We now finally got the air space closure notices for this one:A1474/18 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N303658E1094211-N303148E1101912-N293824E1100914-N294330E1093231 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 08 MAY 18:20 2018 UNTIL 08 MAY 18:46 2018. CREATED: 03 MAY 04:36 2018
China welcomes all UN member states to jointly utilize its future space station, which is expected to be launched by 2019
Looks like the launch time will be around 13:10 UTC.A1982/18 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N243642E1145423-N245353E1140424-N243839E1135811-N242130E1144804 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. SFC - UNL, 05 JUN 13:01 2018 UNTIL 05 JUN 14:02 2018. CREATED: 31 MAY 02:38 2018
Note that it seems that while there is indeed a launch from Xichang on June 20 - the nature of the payload is now in doubt. Per two different insiders:1. CAST makes the payloads for at least the next few launches out of Xichang.2. The next launch from there isn't a 3rd generation BDS satellite launch nor a CZ-3B launch.The obvious assumption is that the next might be launching BDS 2-I7 on a CZ-3A (CALT reported on May 31 that they are shipping a CZ-3A & CZ-3B in early June) - except that the launch process cycle would then seems to be too tight (<=19 days when the usual process is at least 24). So who knows, there might be something not yet known flying on June 20...... Another report: Contradictory to earlier reports, ChinaSat 6C isn't launching till next year.EDIT: Local tour operators claim that this is a BDS launch from pad 3. Maybe the launch is for BDS-2 G8 (?) on a CZ-3C?
Spaceflightfans.cn is giving July 19 as the launch date for this mission.
Well the identity of the June 23 launch from Xichang has been solved once and for all....or not quite.Today Xinhua posted an article on people working at XSLC during today's Dragonboat Festival. It states the the final rehersal for the upcoming launch was held yesterday and that "....after the CE-4 Relay launch last month, XSLC was busy with both preparing the launch of FY-2H and converting Pad 3, which this launch will go off, from the CZ-4C launch configuration to one for the CZ-2C..."So we now know the rocket. But what payload?
So what payload? Another YG-30 series launch is possible, but other options exist, including a launch for test satellites for CAST's LEO comsat constellation named Hongyan.
Or a very rare Shiyan Weixing launch to a near-SSO?
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 06/18/2018 08:54 amWell the identity of the June 23 launch from Xichang has been solved once and for all....or not quite.Today Xinhua posted an article on people working at XSLC during today's Dragonboat Festival. It states the the final rehersal for the upcoming launch was held yesterday and that "....after the CE-4 Relay launch last month, XSLC was busy with both preparing the launch of FY-2H and converting Pad 3, which this launch will go off, from the CZ-4C launch configuration to one for the CZ-2C..."So we now know the rocket. But what payload? Another Yaogan-30/Chuangxin-5 satellite triplet? The 4 previous launches were on a CZ-2C via Xichang's LC3.Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 06/18/2018 09:02 amSo what payload? Another YG-30 series launch is possible, but other options exist, including a launch for test satellites for CAST's LEO comsat constellation named Hongyan. Quote from: Phillip Clark on 06/18/2018 09:09 amOr a very rare Shiyan Weixing launch to a near-SSO?Stay tuned!
Payload: 3xYG-30.Why?25jan18 | LM-2C | 3x YaoGan-30N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E107284425dec17 | LM-2C | 3xYaoGan-30N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E107284424nov17 | LM-2C | 3x YaoGan-30N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E1072844