage debris and less than 5 km from both Compass-I1 and Compass-I2 1st stages impact  location.
According to the article, it is the 6th 1st stage from Beidou satellites to fall within the Badu township area.
 

[input~2]

From the control room front screen display, the launch window was from 2107 to 2117UTC

[input~2]

More launch pictures from the PLA press office
http://jz.chinamil.com.cn/newscenter/zongbu/content/2011-12/02/content_4729883_2.htm

[edkyle99]

First stage debris report here

AFAIU,  the CZ-3A first stage debris were spotted near Bachang (八昌) village  (N242025E1055332) [misprinted as Bajiang (八江)], Badu  township, Tianlin county, Guangxi province, in a field within the preset drop zone,
The location is about the same as for Compass-I3 1st stage debris and less than 5 km from both Compass-I1 and Compass-I2 1st stages impact  location.
According to the article, it is the 6th 1st stage from Beidou satellites to fall within the Badu township area.
 

Interesting to see how the propulsion section has torn away, leaving relatively intact propellant tanks.  I wonder if this is typical of what happens to other expendable launch vehicle first stages.   

 - Ed Kyle

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Rocket no. Y23 was used for this flight.

[input~2]

[input~2]

[beidou]

Two Line Element Set (TLE):

1 37948U 11073A   11348.27128041 -.00000174  00000-0  00000+0 0   134
2 37948 055.1732 333.7254 0019173 189.2015 111.8672 01.00277542  2620

[input~2]

A representation of the apparent movement of the operational Beidou-2  satellites (3 GEOs and 5 IGSOs) as seen by an observer on Earth:

G1 light blue

G3 orange

G4 pink

IGSO1 red

IGSO2 green

IGSO3 yellow

IGSO4 blue

IGSO5 purple
                      

[input~2]

According to USSTRATCOM the CZ-3A third stage reentered yesterday July 7 2012 at 1947UTC over 52°S 97°W (SouthEast Pacific)