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#20
by
Satori
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:01
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#21
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:05
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Liftoff confirmed. 
Cool!!!! Let's wait for spacecraft separation...
Launched at?
Not sure, though I've seen a reference of 00:56 UTC...
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#22
by
Satori
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:10
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#23
by
Chris Bergin
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:17
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#24
by
Satori
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:30
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Looks like the second ignition of the third stage started around 0121UTC.
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#25
by
Satori
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:31
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Satellite separation took place at 0124UTC.
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#26
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 13 Jan, 2012 00:49
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#27
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 13 Jan, 2012 01:42
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#28
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 13 Jan, 2012 02:44
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The exact launch time is 00:56:04.326 UTC.
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#29
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 13 Jan, 2012 05:18
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#30
by
Salo
on 13 Jan, 2012 05:47
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#31
by
input~2
on 13 Jan, 2012 06:09
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#32
by
input~2
on 13 Jan, 2012 06:19
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#33
by
Lewis007
on 13 Jan, 2012 07:24
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#34
by
input~2
on 13 Jan, 2012 07:59
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USSTRATCOM has so far catalogued one object:
2012-002A/38049 in 351.7 x 35780.2 km x 24.31°
(epoch: Jan 13, 0503:22UTC)
This orbit seems different from the FY-2F orbit mentionned in the Xinhua release (211 x 36139 km x 24.4°)
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#35
by
Phillip Clark
on 13 Jan, 2012 12:23
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USSTRATCOM has so far catalogued one object:
2012-002A/38049 in 351.7 x 35780.2 km x 24.31°
(epoch: Jan 13, 0503:22UTC)
This orbit seems different from the FY-2F orbit mentionned in the Xinhua release (211 x 36139 km x 24.4°)
It can take a day or two for the USSTRATCOM orbital data to settle down to a representative set of figures.
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#36
by
input~2
on 13 Jan, 2012 14:02
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We now have object B:
- 2012-002B/38050 in 224.3 x 35941.0 km x 24.31°
(epoch Jan 13, 0757:41UTC)
somewhat closer to the announced FY-2F initial orbit.
Object A would then be the CZ-3A 3rd stage (any reason for its 128km higher perigee?)
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#37
by
spacex
on 14 Jan, 2012 00:38
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So China has the first and only two orbital launches in the year so far - probably a first.
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#38
by
input~2
on 14 Jan, 2012 12:00
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We now have object B:- 2012-002B/38050 in 224.3 x 35941.0 km x 24.31°
(epoch Jan 13, 0757:41UTC)
somewhat closer to the announced FY-2F initial orbit.
The altitude of the apogee, 35941 km, is to be compared with the following information from the CZ-3A User's Manual:
The standard GTO is the baseline mission with following injection parameters from XSLC.
Perigee Altitude Hp 200 km
Apogee Altitude Ha 35,958* km
Inclination i 28.5 Deg
Perigee Argument ω 179.6 Deg
Note: * The parameters [above] represent the SC’s immediate orbit upon
separation, where Ha corresponds to the altitude of 35,786km when the SC arrives at its first apogee after a period of unpowered flight, taking into account the perturbation caused by the earth’s oblateness.
[/u][/u]
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#39
by
Paul Howard
on 16 Jan, 2012 03:01
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"During this time-lapse taken from the VLT complex at Paranal observatory, I caught an small sequence of a rare blurred object (0:14-0:18). The object is probably related to the launch of the FengYun-2F satellite from China (2012-01-13 at 00:56 UT), because is consistent with the moment when this object appeared in the sky (01:39 UT). The object turned fainter and vanished after some minutes.
P.S. Thanks to Douglas Pierce-Price for your help in identify this object!"
)
)