TJSW-11 - CZ-5 (Y7) - WSLC - February 23, 2024 (11:30 UTC)

[Satori]

I got the information that the next launch from Wenchang will take place on February 23.

At the moment, I'm assuming this to be the "launch of a DFH-4E satellite bus geostationary communication satellite for "an undisclosed foreign customer"", as pointed by Galactic Penguin on the Chinese launch schedule thread (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=5060.msg2555978#msg2555978).

Information can be corrected / updated in the future.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

I got the information that the next launch from Wenchang will take place on February 23.

At the moment, I'm assuming this to be the "launch of a DFH-4E satellite bus geostationary communication satellite for "an undisclosed foreign customer"", as pointed by Galactic Penguin on the Chinese launch schedule thread (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=5060.msg2555978#msg2555978).

Information can be corrected / updated in the future.

If it’s CZ-5B, a more plausible payload from what I gathered is the first operational batch of satellites for the Guowang/SatNet constellations, complete with a Yuanzheng upper stage. (See below) IIRC this was talked about quite some time already.

But I might be wrong though!

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1584959475265703937

[Skyrocket]

At the moment, I'm assuming this to be the "launch of a DFH-4E satellite bus geostationary communication satellite for "an undisclosed foreign customer"", as pointed by Galactic Penguin on the Chinese launch schedule thread (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=5060.msg2555978#msg2555978).

This seems unlikely, as the CZ-5B has no capability to launch something into a GTO or even GEO. This would require an upper stage.

[mikezang]

The NOTAM for CZ-5 from Wenchang about 19:00 UTC.

[mikezang]

If there is no 2nd stage drop zone this week, this should be CZ-5B for this degree 1st time.

[PM3]

The NOTAM for CZ-5 from Wenchang about 19:00 UTC.

10:00 UTC

[mikezang]

The NOTAM for CZ-5 from Wenchang about 19:00 UTC.

10:00 UTC

I got mistake, at the moment, I guess it might be 11:00 UTC.

[Satori]

Looks like this will be a CZ-5B (info via Alter Sachse)...

https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20240122A057HE00

[mikezang]

The NOTAM issued, this might be first CZ-5B/YZ-2? but not CZ-5 and CZ-7A.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

The NOTAM issued, this might be first CZ-5B/YZ-? or CZ-7A.

...or just a standard CZ-5 - the drop zones looks pretty close to the ones used during the CZ-5/YG-41 launch.

[mikezang]

The NOTAM issued, this might be first CZ-5B/YZ-? or CZ-7A.

...or just a standard CZ-5 - the drop zones looks pretty close to the ones used during the CZ-5/YG-41 launch.

长五B火箭今年将首次与远征二号上面级执行发射任务

The Chang-5B rocket will perform a launch mission with the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage for the first time this year

Yi Yi, chief designer of the Long March 2F launch vehicle of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Corporation, said in a recent interview: In the second half of 2023, the Long March 5B launch vehicle will complete the launch mission with the Yuanzheng 2 upper stage for the first time. At the same time, the development team will target national major projects. In order to meet the needs of scientific and technological projects, we will continue to carry out refined confirmation of launch site test operation procedures and project optimization.

In the future, the Long March 5B carrier rocket will also perform the launch mission of the survey space telescope and complete the low-orbit satellite network launch mission with the upper stage.

Yi also revealed that the Long March 5 carrier rocket will carry out the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project, and even longer-term Mars sampling and return and planetary exploration missions.

I still think this will be CZ-5B/YZ-2 which was delayed from 2nd half of 2023.

[mikezang]

It is said this might be CZ-5 Y7 with Tongxin Jishu Shiyan-11 (通信技术试验卫星十一号).

[Galactic Penguin SST]

So as it turns out this is CZ-5 s/n Y7 after all, not CZ-5B. A recent report by engine manufacturing institute AALPT says that launch teams for CZ-5 Y7 and "CZ-3A Y95" (probably sic. for CZ-3B Y95) are currently working at launch sites.

There's also another tweet floating around claiming the rocket has been rolled out to the launch pad earlier today, with the photo showing a stock CZ-5 with longer fairing as with the one launched last December.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Another photo at the rollout from the payload processing team names the payload as "TJSW-11".

[mikezang]

The NOTAN updated, launch time might be 11:30 UTC.

[mikezang]

The NOTAM updated!

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Strange, the usual NOTAM for the area surrounding the launch pad at Wenchang is still missing. However downrange air space closures for drop zones are still active and for February 23 only so it seems the launch is still going on in half a day's time.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

From various tweets on Weibo, the launch pad platforms were seen rotating back some minutes ago, so it seems the launch is indeed on today.

[mikezang]

Luanched on 19:30 UTC!

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1760991469551444359

(stream via Hainan TV: https://weibo.com/l/wblive/p/show/1022:2321325004626612322413)