LIVE: Long March 5 maiden flight - SJ-17 - WSLC - November 3, 2016 (12:43 UTC)

• #220 by FutureSpaceTourist on 03 Nov, 2016 16:11
• Quote

  Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk 15m15 minutes ago
  
  @newscientist @XHNews Congratulations to China on the successful launch of the LM 5 heavy lift rocket!
  

  
  https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/794221355642146816
• #221 by Liss on 03 Nov, 2016 17:16
• Quote from: Phillip Clark on 03 Nov, 2016 14:46

  We have two objects catalogued:
  
  2016-065A/41838       2016 Nov  3.58   19.51 deg      508.77 min      189-29,276 km
     
  2016-065B/41839       2016 Nov  3.59   19.51 deg      631.63 min      212-35,803 km
  
  I am assuming that 41838 is actually the second stage core and 41839 is the combined YZ-2/Shijian 17.   
  

  So YZ-2 added some 300 m/s in the first ignition.
  Does this mean that the YZ-2/SJ-17 is heavier than 14000 kg CZ-5 is capable to GTO? (In fact very doubtful.)
• #222 by Liss on 03 Nov, 2016 17:42
• Nominally, YZ-2 second ignition is from 18:37 to 18:54, satellite separation at 18:55 UTC.
• #223 by input~2 on 03 Nov, 2016 19:30
• According to Chinaspaceflight SJ-17 separated successfully
• #224 by rah335 on 03 Nov, 2016 19:44
• does anyone have potential downlink freq for SJ-17?  I am guessing S band, but just a guess.
  any reports of the inserted orbit achieved?
• #225 by MATTBLAK on 03 Nov, 2016 20:16
• Thanks for the links guys; I went to bed thinking the launch was scrubbed for today! It was 2am down here. Now, I can see the video links to view the launch of this very impressive new vehicle. China can be justifiably proud of their growing prowess.
• #226 by input~2 on 03 Nov, 2016 20:18
• Launch events timeline  (from 9ifly)
  extracts:
  boosters sep:                   +172.960s
  fairing sep     :                  +285.460s
  1st stage cutoff :              +417.310s
  1st stage/2nd stage sep: +475.110s
  2nd stage 1st cutoff:        +830.507s
  2nd stage 2nd ignition:    +1422.507s
  2nd stage 2nd cutoff:      +1767.728s
  ......
  S/C sep                       :   +22438.186s

  ---

  
• #227 by Liss on 03 Nov, 2016 20:29
• Quote from: Liss on 03 Nov, 2016 17:16

  So YZ-2 added some 300 m/s in the first ignition.
  Does this mean that the YZ-2/SJ-17 is heavier than 14000 kg CZ-5 is capable to GTO? (In fact very doubtful.)
  

  In fact the launch kit pages at 9ifly list YZ-2 mass as 12.0 t. With the satellite, the CZ-5 payload in this launch could easily be more than 14000 kg. Up to 17500 kg if the SJ-17 satellite is DFH-4 based.
• #228 by baldusi on 03 Nov, 2016 23:28
• Can you attach it to this thread?
• #229 by jcm on 04 Nov, 2016 00:29
• Quote from: Liss on 03 Nov, 2016 20:29

  Quote from: Liss on 03 Nov, 2016 17:16

  So YZ-2 added some 300 m/s in the first ignition.
  Does this mean that the YZ-2/SJ-17 is heavier than 14000 kg CZ-5 is capable to GTO? (In fact very doubtful.)
  

  In fact the launch kit pages at 9ifly list YZ-2 mass as 12.0 t. With the satellite, the CZ-5 payload in this launch could easily be more than 14000 kg. Up to 17500 kg if the SJ-17 satellite is DFH-4 based.
  

