-
#20
by
input~2
on 26 May, 2012 15:44
-
A microblogger calls it "Shentong-2"
‘神通二号’卫星发射现在还有一个小时，该去叫醒睡熟的人，疏散好群众！
-
#21
by
Satori
on 26 May, 2012 15:56
-
Standing by for news of the launch...
-
#22
by
TRNS
on 26 May, 2012 15:58
-
No live coverage as usual I assume?
-
#23
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 May, 2012 15:58
-
-
#24
by
input~2
on 26 May, 2012 16:00
-
Launched!
西昌卫星此次发射代号为“07-55”通信卫星，发射成功
-
#25
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 May, 2012 16:03
-
From Xichang city...
(edit: and from the launch site...)
-
#26
by
input~2
on 26 May, 2012 16:32
-
-
#27
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 May, 2012 16:32
-
Launch success confirmed by CALT (
source).
The launch time is 15:56:04 UTC.
-
#28
by
Satori
on 26 May, 2012 16:33
-
Mission success!!! ZX-2A Zhongxing-2A is in orbit!
-
#29
by
Chris Bergin
on 26 May, 2012 16:51
-
-
#30
by
input~2
on 26 May, 2012 17:09
-
-
#31
by
jcm
on 26 May, 2012 17:19
-
Interesting that the Chinese sources are using the literal latin letter 'A' this time:
"[Zhong][Xing]2A" - normally Chinese satellites whose English translations
are given as, e.g. "FY-3B" are really "FY-3 02 xing" or something in Chinese.
Wonder if that is a real nomenclature shift or reflects that this time the name
is not the real one (i.e. it's really 'Shentong er hao weixing' and the ZX is a cover
name)? Yes, I'm really stretching into Kremlinology here...
-
#32
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 May, 2012 17:23
-
Interesting that the Chinese sources are using the literal latin letter 'A' this time:
"[Zhong][Xing]2A" - normally Chinese satellites whose English translations
are given as, e.g. "FY-3B" are really "FY-3 02 xing" or something in Chinese.
Wonder if that is a real nomenclature shift or reflects that this time the name
is not the real one (i.e. it's really 'Shentong er hao weixing' and the ZX is a cover
name)? Yes, I'm really stretching into Kremlinology here...
Could be, but remember there's Chinasat-6B in 2007....
-
#33
by
Satori
on 26 May, 2012 17:27
-
CZ-3B or CZ-3B/E?
-
#34
by
jcm
on 26 May, 2012 17:28
-
Interesting that the Chinese sources are using the literal latin letter 'A' this time:
"[Zhong][Xing]2A" - normally Chinese satellites whose English translations
are given as, e.g. "FY-3B" are really "FY-3 02 xing" or something in Chinese.
Wonder if that is a real nomenclature shift or reflects that this time the name
is not the real one (i.e. it's really 'Shentong er hao weixing' and the ZX is a cover
name)? Yes, I'm really stretching into Kremlinology here...
Could be, but remember there's Chinasat-6B in 2007....
Ah, yes. I think that was " zhongxing liu B weixing" if my notes are correct -
the 6 was in Chinese but the B in Latin. So maybe it just depends on whoever is writing the press release and how much exposure to English documentation they've had...
-
#35
by
jcm
on 26 May, 2012 17:29
-
CZ-3B or CZ-3B/E?
The CALT announcement says that the rocket is 457 tonnes,
56.54m tall, and has 5400 kg GTO capacity. I think these are the right values
for 3B/E rather than 3B, is that correct?
-
#36
by
Satori
on 26 May, 2012 17:31
-
CZ-3B or CZ-3B/E?
The CALT announcement says that the rocket is 457 tonnes,
56.54m tall, and has 5400 kg GTO capacity. I think these are the right values
for 3B/E rather than 3B, is that correct?
Yes, that is correct Jonathan.
-
#37
by
input~2
on 26 May, 2012 17:41
-
-
#38
by
jcm
on 26 May, 2012 17:43
-
Another question - who owns these satellites? Does the Zhongxing name imply that they are operated by China Satcom (Zhongguo weixingtongxin jituangongsi) on behalf
of the military, or that's just a cover and these satellites are owned by some part of the PLA?
And another - "Shen Tong" is presumably an abbreviation for "Shen(something) Tongxin",
where Tongxin means communications.... can our Chinese speakers help here?
-
#39
by
Satori
on 26 May, 2012 17:48
-
Another question - who owns these satellites? Does the Zhongxing name imply that they are operated by China Satcom (Zhongguo weixingtongxin jituangongsi) on behalf
of the military, or that's just a cover and these satellites are owned by some part of the PLA?
Shentong are operated by the PLA. I think that in this case the Zhongxing designation is just a cover.