Chuang Xin 1-04 and Ling Qiao - CZ-2D - JSLC, 00:15, September 4th, 2014

• Chuang Xin 1-04 and Ling Qiao - CZ-2D - JSLC, 00:15, September 4th, 2014 by beidou on 20 Aug, 2014 20:40
• Likely a Tianhui satellite will be launched from Jiuquan in September, no concrete information yet.
  
  Source: http://bbs.9ifly.cn/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=10822&pid=317498&fromuid=24484
• #1 by Galactic Penguin SST on 22 Aug, 2014 15:09
• Per the forum's posts I have some doubts about the payload - however recent reports seems to confirm the rocket is already being tested for transfer to launch pad (the rocket type is not specified, but rumors put it as one from SAST so a CZ-2D sounds most likely). Launching within the next 2 weeks? 
• #2 by Galactic Penguin SST on 01 Sep, 2014 14:36
• It seems that latest reports points to a payload "from a famous academic institute" and is launching within this week. Something in the SY (Shiyan) series from the Harbin Institute of Technology perhaps? (SY-6?) 
• #3 by Galactic Penguin SST on 03 Sep, 2014 10:09
• Sounds like it's launching tomorrow @ ~00:15 UTC!
  
  A1542/14 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY:N323646E0975306-N324149E0972812-N333427E0974308-N332921E0980814 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:SFC-UNL. GND - UNL, 04 SEP 00:08 2014 UNTIL 04 SEP 00:56 2014. CREATED: 03 SEP 08:06 2014
  
  A1541/14 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY:N350104E0983329-N350455E0981416-N353351E0982251-N352838E0984833 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:SFC-UNL. GND - UNL, 04 SEP 00:07 2014 UNTIL 04 SEP 00:50 2014. CREATED: 03 SEP 08:05 2014

  ---

  
• #4 by Liss on 03 Sep, 2014 12:09
• Both SW-3 and SW-4 were launched at 00:15 UTC.
• #5 by input~2 on 03 Sep, 2014 16:49
• Quote from: Liss on 03 Sep, 2014 12:09

  Both SW-3 and SW-4 were launched at 00:15 UTC.
  

  I think these are more generally referred to as SY-3 and SY-4  ("Shiyan Weixing")
• #6 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 00:09
• Should be launching any time now.  A search for relevant "tweets" shows someone waiting to watch the launch minutes ago...
• #7 by Chris Bergin on 04 Sep, 2014 00:28
• Standing by.
• #8 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 00:50
• Unfortunately my guess of the payload(s) was wrong! 
  
  Apparently the launch, which did happen at 00:15 UTC and was successful, isn't carrying a satellite with the Shiyan name. Instead, there's Chuang Xin 1-04 store dump communication sat from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (after CX-1-01 in 2003, CX-1-02 in Nov. 2008 and CX-1-03 in Nov. 2011) and an "experimental communication satellite" named Ling Qiao (meaning "agility" in Chinese), apparently from Tsinghua University. I am waiting for the full article to be released.... 
• #9 by Satori on 04 Sep, 2014 00:52
• Good news!
• #10 by Chris Bergin on 04 Sep, 2014 01:37
• Thanks GP!
  
  Rui's article!
  http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/09/chinese-long-march-2d-duo-launch/
• #11 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 01:39
• About the Ling Qiao satellite: someone managed to find a master thesis that shows it to be a 100 kg class microsat jointly developed by a team at Tsinghua University and the
  Xinwei Telecom company (apparently a private satellite project - the chairman of Xinwei is Wang Jing, who is leading the current investment into the Nicaragua Canal project  ). The Xinhua News article mentions that it will be used for experimental multimedia broadcasting tests.
  
• #12 by jcm on 04 Sep, 2014 02:06
• Launch announcement
  
  http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2014-09/04/c_1112353063.htm
  
  Mentions CX-1 04 and a 'lingqiao tongxing shiyan weixing', which Google renders as 'smart comms test satellite'
  used to do a multimedia communications test
  
  
• #13 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 02:08
• Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 01:39

  About the Ling Qiao satellite: someone managed to find a master thesis that shows it to be a 100 kg class microsat jointly developed by a team at Tsinghua University and the
  Xinwei Telecom company (apparently a private satellite project - the chairman of Xinwei is Wang Jing, who is leading the current investment into the Nicaragua Canal project  ). The Xinhua News article mentions that it will be used for experimental multimedia broadcasting tests.
  

