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FY-2G (Fengyun-2-08) - Long March-3A - XSLC - December 31, 2014 (0102UTC)
by
beidou
on 29 Sep, 2014 20:32
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#1
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 06 Nov, 2014 10:16
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#2
by
Satori
on 16 Nov, 2014 20:02
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#3
by
William Graham
on 17 Nov, 2014 17:59
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According to http://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/satellites/view/111 launch of FY-2G is schedule for December 31, 2014.
A small matter of statistical interest with that date. 31 December is the only day of the year on which an orbital launch has never been conducted. (This is based on UTC; there was a Commercial Titan III launch from Canaveral on 1 January 1990 UTC which occurred on 31 December the previous year in EST)
Assuming it does go on 31 December, I would say it would be a fair assumption that the launch would be on that date in both UTC and local time - the last four FY-2 launches have occurred between 00:50 and 01:30 UTC (08:50-09:30 local). The other two were around 12:00 UTC (20:00 local) but used the earlier CZ-3 rocket.
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#4
by
Satori
on 23 Nov, 2014 17:50
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At the 2014 launch schedule of the 9ifly Chinese space forum, the launch of FG-2G is listed as taking place on December 7. I suppose this is a mistake?
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#5
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 24 Nov, 2014 02:00
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At the 2014 launch schedule of the 9ifly Chinese space forum, the launch of FG-2G is listed as taking place on December 7. I suppose this is a mistake?
Yup. Not sure if the rocket and satellite got delivered yet (should be within these few days).
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#6
by
Satori
on 10 Dec, 2014 08:48
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Info on 9ifly Chinese space forum points to a launch date of December 23 for FY-2G.
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#7
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 24 Dec, 2014 04:37
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Info on 9ifly Chinese space forum points to a launch date of December 23 for FY-2G.
Well this date has passed without anything happening....
Recent photos from the launch site shows that LC-3, mainly used for CZ-3A launches since Chang'e 1, is still under renovation for preparing it to host CZ-3B/C launches, and LC-2 seems to be used right now. So it looks like we will see a CZ-3A from LC-2 for the 1st time since early 2007.
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#8
by
Satori
on 24 Dec, 2014 14:43
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#9
by
Phillip Clark
on 24 Dec, 2014 15:10
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#10
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 25 Dec, 2014 09:27
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My word! They really left this launch till the last day of the year!
A2627/14 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED CENTERED AT N2815E10202 WITH RADIUS OF 15KM.VERTICAL LIMITS:SFC-UNL. SFC - UNL, 31 DEC 00:55 2014 UNTIL 31 DEC 01:25 2014. CREATED: 25 DEC 09:25 2014A2628/14 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY:N243642E1145423-N245353E1140424-N243839E1135811-N242130E1144804 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 31 DEC 01:01 2014 UNTIL 31 DEC 01:48 2014. CREATED: 25 DEC 09:28 2014Liftoff at ~01:00 UTC on December 31.
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#11
by
input~2
on 25 Dec, 2014 14:45
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A2628/14 seems to be for the fairing sections drop zone
As in most previous cases, no NOTAMs for 1st and 2nd stage drop zones
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#12
by
Chris Bergin
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:13
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Any sign of news on this one? It's past 1am UTC.
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#13
by
max_schmurz
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:21
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There is neither live coverage nor any news from XSLC
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#14
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:25
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Any sign of news on this one? It's past 1am UTC.
Seems to have launched on time. Spacecraft sep. should be up very soon.
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#15
by
Chris Bergin
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:29
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#16
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:29
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Liftoff time seems to be 01:02 UTC. Here's the Max-Q contrail posted on Weibo:
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#17
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:47
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Confirmed launch success per reports on-site.
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#18
by
max_schmurz
on 31 Dec, 2014 00:53
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#19
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 01:56
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#20
by
Damon Hill
on 31 Dec, 2014 03:55
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Should be the 92nd launch of the year, the most since 1994. December was a really busy month.
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#21
by
averagespacejoe
on 31 Dec, 2014 04:01
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I have some counts saying 91 either way it was a hell of a year. The first Firework of the New Year's Eve celebration and it makes sense it was Chinese since I believe they invented the firework
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#22
by
Phillip Clark
on 31 Dec, 2014 04:36
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Calling this FY-2 #8 includes the satellite which exploded during pre-launch fuelling, I believe.
I have always called the first orbital FY-2 "1R" ("replacement") and so for me this satellite is FY-2 #7.
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#23
by
Salo
on 31 Dec, 2014 04:38
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China launches satellite Fengyun-II 08
A Long March-3A rocket carrying meteorological satellite Fengyun-II 08 blasts off from the launching pad at Xichang Satellite Launch Center, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2014. Wednesday's launch marked the 203rd mission for the Long March rocket family. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2014-12/31/c_133889560.htm
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#24
by
jcm
on 31 Dec, 2014 04:54
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Calling this FY-2 #8 includes the satellite which exploded during pre-launch fuelling, I believe.
I have always called the first orbital FY-2 "1R" ("replacement") and so for me this satellite is FY-2 #7.
It is production serial number 8 and the Chinese language xinhua refer to it as such.
