Author Topic: TJSW-5 - CZ-3B/G3 (Y62) - Xichang - January 7, 2020 (15:20 UTC) (Read 21515 times)

Galactic Penguin SST · « **on:** 01/02/2020 01:10 am »

Well it looks like there's now a decent chance that the first launch of the 2020s will fall to a secret one from the Chinese....

Per official reports early last month CZ-3B s/n Y62 will fly CASC's first launch of 2020 - their shortest final assembled Long March 3 series rocket ever. What is intriguing is that people still can't pin down what's on board so far!

But there are clues - the photo attached shows the black payload adapter in the plant. Some keensighted Chinese forum member noticed that the adapter looks more like the one used for SAST's SAST5000 bus (see second photo, from FY-4A launch) than the usual one for DFH-4 satellites (third photo). Now, the only publicly known satellite from this series is FY-4, but we haven't heard of FY-4B for some time and their launches are announced well in advance.

And yet we know that there's another SAST new satellite bus in GEO - some thingy called TJS-2, something that was claimed to be an "experimental comsat" but with diagrams showing it looking like SBIRS-GEO. Maybe this is another one and we will see "TJS-5" flying in the next few days?

Though note that the SAST connection is not confirmed - one says this is a CAST payload, in which something like a GF-4 follow-on (publicly known to be in the works) might also be possible. $:-\$

The launch date is not known yet, but people are expecting this to occur around January 5-7 based on rocket-on-pad dates and tracking ships' locations. This is definitely something to watch out next week!

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #1 on:** 01/02/2020 11:29 am »

NOTAMs are out:

A0016/20 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N272159E1083649-N273125E1074312-N271528E1073945-N270603E1083315 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. ALL ACFT SHALL BE FORBIDDEN TO FLY INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA. GND - UNL, 07 JAN 15:11 2020 UNTIL 07 JAN 16:08 2020. CREATED: 02 JAN 11:46 2020 A0017/20 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N260808E1142920-N261443E1140013-N255857E1135552-N255222E1142456 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. ALL ACFT SHALL BE FORBIDDEN TO FLY INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA. GND - UNL, 07 JAN 15:13 2020 UNTIL 07 JAN 16:14 2020. CREATED: 02 JAN 11:47 2020

SpaceX keeps the title of the first orbital launch of the 2020s for the time being.....

eeergo · « **Reply #2 on:** 01/02/2020 12:23 pm »

What about KZ-1A Y6?

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #3 on:** 01/03/2020 01:18 am »

Quote from: eeergo on 01/02/2020 12:23 pm

What about KZ-1A Y6?

According to someone at CASIC the only launch they will do before Chinese New Year (January 25 for 2020) is the one for Galaxy Space, reported to be on January 9.

input~2 · « **Reply #4 on:** 01/03/2020 08:15 am »

Comparing NOTAMs for TJS-2 launch and this one:

A0044/17 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY:N272159E1083650-N273125E1074313-N271528E1073946-N270603E1083315 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 05 JAN 15:08 2017 UNTIL 05 JAN 15:45 2017. CREATED: 04 JAN 09:14 2017

A0016/20 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N272159E1083649-N273125E1074312-N271528E1073945-N270603E1083315 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. ALL ACFT SHALL BE FORBIDDEN TO FLY INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA. GND - UNL, 07 JAN 15:11 2020 UNTIL 07 JAN 16:08 2020. CREATED: 02 JAN 11:46 2020

A0046/17 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N260808E1142921-N261444E1140013-N255857E1135553-N255223E1142456 BACK TO START.VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. GND - UNL, 05 JAN 15:10 2017 UNTIL 05 JAN 15:56 2017. CREATED: 04 JAN 09:17 2017

A0017/20 - A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY: N260808E1142920-N261443E1140013-N255857E1135552-N255222E1142456 BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS:GND-UNL. ALL ACFT SHALL BE FORBIDDEN TO FLY INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA. GND - UNL, 07 JAN 15:13 2020 UNTIL 07 JAN 16:14 2020. CREATED: 02 JAN 11:47 2020

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #5 on:** 01/04/2020 05:44 am »

"Thingy" has been confirmed to be named TJSW-5.

input~2 · « **Reply #6 on:** 01/04/2020 04:41 pm »

Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 01/04/2020 05:44 am

"Thingy" has been confirmed to be named TJSW-5.