  
  Here's the launch announcement from Xinwei: http://finance.ce.cn/rolling/201409/04/t20140904_3482110.shtml
• #14 by Kryten on 04 Sep, 2014 02:10
• Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 02:08

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 01:39

  About the Ling Qiao satellite: someone managed to find a master thesis that shows it to be a 100 kg class microsat jointly developed by a team at Tsinghua University and the
  Xinwei Telecom company (apparently a private satellite project - the chairman of Xinwei is Wang Jing, who is leading the current investment into the Nicaragua Canal project  ). The Xinhua News article mentions that it will be used for experimental multimedia broadcasting tests.
  

  
  Here's the launch announcement from Xinwei: http://finance.ce.cn/rolling/201409/04/t20140904_3482110.shtml
  

  That link gives me a 404 error.
• #15 by jcm on 04 Sep, 2014 04:52
• 40136 14-051A cataloged in a 770 x 807 km x 98.5 deg, 0630LTDN sun-synch orbit, clearly one of the objects
  from this launch
• #16 by Targeteer on 04 Sep, 2014 05:10
• Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 00:50

  Unfortunately my guess of the payload(s) was wrong! 
  
  Apparently the launch, which did happen at 00:15 UTC and was successful, isn't carrying a satellite with the Shiyan name. Instead, there's Chuang Xin 1-04 store dump communication sat from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (after CX-1-01 in 2003, CX-1-02 in Nov. 2008 and CX-1-03 in Nov. 2011) and an "experimental communication satellite" named Ling Qiao (meaning "agility" in Chinese), apparently from Tsinghua University. I am waiting for the full article to be released.... 
  

  
  A comm satellite in a sun-synch orbit?
• #17 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 06:38
• Photos:
  
  (edit: replaced 3 of them with higher resolution versions)

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• #18 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:05
• Quote from: jcm on 04 Sep, 2014 04:52

  40136 14-051A cataloged in a 770 x 807 km x 98.5 deg, 0630LTDN sun-synch orbit, clearly one of the objects
  from this launch
  

  
  3 objects now found - apparently the 2 satellites and the 2nd stage:
  
  40136/2014-051A: 770 x 807 km x 98.47 deg.
  40137/2014-051B: 778 x 809 km x 98.46 deg.
  40138/2014-051C: 254 x 837 km x 98.00 deg. (2nd stage)
• #19 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:16
• Quote from: Kryten on 04 Sep, 2014 02:10

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 02:08

  Here's the launch announcement from Xinwei: http://finance.ce.cn/rolling/201409/04/t20140904_3482110.shtml
  

  That link gives me a 404 error.
  

  Hmm that page is working here right now.
  
  Also see the report from Tsinghua University: http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/news/4205/2014/20140904133620938303403/20140904133620938303403_.html - mentions that the satellite weights 135 kg and will be operating from a 780 km orbit. Makes me wonder how much excess capacity does this launch have - the 2 would have been easily carried by a Pegasus rocket had they been launched from the States. 
  
  Acc
• #20 by Star One on 04 Sep, 2014 08:40
• Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:16

  Quote from: Kryten on 04 Sep, 2014 02:10

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 02:08

  Here's the launch announcement from Xinwei: http://finance.ce.cn/rolling/201409/04/t20140904_3482110.shtml
  

  That link gives me a 404 error.
  

  Hmm that page is working here right now.
  
  Also see the report from Tsinghua University: http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/news/4205/2014/20140904133620938303403/20140904133620938303403_.html - mentions that the satellite weights 135 kg and will be operating from a 780 km orbit. Makes me wonder how much excess capacity does this launch have - the 2 would have been easily carried by a Pegasus rocket had they been launched from the States. 
  
  Acc
  

  
  Seems overkill for the payloads. Do they not have a launcher that would be more appropriate for such lightweight payloads?
• #21 by input~2 on 04 Sep, 2014 10:33
• China launches two satellites via one rocket
  
  
  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sci/2014-09/04/c_133620154.htm
• #22 by input~2 on 04 Sep, 2014 12:34
• Launch video clips:
  http://tv.cntv.cn/video/C10336/cbe7e8f4eae54c929996abb291a5a9b6
  http://news.cntv.cn/2014/09/04/VIDE1409825758623891.shtml
• #23 by Nighthawk on 04 Sep, 2014 13:02
• Quote from: Star One on 04 Sep, 2014 08:40

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:16

  Quote from: Kryten on 04 Sep, 2014 02:10

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 02:08

  Here's the launch announcement from Xinwei: http://finance.ce.cn/rolling/201409/04/t20140904_3482110.shtml
  

  That link gives me a 404 error.
  

  Hmm that page is working here right now.
  
