Author Topic: FAILURE: Shijian-18 - CZ-5 (Y2) - WSLC, LC101 - July 2, 2017 (11:23 UTC) (Read 162268 times)

Galactic Penguin SST · « **on:** 04/24/2017 04:56 pm »

Hmm, I can't find a thread for the 2nd flight of the CZ-5 so here it is.
The ships transporting the rocket stages of CZ-5 s/n Y2 (Yuan Wang 21/22) has departed Tianjin port earlier today for Hainan Island.

SJ-18 will be the 1st Chinese comsat using their big DFH-5 satellite bus - their heaviest ever. With a quoted mass of at least 7 tonnes (one other source says about 8 tonnes and another up to 10 (!)), there's a decent chance that it will break the record for the heaviest geostationary communication satellite.

Nordren · « **Reply #1 on:** 04/24/2017 05:45 pm »

LIPS-300 ion engines, too - more powerful versions of the ones on Shijian-13.

linxiaoyi · « **Reply #2 on:** 04/30/2017 07:04 am »

China's CZ-5 (Y2) rocket arrived safely in Hainan, Wenchang
http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/13552.html

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #3 on:** 04/30/2017 10:58 am »

Quote

Components of China's 2nd Long March 5 rocket arrived at port at Wenchang today. Will launch heaviest satellite yet, Shijian-18, in June.

https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/858635271314845696

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #4 on:** 05/31/2017 03:14 am »

Rumors are currently pointing to a June 30 launch date.

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #5 on:** 06/07/2017 01:03 pm »

Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 05/31/2017 03:14 am

Rumors are currently pointing to a June 30 launch date.

According to CNSA's Xu Yiansong (speaking at GLEX 2017), the launch is now scheduled on July 2.

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #6 on:** 06/26/2017 02:21 am »

Looks like they are holding the launch date as the rocket has been rolled out to the launch pad just an hour ago.

Pictures to be posted later.

Kosmos2001 · « **Reply #7 on:** 06/26/2017 10:54 am »

"SJ-18" Lonch March 5 begins a transition.
https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/879134302390198274

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #8 on:** 06/26/2017 02:22 pm »

Quote

LM-5 which will be launched from the WSLC with Shijian-18 next Month completed its transportation to launch site just now.

https://twitter.com/cgwic/status/879341816478392320

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #9 on:** 06/26/2017 04:49 pm »

A few more photos of the roll-out from various sources (unfortunately all are low-res):

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #10 on:** 06/26/2017 04:53 pm »

Here are some photos and screenshots of the CZ-5 during final assembly and stacking collected by this Chinese forum thread:

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #11 on:** 06/26/2017 04:55 pm »

....and what I believe to be the real thing of SJ-18:

SmallKing · « **Reply #12 on:** 06/27/2017 02:06 pm »

Some nice pictures taken by a Rocket fan

SmallKing · « **Reply #13 on:** 06/28/2017 01:15 pm »

Some more

input~2 · « **Reply #14 on:** 06/29/2017 04:45 am »

Launch time around 03:20 UTC

A1664/17 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED WITHIN A CIRCLE CENTERED AT N1937E11057 WITH RADIUS OF 25KM, VERTICAL LIMITS: GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 02 JUL 03:13 2017 UNTIL 02 JUL 08:11 2017. CREATED: 29 JUN 03:03 2017

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #15 on:** 06/29/2017 06:07 am »

Quote from: input~2 on 06/29/2017 04:45 am

Launch time around 03:20 UTC

A1664/17 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED WITHIN A CIRCLE CENTERED AT N1937E11057 WITH RADIUS OF 25KM, VERTICAL LIMITS: GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 02 JUL 03:13 2017 UNTIL 02 JUL 08:11 2017. CREATED: 29 JUN 03:03 2017

Seems like they get the time zone conversions all wrong.

A1667/17 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED WITHIN A CIRCLE
CENTERED AT N1937E11057 WITH RADIUS OF 25KM, VERTICAL LIMITS:
GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 02 JUL 11:13 2017 UNTIL 02 JUL 16:11 2017. CREATED: 29 JUN
05:34 2017

11:20 UTC sounds right since previous rumors were for an evening launch.

Phillip Clark · « **Reply #16 on:** 06/29/2017 06:38 am »

Are there any hints about live coverage of the launch?

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #17 on:** 06/29/2017 07:41 am »

Quote from: Phillip Clark on 06/29/2017 06:38 am

Are there any hints about live coverage of the launch?

CCTV's news report during the roll out was fairly extensive so I would expect them to at least provide similar coverage as the last three CZ-5/7 launches, if not even more.

Even if they don't cover it, other media organizations/people visiting Wenchang will be able to do coverage freely, and I am sure plenty of links will appear on launch day.

input~2 · « **Reply #18 on:** 06/30/2017 06:52 am »

NOTAM for CZ-5 resp. boosters and fairing debris
B2279/17 - DUE TO SPACEFLIGHT ACT OF ATM BUREAU OF CAAC, THE FLW RNAV RTE SEGMENTS CLSD:
1. N892 BET KABAM AND MUMOT ALTN RTE: POTIB M646 ABVAR DIRECT MAVRA -FL RESTRICTION : N892 LTD TO FL320, FL360 AND FL400 L625 LTD TO FL310, FL350 AND FL390
2. M501 BET MIKIN AND ALDIS ALTN RTE: NOMAN A461 AVMUP DIRECT LAO AND VISE-VERSA
3. N884 BET DADNU AND LEBIX ALTN RTE: CAB B462 LAO DIRECT LEBIX.
02 JUL 11:22 2017 UNTIL 02 JUL 16:26 2017. CREATED: 30 JUN 03:04 2017

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #19 on:** 07/01/2017 11:05 am »

Fueling of the rocket has already begun at 08:30 UTC today (presumably RP-1 for the boosters): http://www.weibo.com/5386897742/Fao6hfVYo?ref=home&rid=4_0_202_2676189878736606113

Also it mentions that SJ-18 has some kind of Q-band/V-band communication payload on board for testing.