  
  
  Seems unlikely the DFH-4 would have a full prop load given the direct GEO injection - probably more like 3000 kg.
• #230 by JimO on 04 Nov, 2016 00:50
• The control center video had a ground track map on a small display screen, did anybody get a higher-res image of that map?
• #231 by Steven Pietrobon on 04 Nov, 2016 01:23
• Congratulations to China for the successful launch! Missed seeing the launch live as I thought it had been scrubbed, it was my bed time and I was pretty tired. :-(
• #232 by Dante80 on 04 Nov, 2016 02:57
• Congratulations to China for the maiden launch of CZ-5! This is an extremely big milestone for the Chinese space program, I was glad that - almost - everything went swimmingly. I look forward to seeing this monster lift humanity s next space station in the following years!
  
  And this might, just might open the road to CALT working on the LM-9 seriously.
   
• #233 by akfish on 04 Nov, 2016 03:51
• One of the launch crew (?) shared some of the conversations on the countdown net on Zhihu (Chinese equivalent of Quora) Source: https://www.zhihu.com/question/52137084/answer/129604157
  
  

  Quote

  （4）20161103 发射日。发射时间：18:00:00。发射窗口：18:00～20:40。
  （5）10:30 左右，助推1、3疑似液氧泄露，01下达口令：“各号保持状态，暂不进入-7小时程序”。
  （6）01口令：“重置点火时间为19:01:00”。
  （7）17:36，一级循环预冷失败，01下达口令：“110暂停液氧排放，暂停煤油充填。各系统保持状态，暂不进入-1小时程序。”
  （8）18:20，卫星表态，发射窗口可以推迟至21:00。
  （9）19:02，01口令：“02，组织一级氦配气台1操作手返回操作岗位。”
  （10）19:10 领导决策：若到19:30一级发动机预冷仍不正常，考虑进入终止发射流程。阵地开始进行终止发射流程准备工作，抢险人员到位。
  （11）由于动力总指挥卓越的工作（接通D7吹除），19:33一级1分机氢泵轴承处外壳体壁温开始下降。
  （12）01口令：“设定点火时间为20:40:00。”
  （13）20:30 线路综合专业射前监测参数不再更新，软件显示异常。
  （14）20:38 01口令：“暂缓进入-3分钟准备程序。设定点火时间为20:41:17。”
  （15）20:39 01口令：“暂缓进入-2分钟准备程序。设定点火时间为20:41:56。”
  （16）-90s 120口令：“转电。”
  （17）控制主控计算机报错。
  （18）约-1分钟，120报告：“01，终止发射。”（中国航天史上最牛逼的口令，没有之一）
  （19） 01：“怎么搞得？”
  （20）十几秒后，120报告：“01，稍等。”
  （21）十几秒后，120报告：“01，可以了。”
  （22） -10秒，01开始点火倒计时报数：“10、9、8……”制导专业报告：“还没有数”，姿控专业报告：“姿态角偏差还没有。”
  （23） 120报告：“01，稍等。”01口令：“……7、6……”。
  （24）-6秒，姿控专业报告：“有了。”120报告：“01，好了。”01口令：“……5、4，C3I重置当前时间为-10秒”。
  （25）发射时间被置为20:43:04。
  （26）01口令：“10、9、8、7、6、5、4、3、2、1、点火。”
  （27）20:43:13.13998s起飞。掌声。
  （28）卧槽，控制地面没收到起飞信号。
  （29）182.173s，助推器分离。掌声。
  （30）285.867s，抛整流罩。掌声。
  （31）476.233s，一二级分离。掌声。
  （32）832.449s，二级一次关机。掌声。
  （33）120喊到：“我靠，这样也能成功？！”
  （34）1422.440s，二级二次点火。掌声。
  （35）1779.010s，二级二次关机。掌声。
  （36）1821.010s，级间分离。掌声。
  （37）热烈祝贺长征五号首飞任务圆满成功！
  

