CZ-2C/SMA - Shijian 9A/B - Taiyuan - October 14, 2012

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Finally some official news for the long awaited pair of technology demonstration satellites. The two satellites, according to CASC's newsletter, are already at the launch site (probably Taiyuan, per previous rumors) and their solar panels are being checked out.

In the same newsletter there's another article about China's first dedicated technology demonstration satellite (built and will be used by CAST) is about to be launched. This satellite will test components such as China-built microwave switches, a lighter user communication terminal and more accurate thermostats. It will also carry new observation payloads. I think this may be one of the SJ-9 satellites. At least one of them will also test a xenon gas ion thruster system.

Given their sizes, I think a solid upper stage would be needed to push them into a several hundred km high SSO....

http://www.9ifly.cn/thread-10495-1-1.html
http://www.9ifly.cn/thread-14-1-1.html
http://www.spacechina.com/n25/n144/n206/n214/c286941/content.html

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Latest news points to launch on Oct. 11 or 12: http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=14&pid=222991&fromuid=19646

I will get the few photos of TSLC posted on the web during the National Day holidays later on....

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Damn, just saw a twitter message (in reply to a girl who got a rare chance to visit TSLC a few days ago) that mentions a launch on the 10th or the 11th!

Looks like I need to be on the watch tomorrow again..... 

[Star One]

Damn, just saw a twitter message (in reply to a girl who got a rare chance to visit TSLC a few days ago) that mentions a launch on the 10th or the 11th!

Looks like I need to be on the watch tomorrow again..... 

Been meaning to ask this for a while and this is as good as any but does Chinese TV cover all their rocket launches or only the high priority ones, for example will they cover this launch?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Damn, just saw a twitter message (in reply to a girl who got a rare chance to visit TSLC a few days ago) that mentions a launch on the 10th or the 11th!

Looks like I need to be on the watch tomorrow again..... 

Been meaning to ask this for a while and this is as good as any but does Chinese TV cover all their rocket launches or only the high priority ones, for example will they cover this launch?

I give them a -100% chance that they will cover the launch.... 

In fact tracking down even the launch dates for Chinese launches are extremely difficult (Xinhua news usually did a "pre-launch" presser a day or two before launch, but this stopped after one went down in August 2011), and I usually had to resort to un-official means to nail down the launch date. Launches from Taiyuan are especially notorious - only one out of six launches since Aug. 2011 had its launch date known beforehand. So that's why I had to stand on guard looking for twitter and blog updates (or at least the Chinese version of them) tomorrow, in case it launches without anyone out on the Internet knowing it! 

[beidou]

Damn, just saw a twitter message (in reply to a girl who got a rare chance to visit TSLC a few days ago) that mentions a launch on the 10th or the 11th!

Looks like I need to be on the watch tomorrow again..... 

Been meaning to ask this for a while and this is as good as any but does Chinese TV cover all their rocket launches or only the high priority ones, for example will they cover this launch?

I give them a -100% chance that they will cover the launch.... 

In fact tracking down even the launch dates for Chinese launches are extremely difficult (Xinhua news usually did a "pre-launch" presser a day or two before launch, but this stopped after one went down in August 2011), and I usually had to resort to un-official means to nail down the launch date. Launches from Taiyuan are especially notorious - only one out of six launches since Aug. 2011 had its launch date known beforehand. So that's why I had to stand on guard looking for twitter and blog updates (or at least the Chinese version of them) tomorrow, in case it launches without anyone out on the Internet knowing it! 

Why is it so difficult to nail down the dates for Taiyuan launches while not for Jiuquan and Xichang?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Damn, just saw a twitter message (in reply to a girl who got a rare chance to visit TSLC a few days ago) that mentions a launch on the 10th or the 11th!

Looks like I need to be on the watch tomorrow again..... 

Been meaning to ask this for a while and this is as good as any but does Chinese TV cover all their rocket launches or only the high priority ones, for example will they cover this launch?

I give them a -100% chance that they will cover the launch.... 

In fact tracking down even the launch dates for Chinese launches are extremely difficult (Xinhua news usually did a "pre-launch" presser a day or two before launch, but this stopped after one went down in August 2011), and I usually had to resort to un-official means to nail down the launch date. Launches from Taiyuan are especially notorious - only one out of six launches since Aug. 2011 had its launch date known beforehand. So that's why I had to stand on guard looking for twitter and blog updates (or at least the Chinese version of them) tomorrow, in case it launches without anyone out on the Internet knowing it! 

Why is it so difficult to nail down the dates for Taiyuan launches while not for Jiuquan and Xichang?