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#25
by
jcm
on 31 Dec, 2014 05:03
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#26
by
input~2
on 31 Dec, 2014 05:54
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#27
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 09:59
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#28
by
Skyrocket
on 31 Dec, 2014 10:09
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Somewhat terrifying, that people stand this close and touching the engines, while toxic fumes rise from the wreckage.
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#29
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 10:25
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In other news, one object from this launch (40367/2014-090A) is being tracked in a 321 x 37203 km x 24.55 deg. orbit.
Somewhat terrifying, that people stand this close and touching the engines, while toxic fumes rise from the wreckage.
Indeed. I wonder if the local police/military are notified of the potential hazards of fallen hypergolic rocket stages....
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#30
by
toruonu
on 31 Dec, 2014 10:57
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Did anyone know in advance that this was planned? If indeed it's a first stage recovery then they're quite nicely along with the stage having survived most of the descent though can't quite make out at what speed it could be coming in...
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#31
by
The Amazing Catstronaut
on 31 Dec, 2014 12:17
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Dropping hypergolic rockets errantly over populated landmasses is wrong on so many levels.
That's a forest, for crying out loud, and those are human beings.
Edit: I'm pretty certain that wasn't a first stage recovery attempt, personally.
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#32
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Dec, 2014 12:48
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Dropping hypergolic rockets errantly over populated landmasses is wrong on so many levels. That's a forest, for crying out loud, and those are human beings.
Edit: I'm pretty certain that wasn't a first stage recovery attempt, personally.
Next time I might need to add a sarcastic tag to such posts.....
As for dropping hypergolic rockets on populated terrain.....well I don't know where else in China can you launch rockets, except for the eastern seaboard. But in the days of Chairman Mao attempting to launch such things from the east would lead to Western/Soviet bomber attacks instantly.
Hence the Chinese are switching to kerolox/hydrolox/solid for the next generation rockets, build a new launch center on Hainan Island for most future launches, and is researching on fly-back boosters for use on the existing launch sites.
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#33
by
Jamsta
on 31 Dec, 2014 12:48
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Dropping hypergolic rockets errantly over populated landmasses is wrong on so many levels. That's a forest, for crying out loud, and those are human beings.
Edit: I'm pretty certain that wasn't a first stage recovery attempt, personally.
Well at least they don't have to worry about range issue red tape in China..
(I jest)
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#34
by
robertross
on 31 Dec, 2014 13:11
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#35
by
Liss
on 31 Dec, 2014 13:54
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Calling this FY-2 #8 includes the satellite which exploded during pre-launch fuelling, I believe.
I have always called the first orbital FY-2 "1R" ("replacement") and so for me this satellite is FY-2 #7.
It is production serial number 8 and the Chinese language xinhua refer to it as such.
Exactly -- but in English language Chinese sources they do refer to it as FY-2G starting with FY-2A = FY-2 #02.
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#36
by
DatUser14
on 31 Dec, 2014 14:17
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Was that supposed to happen? I'm confused.
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#37
by
Phillip Clark
on 31 Dec, 2014 14:25
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Was that supposed to happen? I'm confused.
The first FY-2 exploded in a pre-launch accident - while it was being fuelled - so it did not receive a sequential number in the launch record.
The second FY-2 was the first to reach orbit: the Chinese call this either FY-2 #2 or FY-2A in English.
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#38
by
eeergo
on 31 Dec, 2014 15:05
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Looks like the fins were lost during the stage's re-entry. Thank you for the pictures, very nice to see such an event in action!
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#39
by
kevin-rf
on 31 Dec, 2014 15:37
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Dropping hypergolic rockets errantly over populated landmasses is wrong on so many levels. That's a forest, for crying out loud, and those are human beings.
Edit: I'm pretty certain that wasn't a first stage recovery attempt, personally.
Well at least they don't have to worry about range issue red tape in China..
(I jest)
No, just need a pile of little green rectangles to get approvals...
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#40
by
savuporo
on 31 Dec, 2014 16:15
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Somewhat terrifying, that people stand this close and touching the engines, while toxic fumes rise from the wreckage.
Its creepy as hell to see kids, especially the girl in the pink coat staring into the nozzles and have yellow fumes on the background. But then, this isnt new and has been going on forever in both China, siberia and Mongoila, except that now people in the villages have digital cameras and internet.
Sooooo ... how many people to refurbish the stage ? / ducks and hides
EDIT: btw the same images now here in stock photo collection
http://ww.corbisimages.com/Search#lc=Guizhou+Province,+China&p=1&sort=3And oh, launching with hydrazine over the sea is so much better, because dolphins don't have digital cameras and internet, not yet anyway
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#41
by
edkyle99
on 31 Dec, 2014 16:28
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Was that supposed to happen? I'm confused.
Yes. China drops stages over land during launches from its inland launch sites. This will start to change when its new sea-side launch site opens. Russia, BTW, does the same thing, but seems to keep people out of the "drop boxes" better than China.
- Ed Kyle
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#42
by
averagespacejoe
on 31 Dec, 2014 17:07
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Should be the 92nd launch of the year, the most since 1994. December was a really busy month.
