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Gaofen-1-02/03/04 - CZ-4C - TSLC - March 31, 2018 (03:22 UTC)
by
input~2
on 27 Mar, 2018 11:21
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Looks like there will be another Chinese launch on March 31 ~03:20 UTC from Taiyuan! The payload is apparently 3 follow-on satellites to GF-1 (it's apparently NOT GF-6) but details are unusually murky for civilian EO satellites in China (yet still more than military birds).
Details coming soon in a dedicated thread.
This could be the one: Taiyuan March 31, ~03:20 UTC
A0905/18 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N301702E1093217-N301138E1100907-N291818E1095841-N292342E1092208 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:SFC-UNL. ALL ACFT SHALL BE FORBIDDEN TO FLY INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA. SFC - UNL, 31 MAR 03:16 2018 UNTIL 31 MAR 03:43 2018. CREATED: 27 MAR 06:02 2018
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#1
by
Satori
on 27 Mar, 2018 12:24
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Apparently, according to info on 9ifly Chinese space forum, this are the satellites...
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#2
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 30 Mar, 2018 09:32
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Chinese media quoting the Chinese State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) confirms that the 3 satellites launching tomorrow are known as GF-1-02, 03 & 04. They are identical to GF-1(-01) launched in April 2013 and will be used as an operational constellation.
Source
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#3
by
Phillip Clark
on 30 Mar, 2018 09:44
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Clearly infected by the Yaogan Virus which results in confusing names!!
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#4
by
Alter Sachse
on 30 Mar, 2018 09:56
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#5
by
input~2
on 30 Mar, 2018 16:16
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Expected launch code name: 05-58
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#6
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 03:25
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No confirmation of liftoff yet, although I don't expect much from this launch site.
The launch should be completed within 30 minutes - the latter parts of the launch will be tracked by Yuan Wang 3 which is stationed in the southern Indian Ocean right now.
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#7
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 03:31
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Chinese media quoting the Chinese State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) confirms that the 3 satellites launching tomorrow are known as GF-1-02, 03 & 04. They are identical to GF-1(-01) launched in April 2013 and will be used as an operational constellation.
Source
Actually as the presentation slides above shows, the 16 m resolution Wide View multispectral camera carried on the original GF-1 (see
https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/g/gaofen-1 for details) is probably omitted on the 3 satellites being launched. Otherwise these 3 satellites are more or less the same as the one launched in April 2013.
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#8
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 03:36
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#9
by
Chris Bergin
on 31 Mar, 2018 03:38
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#10
by
Avengers
on 31 Mar, 2018 04:04
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#11
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 04:10
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#12
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 04:17
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#13
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 04:18
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A GIF of the launch from nearby mountains from the 2nd link above (click to animate):
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#14
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 09:15
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...and two launch photos:
(photo by Xu Chuenlei/Xinhua)
CZ-4C s/n Y26 was used for this launch.
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#15
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 31 Mar, 2018 10:48
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...and two launch photos:
(photo by Xu Chuenlei/Xinhua)
CZ-4C s/n Y26 was used for this launch.
Exact liftoff time was 03:22:08:332 UTC.
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#16
by
input~2
on 31 Mar, 2018 11:06
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#17
by
input~2
on 31 Mar, 2018 11:08
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#18
by
input~2
on 31 Mar, 2018 12:21
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#19
by
Phillip Clark
on 31 Mar, 2018 12:26
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Curses, the TV channel logo is hiding the launch code!
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#20
by
input~2
on 31 Mar, 2018 12:28
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#21
by
Phillip Clark
on 31 Mar, 2018 12:35
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We have TLEs for four objects at present: 2018-031A/43269, B/43260, C/43261 and G/43265. Rather a lot of debris up there!
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#22
by
input~2
on 31 Mar, 2018 13:37
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We have TLEs for four objects at present: 2018-031A/43259, B/43260, C/43261 and G/43265. Rather a lot of debris up there!
Yep, here are the orbits:
2018-031A/43259 in 493 x 645 km x 98.077°
2018-031B/43260 in 637 x 641 km x 98.033°
2018-031C/43261 in 639 x 643 km x 98.025°
2018-031D/43262 in 635 x 642 km x 98.033°
2018-031E/43263 no data
2018-031F/43264 no data
2018-031G/43265 in 639 x 647 km x 98.024°
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#23
by
input~2
on 31 Mar, 2018 13:45
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As a reference, Gaofen-1-01 last orbit:
2018-018A/39150 in 627 x 653 km x 97.929°
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#24
by
Phillip Clark
on 31 Mar, 2018 16:53
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We have TLEs for four objects at present: 2018-031A/43259, B/43260, C/43261 and G/43265. Rather a lot of debris up there!
Yep, here are the orbits:
2018-031A/43259 in 493 x 645 km x 98.077°
2018-031B/43260 in 637 x 641 km x 98.033°
2018-031C/43261 in 639 x 643 km x 98.025°
2018-031D/43262 in 635 x 642 km x 98.033°
2018-031E/43263 no data
2018-031F/43264 no data
2018-031G/43265 in 639 x 647 km x 98.024°
From these orbits, I would assume that the one for A represents the CZ-4C third stage, so I would expect a little re-arranging if the designators/catalogue numbers might take place.
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#25
by
SciNews
on 31 Mar, 2018 20:03
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Long March-4 launches Gaofen-1 02, Gaofen-1 03 and Gaofen-1 04
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#26
by
Liss
on 02 Apr, 2018 11:24
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From these orbits, I would assume that the one for A represents the CZ-4C third stage, so I would expect a little re-arranging if the designators/catalogue numbers might take place.
As of now, eight objects are catalogued.
F is now the rocket stage.
A, B, C, D, and G are three satellites and two adapters. We'll see which are the spacecraft when these start to maneuver.
E and H are fragments.
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#27
by
limen4
on 04 Apr, 2018 17:46
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#28
by
Liss
on 05 Apr, 2018 08:08
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Objects B and D has maneuvered, so these are satellites.
A, C, and new object J are candidates for the third satellite.
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#29
by
Phillip Clark
on 05 Apr, 2018 10:51
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Objects B and D has maneuvered, so these are satellites.
A, C, and new object J are candidates for the third satellite.
And if J is the third satellite maybe expect a further "musical chairs" with the international designators/catalogue numbers so the three satellites are A, B and C.
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#30
by
input~2
on 05 Apr, 2018 16:36
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So we have 9 objects:
3 satellites,
2 adapters,
1 3rd stage,
the 3 remaining objects could be telescope covers (one per satellite) |
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#31
by
Liss
on 06 Apr, 2018 06:49
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the 3 remaining objects could be telescope covers (one per satellite)
There're two telescopes at each satellite.
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#32
by
input~2
on 06 Apr, 2018 08:53
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the 3 remaining objects could be telescope covers (one per satellite)
There're two telescopes at each satellite.
I know, that does not exclude the possibility of a joint lid for both telescopes
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#33
by
Liss
on 07 Apr, 2018 10:09
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Well, we know that two of the nine objects maneuvered up 3 km (object D) and down 3 km (object B) on April 3 which was expected for phase separation within orbital plane.
But there're some strange things in other objects behavior revealed in April 6 TLEs. It seems that C and G has both slightly raised orbits. Also, I suspect that three TLEs for object C issued on April 5 and 6 belong in fact to another object with slightly different inclination. Maybe in fact these should be reclassified to J, and if so, J has also changed her orbit.
I'm in doubts if there were only three satellites in this launch.
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#34
by
input~2
on 06 May, 2018 19:50
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1st stage debris were recovered in SE Shaanxi
source
