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XJS-A & B - CZ-2C - XSLC - June 27, 2018 (03:30 UTC)
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 18 Jun, 2018 09:02
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Cross posting from the Chinese launch schedule thread:
Well the identity of the June 23 launch from Xichang has been solved once and for all....or not quite.
Today Xinhua posted an article on people working at XSLC during today's Dragonboat Festival. It states the the final rehersal for the upcoming launch was held yesterday and that "....after the CE-4 Relay launch last month, XSLC was busy with both preparing the launch of FY-2H and converting Pad 3, which this launch will go off, from the CZ-4C launch configuration to one for the CZ-2C..."
So we now know the rocket. But what payload? 
So what payload? Another YG-30 series launch is possible, but other options exist, including a launch for test satellites for CAST's LEO comsat constellation named
Hongyan.
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#1
by
Phillip Clark
on 18 Jun, 2018 09:09
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Or a very rare Shiyan Weixing launch to a near-SSO?
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#2
by
starbase
on 19 Jun, 2018 15:17
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Teams at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China have been making the final preparations for the launch of an unknown payload via a Long March 2C, which could take place in the coming days.
According to a Xinhua article (Chinese) portraying the dedication of teams at Xichang working through the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend holiday, the last general inspection of the rocket before launch.
The launch will be hosted by Launch Complex 3, which on May 20 saw the launch of the Queqiao Chang'e-4 relay satellite and two piggybacking lunar microsatellites. Its configuration has been changed from that suitable for the 45.8 m-tall, three-stage Long March 4C used for that previous launch into that required for the 42 metre-high, two-stage Long March 2C.
Despite the uncommon occurrence of a state media report indicating an impending minor Chinese space launch, the nature of the payload remains undisclosed.
Source:
https://gbtimes.com/china-gearing-up-for-long-march-2c-launch-of-mystery-payload-from-xichang
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#3
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 20 Jun, 2018 07:55
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#4
by
Satori
on 20 Jun, 2018 08:19
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#5
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 20 Jun, 2018 17:03
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This launch could be for PRSS 1.
http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/prss-1.htm
The information we have says PRSS-1 will be launched from Taiyuan.
I was actually wondering about this one - after all, I haven't seen any public info that PRSS-1 is going into a polar orbit, and some countries near the equator sometimes prefer low inclination LEO for these satellites (e.g. RazakSat for Malaysia and TELEOS-1 for Singapore). Should Pakistan want this, then it would have to be launched from Xichang.
Some guy posted another claim that it is CZ-2C s/n Y44 w/ 2 satellites of the XY-x series though. Dunno of its accuracy.
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#6
by
tehwkd
on 22 Jun, 2018 10:55
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Payload: 3xYG-30.
Why?
25jan18 | LM-2C | 3x YaoGan-30
N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E1072844
25dec17 | LM-2C | 3xYaoGan-30
N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E1072844
24nov17 | LM-2C | 3x YaoGan-30
N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E1072844
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#7
by
zubenelgenubi
on 22 Jun, 2018 11:50
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#8
by
Chris Bergin
on 22 Jun, 2018 11:52
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I'm not a fan of putting the spacecraft first in the title, but you guys like it in the Chinese section, so we can be consistent
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#9
by
input~2
on 22 Jun, 2018 13:58
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Maybe Weina-1B will also be onboard...
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#10
by
russianhalo117
on 22 Jun, 2018 15:21
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Maybe Weina-1B will also be onboard...
Weina-1B was launched on this flight:
2018:
11 - April 10 (04:25:03.443) - CZ-4C (Y25) - JSLC (01-90), LC43/94 - Yaogan Weixing-31A, B, C; Weina-1B
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#11
by
Liss
on 22 Jun, 2018 19:28
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The problem is that the launch time doesn't match any of the three orbital planes used in four launches.
Maybe Weina-1B will also be onboard...
Weina-1B was launched on this flight:
2018:
11 - April 10 (04:25:03.443) - CZ-4C (Y25) - JSLC (01-90), LC43/94 - Yaogan Weixing-31A, B, C; Weina-1B
Nope. Only USSPACECOM thinks it was Weina-1B.
The April launch had a bird named 微纳技术试验卫星, that is a micronanosatellite for technology tests. No number and no relation to Weina-1A announced previously.
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#12
by
input~2
on 22 Jun, 2018 20:23
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The problem is that the launch time doesn't match any of the three orbital planes used in four launches.
Maybe Weina-1B will also be onboard...
Weina-1B was launched on this flight:
2018:
11 - April 10 (04:25:03.443) - CZ-4C (Y25) - JSLC (01-90), LC43/94 - Yaogan Weixing-31A, B, C; Weina-1B
Nope. Only USSPACECOM thinks it was Weina-1B.
The April launch had a bird named 微纳技术试验卫星, that is a micronanosatellite for technology tests. No number and no relation to Weina-1A announced previously.
Yep, could be
shortened as "Weina JS" : wēi nà jìshù shìyàn wèixīng
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#13
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 23 Jun, 2018 08:53
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Per reports, this may be slipping to June 27.
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#14
by
input~2
on 23 Jun, 2018 13:20
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NOTAM A2354/18 for June 24 is still active
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#15
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 24 Jun, 2018 03:31
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If the launch hasn't been delayed, launch should be happening about now.
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#16
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 24 Jun, 2018 03:54
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#17
by
input~2
on 24 Jun, 2018 06:35
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No news so we'll say it's been delayed to June 27 around 03:30 UTC
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#18
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 Jun, 2018 08:48
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NOTAM has been reissued:
A2402/18 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N263510E1072251-N264300E1065708-N265820E1070259-N265028E1072844 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 27 JUN 03:23 2018 UNTIL 27 JUN 03:43 2018. CREATED: 26 JUN 07:16 2018
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#19
by
Liss
on 26 Jun, 2018 09:55
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That's not a great day and time too to launch to any known plane of the CX-5/YG-30 triplets.
