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#20
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 09:50
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Is there any source about the satellites designation?
Yup, this launch day mail cover:
http://www.htjyw.cn/read.php?tid=7677&fid=22 
And there are other sources that does point to these two satellites being MEO satellites - one of which is
this official article back in May on the production of BDS satellites by CAST (which built the two that will fly today) that mentioned 2 "2.2 m high smaller satellites" in final testing and a bigger "3.6 m high satellite" also in testing on CAST's BDS satellite production line. The bigger satellite might be a GEO bound satellite to be flown later this year.
Speaking of which,
since the "father of Chinese GNSS" Sun Jiadong mentioned last month that there will be 4 BDS launches in 2015 flying 5 satellites, I guess the launches might look like this:
1. BDS I1-S (produced by CAS - flown March 30)
2. BDS M1-S & M2-S (produced by CAST - flying today)
3. BDS G1-S (in production by CAST)
4. BDS I2-S (?) (in production by CAS)
Alas, there are still no known indications of how the satellite production are distributed to CAST & CAS.....
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#21
by
Chris Bergin
on 25 Jul, 2015 11:07
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Ok folks, let's keep an eye on launch confirmation and any photos. We're just over an hour away for this one.
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#22
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 11:39
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Ok folks, let's keep an eye on launch confirmation and any photos. We're just over an hour away for this one.
It should be easier this time to get news
with several members of the Chinese spaceflight forum I frequently visit currently down in Xichang for the launch. Here's one of them pointing the camera at the pad.
Also note that given the satellites will head directly into the 20000+ km high orbit, don't expect any official news to come until after 4 pm GMT (about 3 hours 45 minutes after launch, the usual time for GPS/GLONASS/Galileo satellites from launch to separation).
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#23
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:09
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Probably only a couple of minutes left before liftoff. I'm still looking for a launch time....
Edit: Saw someone mentioning a 12:28 UTC launch time.
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#24
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:34
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Liftoff confirmed.
(someone posted on 9ifly that it broke up, but I am sure it's bogus)
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#25
by
Chris Bergin
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:36
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Liftoff confirmed.
(someone posted on 9ifly that it broke up, but I am sure it's bogus)
Yikes. Let's hold for a second then.
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#26
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:37
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Liftoff confirmed.
(someone posted on 9ifly that it broke up, but I am sure it's bogus)
Yikes. Let's hold for a second then.
He probably didn't know what a contrail is.... (see below)
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#27
by
Artyom.
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:40
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#28
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:43
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Liftoff confirmed.
(someone posted on 9ifly that it broke up, but I am sure it's bogus)
Yikes. Let's hold for a second then.
Found the culprit tweet - apparently that's the 4 boosters separating illuminated by the sun which has just set 20 minutes before launch!
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#29
by
Chris Bergin
on 25 Jul, 2015 12:44
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#30
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 13:05
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#31
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 13:31
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#32
by
Langley
on 25 Jul, 2015 13:34
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In designations such as I1-S, what does the "S" stand for?
Thanks.
-- Richard Langley
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#33
by
limen4
on 25 Jul, 2015 14:19
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In designations such as I1-S, what does the "S" stand for?
Thanks.
-- Richard Langley
Very likely for "Test" (in Chinese: 试验 = Shiyan)
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#34
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 16:39
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#35
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Jul, 2015 17:14
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Apparently the official launch success confirmation just came in! Liftoff was at 12:29 UTC.
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#36
by
input~2
on 25 Jul, 2015 19:19
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#37
by
edkyle99
on 25 Jul, 2015 19:30
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#38
by
input~2
on 25 Jul, 2015 19:35
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#39
by
input~2
on 25 Jul, 2015 19:55
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