Jielong-1 maiden launch - Jiuquan - August 17, 2019 (04:11 UTC)

[PM3]

Second Chinese maiden flight this year, after OS-M. (More to come: Hyperbola-1, Kuaizhou-11 ...)

Several news outlets wrote that Jielong-1 is "China's first commercial orbital rocket". Actually it is not. But it is the first launcher built by [a subsidiary of] the state-owned CASC group with a pure-commercial business model - it will have to be profitable from commercial customers.

Jielong-1 is 23 t takeoff mass, max. 150 kg to 700 km SSO. Four-stage solid-fuel rocket according to sources, but I suspect the upper stage is Hydrazine-fueled.

Google translation from this source:

"The first flight of 'Jielong No. 1' will carry the load of four private companies. At present, there are nearly 30 rounds of intentional launch. In 2019, there are two launches besides the first flight." Bao Weimin said.

I guess this means that there are ~30 booked launches, total three of them scheduled in 2019, and four commercial payloads on the first flight.

Late May first flight was announced today by CASC.

[PM3]

June 10

http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/jielong-1-rocket-maiden-launch?instance_id=2539

[tehwkd]

June 10

http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/jielong-1-rocket-maiden-launch?instance_id=2539

That's not certain. Only thing confirmed is that there is A launch from Jiuquan on June 10th. Could be this, maiden Hyperbola-1 or a Long March launch.

[Olaf]

June 10

http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/jielong-1-rocket-maiden-launch?instance_id=2539

This link says May, 31.

[PM3]

They have changed it back from June 10, after that day was confirmed for Hyperbola-1.

"May 31" at spaceflightfans does not mean May 31 but just May. Looks like their website does not allow to enter a month without day, then they enter the last day of month. (But I guess Jielong-1 slips to June, as still no date confirmed.)

[Olaf]

http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/jielong-1-rocket-maiden-launch?instance_id=2545
Now they have a timeframe June 23 till June 28.

[PM3]

http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/jielong-1-rocket-maiden-launch?instance_id=2545
Now they have a timeframe June 23 till June 28.

Per Google Translate: "... the space enthusiast network guessed that the first flight of Jielong No. 1 is expected to be carried out around June 25."

[Steven Pietrobon]

SFF is showing a launch window from 15 to 31 July.

http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/jielong-1-rocket-maiden-launch?instance_id=2545

[Galactic Penguin SST]

9ifly now shows this flight in August.

[Satori]

Qiancheng-01 will be on this launch...

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

spaceflightfans.cn currently lists Jielong-1 for launch on August 17 (TBD) and the next KZ-1A launch on August 29 (TBD).

[PM3]

Cross-post:

spaceflightfans.cn currently lists Jielong-1 for launch on August 17 (TBD) and the next KZ-1A launch on August 29 (TBD).

There are still no sources and no confirmations for these dates. Probably just placeholders created by spaceflightsfans.cn for NET second half of August / NET late August.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Cross-post:

spaceflightfans.cn currently lists Jielong-1 for launch on August 17 (TBD) and the next KZ-1A launch on August 29 (TBD).

There are still no sources and no confirmations for these dates. Probably just placeholders created by spaceflightsfans.cn for NET second half of August / NET late August.

I believe at least one of the payload operators on board the SD-1 launch just confirmed the August 17 date.
We should know within a day when NOTAMs should appear.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Well, determination of status of this one has been very difficult, and no concrete signs has been found yet (no NOTAMs so far), but all rumors points to the launch still on for tomorrow (one rumor says around noon LT, or 4 am UTC).

Reports are that 3 satellites are onboard, including Qiancheng-01 as mentioned above, Tianqi 4 of Guodian Gaoke(continuation of the previous 3 satellites launched) and Xingshidai-5 from MinoSpace Technology of Beijing (which built several ~10 kg micro-satellites before, such as the ill-fated Weilai-1 last year).

Well, despite the SD-1 being operated by a spin-off company of CALT and is very much apparently to be pushed out for commercial use, there isn't too much info about it. So far it is known that:

* It's a 4 stage all-SRM rocket with launch capability of 150+ kg to 700 km SSO
* Rocket diameter is 1.2 m, length at 19.5 m and the liftoff mass is at 22.9 tonnes
* Payload envelope is at 1.2/1.4 m diameter and 1.5/2.0 m height.
* Claimed manufacturing time of 6 months and launch preparation times of within 24 hours.

If anyone else has more info of CALT's plans (e.g. possible pamphlets or display boards about it in various airshows around the globe), please post here. Thanks!

[tehwkd]

1.2m/19.5m is the only figure I've seen but it bugs me.

Using 1.2m as the diameter the LD-1 drawing on China Long March Rocket weibo page clocks in at 33m, a bad digital render of SD-1 shown in a CGTN video clocks in just above 34m and sd-1 model shown last year is closest at 30.5-ish meters

[PM3]

Reports are that 3 satellites are onboard, including Qiancheng-01 as mentioned above, Tianqi 4 of Guodian Gaoke(continuation of the previous 3 satellites launched) and Xingshidai-5 from MinoSpace Technology of Beijing (which built several ~10 kg micro-satellites before, such as the ill-fated Weilai-1 last year).

Are you sure that three Tianqis have been launched? skyrocket.de says Tianqi 1 and 3 have been launched, and Tianqi 2 will go with the Jielong-1.

[tehwkd]

Reports are that 3 satellites are onboard, including Qiancheng-01 as mentioned above, Tianqi 4 of Guodian Gaoke(continuation of the previous 3 satellites launched) and Xingshidai-5 from MinoSpace Technology of Beijing (which built several ~10 kg micro-satellites before, such as the ill-fated Weilai-1 last year).

Are you sure that three Tianqis have been launched? skyrocket.de says Tianqi 1 and 3 have been launched, and Tianqi 2 will go with the Jielong-1.

http://news.chengdechina.com/html/2019/guoneiyaowen_0815/68811.html

　The reporter learned from the Zhangzhou Economic Development Zone on the 12th that the 4th star of the Apocalypse Constellation Satellite, developed and operated by Beijing Guodian Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., will be named “Apocalypse and Zhangzhou” and plans to take the Jielong one in Jiuquan on the 17th of this month.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Looks like this is related - the air route closed is right at south west of JSLC.

https://twitter.com/Nextlaunch/status/1162419576057081860

https://twitter.com/Nextlaunch/status/1162423031186296832

[Chris Bergin]

Any of you folk here interested in having a go at a launch article? Rui's unavailable for this one and we could use more than one writer for Chinese missions.

Send me a PM if interested.

[input~2]

Another illustration for NOTAM#A4285 with usual direction to SSO from JSLC