I just wanted to say it looks like you were correct I went back and counted 92 was the magic number I can't wait to see us break 100 again.
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#43
by
otisbow
on 31 Dec, 2014 17:23
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The Fengyun weather satellite looks like the old Hughes GSO satellite of the 70s.
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#44
by
Star One
on 31 Dec, 2014 17:28
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Was that supposed to happen? I'm confused.
Yes. China drops stages over land during launches from its inland launch sites. This will start to change when its new sea-side launch site opens. Russia, BTW, does the same thing, but seems to keep people out of the "drop boxes" better than China.
- Ed Kyle
OT but when is that launch site likely to start coming on line?
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#45
by
Kryten
on 31 Dec, 2014 17:41
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OT but when is that launch site likely to start coming on line?
It's considered finished now, the limiting factor is the new rockets. The first launch (using CZ-6) is scheduled for June or July.
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#46
by
apollolanding
on 31 Dec, 2014 17:55
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#47
by
input~2
on 31 Dec, 2014 20:17
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#48
by
eeergo
on 02 Jan, 2015 12:24
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It has been said that the yellow fumes were actually caused by a flare to mark the stage's position for recovery teams.
That doesn't alleviate the fact that unprotected people were allowed to touch and stand next to components that may have been slightly contaminated, but somehow it was strange to think they would be allowed (or able!) to roam around clearly leaking hypergols. Maybe the pictures with people around were taken after air sampling and experts determined there was nothing -too- hazardous left.
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#49
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 02 Jan, 2015 13:47
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#50
by
Phillip Clark
on 02 Jan, 2015 14:56
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If it's not manoeuvred I am assuming that object A is the third stage and FY-2 has still to be located (it's much smaller!).
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#51
by
input~2
on 02 Jan, 2015 15:12
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#52
by
Satori
on 03 Jan, 2015 18:15
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A few launch images from Xinhua...
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#53
by
OxCartMark
on 05 Jan, 2015 03:01
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It has been said that the yellow fumes were actually caused by a flare to mark the stage's position for recovery teams.
That doesn't alleviate the fact that unprotected people were allowed to touch and stand next to components that may have been slightly contaminated, but somehow it was strange to think they would be allowed (or able!) to roam around clearly leaking hypergols. Maybe the pictures with people around were taken after air sampling and experts determined there was nothing -too- hazardous left.
I find it most oddlifying that once they had blocked off a perimeter and posted guards the guards were all wearing paper or cheese cloth masks over their mouths and noses to protect against the gas. Umm, guys, its a gas and goes through those masks as well as the air you are breathing. Duh.
Mark
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#54
by
Phillip Clark
on 05 Jan, 2015 06:03
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If it's not manoeuvred I am assuming that object A is the third stage and FY-2 has still to be located (it's much smaller!).
The thing being tracked as object A from this launch is still in GTO, making me even more certain that this is the CZ-3A third stage, and FY-2 itself has yet to be tracked and catalogued. When it is found the object in GTO should switch to become B, while the satellite in GEO becomes A.
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#55
by
Liss
on 05 Jan, 2015 08:24
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The thing being tracked as object A from this launch is still in GTO, making me even more certain that this is the CZ-3A third stage, and FY-2 itself has yet to be tracked and catalogued. When it is found the object in GTO should switch to become B, while the satellite in GEO becomes A.
Talking about recent launches, we still do not see in the U.S. catalogue (near) GEO elements for Yamal 401 (40345, 2014-082A; with one exception only GTO elements for Briz-M tank were published); Angara 5 Briz-M/GVM combination (40355, 2014-085A; also only tank orbit elsets were published); and FY-2G. It may be policy or neglegence; the former is inconvenient but the latter frightens.
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#56
by
Ohsin
on 05 Jan, 2015 09:39
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It seems it landed engines first and had good roll. I aligned images of stage in midair.
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#57
by
cscott
on 05 Jan, 2015 21:18
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For comparison, I calculated the energy (potential + kinetic) of the FY-2G first stage compared to an F9 first stage here:
Asssuming the stage masses are roughly comparable, the F9 has 1.76x the energy of the chinese stage. It's likely that the F9 first stage is actually slightly heavier (since it's a two stage rocket) which would broaden the gap.
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#58
by
Fuji
on 06 Jan, 2015 10:46
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#59
by
input~2
on 07 Jan, 2015 11:43
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If it's not manoeuvred I am assuming that object A is the third stage and FY-2 has still to be located (it's much smaller!).
The thing being tracked as object A from this launch is still in GTO, making me even more certain that this is the CZ-3A third stage, and FY-2 itself has yet to be tracked and catalogued. When it is found the object in GTO should switch to become B, while the satellite in GEO becomes A.
It' s been done. New object A is practically in GEO (35769 x 35795 km @2.29°@99.4°E)
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#60
by
Phillip Clark
on 07 Jan, 2015 12:08
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Object C which is also now catalogued should be the apogee motor which separates after burning to circularise the orbit.
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#61
by
Satori
on 08 Jan, 2015 16:53
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That's a forest, for crying out loud, and those are human beings.