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#20
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 Jun, 2018 11:25
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That's not a great day and time too to launch to any known plane of the CX-5/YG-30 triplets.
Thanks, that might align with rumors that the payloads are 2 satellites of the XY-x series instead. But why to a 35-ish degree inclination orbit?
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#21
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 27 Jun, 2018 03:30
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Launch should be happening about now.
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#22
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 27 Jun, 2018 03:40
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Liftoff confirmed.
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#23
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:10
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Launch success has been confirmed with T-0 at 03:30 UTC.
However....YG-30 is NOT the one riding on this rocket today. Instead we are getting 2 "new technology demonstration" satellites that are reported to "test inter-satellite communications and new Earth observation technologies". The problem is that the name given of the payload doesn't sound like a proper name at all!
I wonder if they are actually demo sats for one of those "Chinese OneWeb/Starlink" plans.....
source
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#24
by
GELORD
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:12
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#25
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:13
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#26
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:15
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Thanks Galactic Penguin SST. Images from your link. I've converted the original PNG files to JPG to reduce their size. Bing Translation.
"Successful launch of new technology test binaries in China
CCTV News Client CCTV News client June 27, 2018 11:54
I want to share June 27, 2018 11:30, our country in Xichang Satellite Launch Center with the Long march of the second-C launch vehicle, the successful launch of new technology test binaries, satellite into a predetermined orbit. 2 satellites are mainly used to carry out the satellite link network and New Earth Observation technology test."
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#27
by
Satori
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:15
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So, what are the satellite designations?
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#28
by
GELORD
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:20
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#29
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 27 Jun, 2018 04:27
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Note that there's an interesting bump on the fairing.....
CALT just issued an article that explicitly pointed that out, due to the satellite(s) physical dimensions exceeding the standard fairing. The 2 satellites are stacked on top in series. The article also also call the CAST DFH built satellites "XJSW-A & B" if you follow the usual nomenclatures.
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#30
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 27 Jun, 2018 05:03
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In Pinyin it is
xīn jìshù shìyàn shuāngxīng bāokuò A xīng huò / hé B xīng
新 技术 试验 双星 包括 A 星 和 B 星
Bing translation is
"New technology test binaries include A and B stars"
That would give it the acronym XJSS as the last two characters (双星) are shuāngxīng (literally binary stars or binaries), not weixing. The name is also given on the control screen, the first eight characters of the second line.
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#31
by
input~2
on 27 Jun, 2018 06:22
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"双星 包括 A 星 和 B 星" means "dual satellites including satellite A and satellite B"So I propose to call them XJS-A and B
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#32
by
input~2
on 27 Jun, 2018 06:34
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Short launch video:http://tv.cctv.com/2018/06/27/VIDE7piddgKsE52jcXwVwew3180627.shtml
exact launch time: 03:30:05.854
launch code: 07-89
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#33
by
input~2
on 27 Jun, 2018 07:38
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#34
by
SciNews
on 27 Jun, 2018 08:21
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#35
by
input~2
on 27 Jun, 2018 08:32
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Stack with the twin spacecraft
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#36
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 27 Jun, 2018 10:54
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#37
by
Liss
on 27 Jun, 2018 11:26
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First TLEs for objects 43518--43520 appeared.
Orbits are lower than the triplets have -- some 475 to 480 km.
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#38
by
input~2
on 27 Jun, 2018 12:49
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First TLEs for objects 43518--43520 appeared.
Orbits are lower than the triplets have -- some 475 to 480 km.
some details:
2018-054A/43518 in 465 x 484 km x 35.0°
2018-054B/43519 in 476 x 486 km x 35.0°
2018-054C/43520 in 468 x 485 km x 35.0°
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#39
by
Alter Sachse
on 27 Jun, 2018 14:06
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This launch could be for PRSS 1.
http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/prss-1.htm
The information we have says PRSS-1 will be launched from Taiyuan.
I was actually wondering about this one - after all, I haven't seen any public info that PRSS-1 is going into a polar orbit, and some countries near the equator sometimes prefer low inclination LEO for these satellites (e.g. RazakSat for Malaysia and TELEOS-1 for Singapore). Should Pakistan want this, then it would have to be launched from Xichang.
Some guy posted another claim that it is CZ-2C s/n Y44 w/ 2 satellites of the XY-x series though. Dunno of its accuracy.
Y44 - is that confirmed ?
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#40
by
edkyle99
on 27 Jun, 2018 17:59
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DF-5 based CZ family have 16 launches so far this year with no failures, and the year not quite half done. The record for CZ/DF-5 is 19 successful orbital launches in 2012. Looks like that record will soon be surpassed.
- Ed Kyle
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#41
by
limen4
on 27 Jun, 2018 19:25
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This launch could be for PRSS 1.
http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/prss-1.htm
The information we have says PRSS-1 will be launched from Taiyuan.
I was actually wondering about this one - after all, I haven't seen any public info that PRSS-1 is going into a polar orbit, and some countries near the equator sometimes prefer low inclination LEO for these satellites (e.g. RazakSat for Malaysia and TELEOS-1 for Singapore). Should Pakistan want this, then it would have to be launched from Xichang.
Some guy posted another claim that it is CZ-2C s/n Y44 w/ 2 satellites of the XY-x series though. Dunno of its accuracy.
Y44 - is that confirmed ?
Confirmed!
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#42
by
Chris Bergin
on 28 Jun, 2018 20:05
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#43
by
limen4
on 01 Jul, 2018 19:22
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Found this spacecraft related designation on a souvenir item from XSLC:
SX is likely for shuāngxīng (=double star). But YSYZ?