Launches from the other two sites means that air spaces would need to be closed, and so the launch date and time can be nailed down at least one day before hand via the air space closure notices. However this is not the case with Taiyuan - I can only remember two to three cases for the last ten launches out of there. My guess is that the majority of drop zones out of there is not within a flight track.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

I am still seeing different versions of when will it be launched: one said it will be today (perhaps within the next hour or so!  ), another said it slipped into next week. At least I think I can confirm which is true within the next few hours or so...... 

Edit: Looks like it's the latter option that prevailed...at least this means I have more time to scoop around what SJ-9 actually does...

[Galactic Penguin SST]

New launch date is probably on the 15th.

http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=14&pid=223578

[russianhalo117]

New launch date is probably on the 15th.

http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=14&pid=223578

I hear via twitter, that the launch was possibly rescheduled to the above date due to unfavorable weather conditions at the launch site prohibiting launcher fueling in addition to upper level winds violations along the planned launch trajectory for the next couple of days.

[russianhalo117]

New launch date is probably on the 15th.

http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=14&pid=223578

I hear via twitter, that the launch was possibly rescheduled to the above date due to unfavorable weather conditions at the launch site prohibiting launcher fueling in addition to upper level winds violations along the planned launch trajectory for the next couple of days.

However, here is current ground level WX forecast:
http://www.euronews.com/weather/asia/china/taiyuan/
Monday, doesn't look so promising. They appear to have received rainfall yesterday and today. If someone has a nearby airfield's ICAO designation I can attempt to pull up the local area upper level winds aloft info.

[russianhalo117]

New launch date is probably on the 15th.

http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=14&pid=223578

I hear via twitter, that the launch was possibly rescheduled to the above date due to unfavorable weather conditions at the launch site prohibiting launcher fueling in addition to upper level winds violations along the planned launch trajectory for the next couple of days.

However, here is current ground level WX forecast:
http://www.euronews.com/weather/asia/china/taiyuan/
Monday, doesn't look so promising. They appear to have received rainfall yesterday and today. If someone has a nearby airfield's ICAO designation I can attempt to pull up the local area upper level winds aloft info.

Current: ZBYN - Taiyuan,
Updated at 5:00 AM GMT on October 12, 2012 (1:00 PM CST):
TAF ZBYN 120304Z 1206/1306 32004MPS 5000 HZ NSC
      BECMG 1210/1211 09004MPS=
Decoded:
ID: ZBYN   Taiyuan/Wusu, BJ
REPORT TIME: 11 19:30
VALID TIME: 12 October AT 00:00Z to 12 October AT 24:00Z.
INITIAL WX
   WINDS: 90 AT 7
   VISIBILITY: 1.9 MILES
   WEATHER: BR_NSC
WX BECOMING FROM 01Z TO 02Z
   WINDS: 210 AT 7
   VISIBILITY: 500.0 MILES
   COMMENTS: 0=

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Launch now expected in 2 days: http://www.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=14&pid=223721

BTW Weather was apparently NOT the reason the launch was delayed.

[beidou]

What will the launch window be?

[Liss]

May it be our bird?

A1342/12 - THE FLW SEGMENTS OF ATS RTE CLSD: 1. L888: SADAN-TONAX. 2. Y1: SADAN-MAGOD. 3. W112: QIEMO VOR'QIM-ADMUX. 13 OCT 04:50 2012 UNTIL 13 OCT 06:10 2012. CREATED: 12 OCT 14:51 2012

[Galactic Penguin SST]

May it be our bird?

A1342/12 - THE FLW SEGMENTS OF ATS RTE CLSD: 1. L888: SADAN-TONAX. 2. Y1: SADAN-MAGOD. 3. W112: QIEMO VOR'QIM-ADMUX. 13 OCT 04:50 2012 UNTIL 13 OCT 06:10 2012. CREATED: 12 OCT 14:51 2012

Nope all these air route closures are out in the far north-west, in Xinjiang. I suppose any air route closures, if any, may have to wait until tomorrow.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Per reports from "up front" from people visiting the launch site, the launch is scheduled for tomorrow morning local time! 

(source: http://weibo.com/1893645914/z0jGYtSKt)

[Satori]

Per reports from "up front" from people visiting the launch site, the launch is scheduled for tomorrow morning local time! 

(source: http://weibo.com/1893645914/z0jGYtSKt)

That is really great! We appreciate your help.

[beidou]

Per reports from "up front" from people visiting the launch site, the launch is scheduled for tomorrow morning local time! 

(source: http://weibo.com/1893645914/z0jGYtSKt)

Can you pls have a screenshot? Most people here don't have weibo accounts. Thanks!

[Chris Bergin]

Are we closing in on a GMT for T-0?