Author Topic: Shijian 21 - CZ-3B/G2 - Xichang - 24 October 2021 (01:27 UTC) (Read 23712 times)

Josh_from_Canada · « **Reply #21 on:** 10/24/2021 02:43 am »

9ifly says the serial number is Y83

Conexion Espacial · « **Reply #22 on:** 10/24/2021 04:24 am »

More images of the rocket before launch...

otter · « **Reply #23 on:** 10/24/2021 05:45 am »

http://www.news.cn/english/2021-10/24/c_1310265138.htm

China launches Shijian-21 satellite
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-24 11:15:23

XICHANG, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a new satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province Sunday.

The satellite, Shijian-21, was launched at 9:27 a.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully.

The satellite will be mainly used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies.

This launch marked the 393rd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #24 on:** 10/24/2021 07:21 am »

input~2 · « **Reply #25 on:** 10/24/2021 08:11 am »

2021-094A/49330 in 226 x 35815 km x 28.47° (S/C)
2021-094B/49331 in 265 x 35096 km x 28.49° (3rd stage)

input~2 · « **Reply #26 on:** 10/24/2021 08:20 am »

Short launch video:

https://tv.cctv.com/2021/10/24/VIDEnVBSPcri5Os8WEGOCehw211024.shtml

Alter Sachse · « **Reply #27 on:** 10/24/2021 09:13 am »

2021年10月24日
09时27分03.780秒

= 01:27:03.780 UTC

CZ-3B/G2 Y83
LC 2

SciNews · « **Reply #28 on:** 10/24/2021 12:15 pm »

Long March-3B launches Shijian-21

DreamyPickle · « **Reply #29 on:** 11/05/2021 01:59 pm »

From spacenews:

So far this is consistent with testing deliberate grappling and deorbit of a secondary body for debris removal purposes.

If they attach to this secondary body and deorbit it then it would be a world first, correct?

The important capabilities are nearly the same as the MEV by Northrop Grumman though.

input~2 · « **Reply #30 on:** 11/06/2021 06:57 pm »

Quote from: input~2 on 10/24/2021 08:11 am

2021-094A/49330 in 226 x 35815 km x 28.47° (S/C)
2021-094B/49331 in 265 x 35096 km x 28.49° (3rd stage)

Update with new object C ("SJ-21 AKM" according to SpaceTrack) for epoch Nov 6 15:05 UTC:
SJ-21: 2021-094A/49330 in 35859 x 35876 km x 8.12° / Long: 151.87°E/ Lat: 1.88°N
"SJ-21 AKM": 2021-094C/49382 in 35861 x 35875 km x 8.12° / Long: 151.95° E/ Lat: 1.89°N

At that time the two objects were about 60 km apart

input~2 · « **Reply #31 on:** 11/14/2021 09:08 pm »

Separation distance update:
Epoch November 14, 14:12UTC: separation distance between SJ 21 and "SJ 21 AKM" was down to 11.4 km

Liss · « **Reply #32 on:** 12/21/2021 06:57 am »

On Dec 14-15 both objects maneuvered to rise height and increase speed of western drift. They are still close to each other.

Liss · « **Reply #33 on:** 01/12/2022 09:03 am »

Since Dec 21, object A changed his drift direction to eastern and on Jan 10 stopped at 95.1 E.

eeergo · « **Reply #34 on:** 01/26/2022 08:27 pm »

So this might have happened:

https://mobile.twitter.com/planet4589/status/1486428330345783297

Chinese MEV?

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #35 on:** 01/26/2022 08:47 pm »

Quote from: eeergo on 01/26/2022 08:27 pm

So this might have happened:
<snip>
Chinese MEV?

More an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). The MEV (semi)permanently assumes attitude control and orbital adjustments for an otherwise functioning satellite.

Let's see 👀 what happens next.

Liss · « **Reply #36 on:** 01/27/2022 06:12 am »

Next we have got SJ-21(A) at 13.4 E at slow drift again. So she made it from 99° to 13° in just five days. Well done Xi'an comrades.

Liss · « **Reply #37 on:** 01/27/2022 01:58 pm »

And Beidou G2 was left at 36076x38880 km.

Yiosie · « **Reply #38 on:** 01/27/2022 10:40 pm »

China’s Shijian-21 spacecraft towed a dead satellite high above graveyard orbit [dated Jan. 27]

Quote

China’s Shijian-21 space debris mitigation satellite has docked with a defunct Chinese satellite to drastically alter its geostationary orbit, demonstrating capabilities only previously exhibited by the United States.

Data and tracking from space monitoring firms show that Shijian-21 has been conducting sophisticated rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) with other objects in and around the geostationary orbit belt since its launch in October last year.

This activity culminated in Shijian-21 docking with the defunct Beidou-2 G2 navigation satellite and towing it above the crowded belt of geostationary orbit some 36,000 kilometers above the equator.

<snip>

Brien Flewelling of ExoAnalytic Solutions, speaking during a webinar hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Secure World Foundation, said that Shijian-21 performed a large burn Jan.22, taking the Beidou-2 G2 satellite 3,000 kilometers above the GEO belt.

The docking and subsequent engine burn — which was unusually large, taking it beyond the usual “graveyard” orbit of 300 kilometers above GEO — has effectively moved it out of harm’s way.

Shijian-21 undocked from Beidou-2 G2 on Jan. 26, leaving the defunct satellite in a disposal orbit. Shijian-21 has sinced returned to GEO, according to newly-released tracking data from U.S. Space Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron (SPCS).

Yiosie · « **Reply #39 on:** 01/28/2022 01:00 am »

Here's the mission patch, since it hasn't been posted in this thread yet.