  
  Rough translation (all time is in UTC+8:00 Beijing time. 01, 120 and etc are the call signs of launch team stations. 01 is the flight director):
  （4）Launch day: 20161103. T0 = 18:00:00. Launch window: 18:00～20:40
  （5）Around 10:30, suspect LOX leaks in booster 1 and 3. 01: "All stations stand by. Hold countdown at T-7 hours"
  （6）01: "Set T0 = 19:01:00"
  （7）17:36, 1st stage pre-chill failed. 01: "110, stop LOX venting. Stop kerosene filling. All stations stand by. Hold countdown at T-1 hours"
  （8）18:20, payload officer confirms that the launch window can be postponed until 21:00
  （9）19:02, 01: "02, 1st stage Helium stations operator 1 return to post"
  （10）At 19:10, the leadership decided that they would scrub for the day, should the 1st stage pre-chill issue persist till 19:30. Launch site began preparations for scrub. Emergency respond team in position.
  （11）Propulsion director's excellent work resolved the pre-chill issue. At 19:33, the temperature of 1st stage engine 1's hydrogen pump bearing casing began to drop.
  （12）01: "Set T0 = 20:40:00"
  （13）20:30, abnormal telecommunication monitoring software. Data display not updating.
  （14）20:38, 01: "Hold T-3 min. Set T0 = 20:41:17"
  （15）20:39 01: "Hold T-2 min. Set T0 = 20:41:56"
  （16）T-90s, 120:"Internal power"
  （17）Main computer error.
  （18）T-1min，120: "Abort launch"
  （19）01: "What's the problem"
  （20）120: "01, stand by"
  （21）120: "01, go ahead"
  （22） T-10s, guidance: "Still not getting the numbers" Altitude control: "Not getting
  attitude angle deviation"
  （23）120: "01, hold". 01: "...7, 6..."
  （24）T-6s Altitude control: "go". 120: "01, go". 01: "C31 reset to T-10s"
  （25）T0 = 20:43:04
  （26）01: "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, engine start"
  （27）Lift off at 20:43:13.13998s
  And you know the rest.
  
  Some of the conversations (mainly ones leading to the final countdown) are actually audible in the live coverage. The "abort launch" call can be heard around 31:01 in this video:
• #234 by savuporo on 04 Nov, 2016 03:56
• Quote from: Steven Pietrobon on 04 Nov, 2016 01:23

  Congratulations to China for the successful launch! Missed seeing the launch live as I thought it had been scrubbed, it was my bed time and I was pretty tired. :-(
  

  
  To one of the NSFs most avid resident live coverage operator, cheer up, you cant get them all !
• #235 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Nov, 2016 05:24
• Quote from: akfish on 04 Nov, 2016 03:51

  One of the launch crew (?) shared some of the conversations on the countdown net on Zhihu (Chinese equivalent of Quora) Source: https://www.zhihu.com/question/52137084/answer/129604157
  

  
  Here's my own translation, paraphrasing some of the callouts as used in the US. The countdown was even crazier than what I thought, up to at least the level of STS-133/F9 1st flight and maybe even more!
  
  (all times are local time, UTC+8)
  