This announcement for the first launch out of XSLC in 2020 says CZ-3B Y60

input~2 · « **Reply #7 on:** 01/04/2020 05:06 pm »

Navigational warning for CZ-3B 2nd stage debris

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #8 on:** 01/05/2020 10:49 am »

Quote from: input~2 on 01/04/2020 04:41 pm

Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 01/04/2020 05:44 am
"Thingy" has been confirmed to be named TJSW-5.

This announcement for the first launch out of XSLC in 2020 says CZ-3B Y60

Well, I'll trust a CASC publication more than a local tour operator....

Alter Sachse · « **Reply #9 on:** 01/05/2020 11:52 am »

Quote from: input~2 on 01/04/2020 04:41 pm

Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 01/04/2020 05:44 am
"Thingy" has been confirmed to be named TJSW-5.

This announcement for the first launch out of XSLC in 2020 says CZ-3B Y60

CZ-3B Y60 was launched 2019 Jun 24 with Beidou 3I2

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #10 on:** 01/06/2020 06:34 pm »

Will this be the last Xichang launch before the Lunar New Year holiday break?
***

Belated cross-post:

Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/06/2019 10:18 am

https://twitter.com/AJ_FI/status/1202908628447092737

input~2 · « **Reply #11 on:** 01/07/2020 12:32 pm »

Quote from: input~2 on 01/04/2020 05:06 pm

Navigational warning for CZ-3B 2nd stage debris

Corresponding warning for aircraft (NOTAM):
J0109/20 - DUE TO SPACEFLIGHT ACTIVITIES,THE FLIGHT SAFETY OF THE AIRCRAFT IN FOLLOWING AREAS MAY BE AFFECTED ON JAN 07, 2020 DETAILS ARE AS FOLLOWS: ON JAN 07, 2020, FROM 15:14-16:13 UTC AREA: 222647N1271245E 224457N1261743E 222936N1261155E 221128N1270651E,FOUR-POINT CONNECTION RANGE. VERTICAL ALTITUDE:SFC-UNL RMK/ATC WILL NOT CLEAR IFR FLT THRU THIS AREA FOR THE FLIGHT SAFETY. SFC - UNL, 07 JAN 15:14 2020 UNTIL 07 JAN 16:13 2020. CREATED: 06 JAN 03:11 2020

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #12 on:** 01/07/2020 02:20 pm »

Standby for reports of windows shaking....

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #13 on:** 01/07/2020 02:26 pm »

Liftoff confirmed with reports of glasses shaking.

GELORD · « **Reply #14 on:** 01/07/2020 02:34 pm »

LIFTOFF!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #15 on:** 01/07/2020 02:44 pm »

Rui's article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/01/long-march-3b-launch-opens-chinas-busy-2020-schedule/

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1214573441094955009

GELORD · « **Reply #16 on:** 01/07/2020 02:50 pm »

Today, China made the first launch of a rocket into space in 2020 from the Xichang cosmodrome!

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #17 on:** 01/07/2020 02:55 pm »

Launch success has been officially confirmed with liftoff time at 15:20 UTC.

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #18 on:** 01/07/2020 03:15 pm »

Well according to official reports SAST indeed built this satellite, just as people guessed earlier. The official note of the satellite's purpose is "satellite communications, TV broadcasting, data transfer and high output communication technologies demo", almost exact word for word with the one announced for TJSW-2. As reported back then, it looks like it's probably an early warning satellite instead....

https://twitter.com/LaunchStuff/status/1214577547222114304

https://twitter.com/LaunchStuff/status/1214578214103896064

Alter Sachse · « **Reply #19 on:** 01/07/2020 04:51 pm »

15:20:14.977 UTC

07-112

http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum21/topic9565/message1933926/#message1933926