  Also see the report from Tsinghua University: http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/news/4205/2014/20140904133620938303403/20140904133620938303403_.html - mentions that the satellite weights 135 kg and will be operating from a 780 km orbit. Makes me wonder how much excess capacity does this launch have - the 2 would have been easily carried by a Pegasus rocket had they been launched from the States. 
  
  Acc
  

  
  Seems overkill for the payloads. Do they not have a launcher that would be more appropriate for such lightweight payloads?
  

  
  The upcoming CZ-6 (1t@700km SSO, still much overkill) and CZ-11(~350kg@700km SSO, may fit well)
• #24 by edkyle99 on 04 Sep, 2014 13:55
• Quote from: Targeteer on 04 Sep, 2014 05:10

  A comm satellite in a sun-synch orbit?
  

  It appears to be a store-dump comsat, something like Orbcomm or Strela.  These transfer low-rate data from low-power, usually data-logging ground stations, which explains the low orbit.  Sun Sync makes some sense because ground stations will be in view at least twice per day all over the planet, but I have to wonder if some type of ground observing  instrument might also be on board.  I also wonder why China needs to collect data from ground stations all over the entire planet.
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #25 by edkyle99 on 04 Sep, 2014 14:24
• Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:05

  Quote from: jcm on 04 Sep, 2014 04:52

  40136 14-051A cataloged in a 770 x 807 km x 98.5 deg, 0630LTDN sun-synch orbit, clearly one of the objects
  from this launch
  

  
  3 objects now found - apparently the 2 satellites and the 2nd stage:
  
  40136/2014-051A: 770 x 807 km x 98.47 deg.
  40137/2014-051B: 778 x 809 km x 98.46 deg.
  40138/2014-051C: 254 x 837 km x 98.00 deg. (2nd stage)
  

  Does anyone know how the second stage ended up in its orbit?  CZ-2D second stage usually has verniers firing after the main engine shuts down.  Does this mean they can restart?  Or is retro provided by venting the stage?
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #26 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 14:32
• Quote from: edkyle99 on 04 Sep, 2014 14:24

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:05

  Quote from: jcm on 04 Sep, 2014 04:52

  40136 14-051A cataloged in a 770 x 807 km x 98.5 deg, 0630LTDN sun-synch orbit, clearly one of the objects
  from this launch
  

  
  3 objects now found - apparently the 2 satellites and the 2nd stage:
  
  40136/2014-051A: 770 x 807 km x 98.47 deg.
  40137/2014-051B: 778 x 809 km x 98.46 deg.
  40138/2014-051C: 254 x 837 km x 98.00 deg. (2nd stage)
  

  Does anyone know how the second stage ended up in its orbit?  CZ-2D second stage usually has verniers firing after the main engine shuts down.  Does this mean they can restart?
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  
  I think so - in fact many of the 2nd stages of the CZ-2D has been actively de-orbited since at least a few years ago.
• #27 by edkyle99 on 04 Sep, 2014 14:52
• Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 14:32

  Quote from: edkyle99 on 04 Sep, 2014 14:24

  Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Sep, 2014 08:05

  Quote from: jcm on 04 Sep, 2014 04:52

  40136 14-051A cataloged in a 770 x 807 km x 98.5 deg, 0630LTDN sun-synch orbit, clearly one of the objects
  from this launch
  

  
  3 objects now found - apparently the 2 satellites and the 2nd stage:
  
  40136/2014-051A: 770 x 807 km x 98.47 deg.
  40137/2014-051B: 778 x 809 km x 98.46 deg.
  40138/2014-051C: 254 x 837 km x 98.00 deg. (2nd stage)
  

  Does anyone know how the second stage ended up in its orbit?  CZ-2D second stage usually has verniers firing after the main engine shuts down.  Does this mean they can restart?
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  
  I think so - in fact many of the 2nd stages of the CZ-2D has been actively de-orbited since at least a few years ago.
  

  This page talks about deorbiting via. "discharge of remaining propellant", which sounds like venting. http://www.cgwic.com/LaunchServices/LaunchVehicle/LM2D.html
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #28 by Lewis007 on 05 Sep, 2014 14:57
• Launch video clip on YouTube, which is easier to download.
  
  
  
• #29 by Satori on 16 Sep, 2014 22:10
• A nice article (in CHinese) about launch preparations and actual launch: http://www.spacechina.com/n25/n144/n206/n214/c743180/content.html
• #30 by Satori on 16 Sep, 2014 22:13
• And about Lingqiao (also in Chinese), http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/news/4205/2014/20140915150211424416517/20140915150211424416517_.html