  (1) October 28: The testing of all systems of the CZ-5 was completed and the rocket was transferred to the launch pad, entering the final fueling and launch phase.
  (2) October 30: Problems arose during the Wet Dress Rehearsal: the rocket alignment as installed on the pad deviates from the norm and in the final countdown one of the booster engines abnormally swung to the maximum pitch angle (!). Did it caused damage to the engine? Should the rocket be pulled back to Tianjin for repairs?
  (3) October 31: The flight readiness review was held with PLA officials. The booster system officer reported that the engine is OK for flight. (maybe we should thank those guys at AALPT (engine developer) ??）
  (4) November 3 - Launch Day. T-0 set to 18:00:00. Launch window is 18:00 - 20:40. (*)
  (5) At around 10:30, there were suspect indications that LOX was leaking from boosters #1 & 3. 01 (a.k.a. launch director) (#) called out: “All stations maintain readiness. Clock will hold at T - 7 hours”.
  (6) LD: “Re-set T - 0 to 19:01:00”.
  (7) At 17:36, problems arose during chill down of the 1st stage engines. LD announced: “110 (probably PROP?) terminate LOX venting and RP-1 filling. “All stations maintain readiness. Clock will hold at T - 1 hour”.
  ( 18:20: Payload systems officer reported that they can support extending the launch window to 21:00.
  (9) 19:02: LD: “02 (probably mission director), get the 1st stage helium systems operator #1 back to position.”
  (10) 19:10: The team decided that if the 1st stage engines chill down problem had not been resolved by 19:30, they will consider going into scrub procedures. Pad crew moved out in preparation for a scrub.
  (11) After some decent work by the propulsion team (involves blowing out of "inlet D7"), at 19:33 they finally observes the temperature of 1st stage engine #1's outer chamber at the LH2 pump's bearing starting to drop.
  (12) LD: “Re-set T - 0 to 20:40:00”.
  (13) Suddenly at 20:30, another problem arose: the parameters as shown on the management system's consoles was not updating with error messages popped out.
  (14) At 20:38 LD called, “Hold at T - 3 minutes and re-set T - 0 to 20:41:17.”
  (15) At 20:39 LD called, “Hold at T - 2 minutes and re-set T - 0 to 20:41:56.”
  (16) T - 90s: 120 (probably GNC?): “Vehicle on internal power.”
  (17) Master alarm buzzed (!)
  (18) At T - 1 minute 120 suddenly made a call：“01, HOLD HOLD HOLD”（this must be the most dramatic call-out in Chinese spaceflight history!）
  (19)  01: “What's going on?”
  (20) A dozen seconds later 120 reports：“01, stand by.”
  (21) A dozen seconds later 120 reports：“01, cleared to proceed.”
  (22)  T - 10s, 01 started to countdown: “10, 9, 8……” GNC: “We can't see the parameters.”, Flight dynamics: “We lost attitude deviation angle data.”
  (23) 120: “01, stand by.” 01: “……7、6……” (+)
  (24) T - 6s, FIDO reports：“We have data.” 120 reports：“01, clear to proceed.” 01: “……5、4，C3I (Timer?) re-set clock to T - 10s”.
  (25) T - 0 re-set to 20:43:04.
  (26) 01: “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ignition.”
  (27) Liftoff at 20:43:13.998 - cheers at the LCC.
  (28) Uh oh, the console at the Ground Systems officer failed to receive the liftoff signal!
  (29) 182.173s - boosters separation.
  (30) 285.867s - fairing jettison.
  (31) 476.233s - first stage separation.
  (32) 832.449s - SECO-1.
  (33) 120 shouted：“What the *beep*......how come it can fly straight and true after all!?”
  (34) 1422.440s - SEI-2.
  (35) 1779.010s - SECO-2.
  (36) 1821.010s - upper stage separation.
  (37) Congratulations to the successful launch of the first CZ-5!
  
  (*) One can see that the Chinese probably didn't have that tight definition of a launch window (just like SpaceX) - they did launch outside the window at least once before to dodge thunderstorms.
  (#) The tradition of using numbers for launch team stations came from the Russians, which still does that.
  (+) The launch director's sound was very nervous by then - I never heard an LD sound like that anywhere in the world....
  (%) Amazing to see the Chinese press on with their consoles not receiving vital data in the final seconds - even if that's a transient! I bet that if this happens on the other side of the Pacific they would have recycled to some earlier point and probably scrub for the day. 
  (&) You can see that it was down to the wire when they decided to make one last attempt for the day - no wonder news were chaotic back then!
• #236 by Galactic Penguin SST on 04 Nov, 2016 05:26
• Also one insider claimed that there might had been some very slight underperformance that was easily dealt with by the upper stage - it seems that SECO-2 was 12 seconds late as seen above with some of the other time marks a few seconds off as well.
• #237 by Phillip Clark on 04 Nov, 2016 07:23
• Just musing ....... about the YZ-2 and mentally comparing it with the Russian Blok D.
• #238 by Graham2001 on 04 Nov, 2016 07:50
• Congratulations to the Chinese. Read somewhere that this launch was three years behind the first planned launch date, puts SLS into perspective.
• #239 by Satori on 04 Nov, 2016 09:13
• China launches heavy-lift carrier rocket.
  
  China sends satellite, upper stage craft into orbit.
  
  Long March-5 reflects China's "greatest advancement" in new launcher family: U.S. expert.
  
  New heavy-lift carrier rocket boosts China's space dream.

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