POPULAR
SpaceX moves launch CRS-28 resupply mission to the...
SpaceX launches second of two Starlink missions within...
This Week In Spaceflight: China’s lunar plans, North...
North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...
Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...
PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...
Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...
China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...
Ship 25 confirmed as push for summer replay...
India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV
NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • Artemis
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Indian Russian
      Commercial

      This Week In Spaceflight: China’s lunar plans, North...

      June 2, 2023

      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...

      May 30, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...

      May 29, 2023

      Chinese

      Beidou-3 G4 gets launched and Chinese Raptor gets...

      May 17, 2023

      Chinese

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches resupply mission, lands space plane, and...

      May 9, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...

      May 30, 2023

      European

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’...

      May 20, 2023

      European

      Ariane 6’s first flight likely to slip into...

      May 15, 2023

      European

      Orbex breaks ground on Sutherland Spaceport as UK...

      May 4, 2023

      Indian

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO launches PSLV with Singaporean satellites

      April 21, 2023

      Indian

      OneWeb completes initial constellation with launch from India

      March 25, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO’s second SSLV mission successfully launches trio of...

      February 9, 2023

      Russian

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Russian

      Russia’s Progress MS-23 resupply mission arrives at space...

      May 24, 2023

      Russian

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Russian

      US, Russian EVAs install upgrades and make history...

      May 5, 2023

  • Other
    • All Science Shuttle Uncrewed
      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      Featured

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...

      May 31, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...

      May 29, 2023

      Science

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...

      May 31, 2023

      Science

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’...

      May 20, 2023

      Science

      Webb directly images young star’s asteroid belt; discovers...

      May 12, 2023

      Science

      With help from NEOWISE, astronomers observe giant star...

      May 6, 2023

      Shuttle

      SpaceX SLC-6 takeover to mark a new chapter...

      April 26, 2023

      Shuttle

      Historic scrubs and aborts that could happen to...

      March 28, 2023

      Shuttle

      30 years after Intelsat VI rescue, Northrop Grumman...

      May 7, 2022

      Shuttle

      Axiom-1 science & the push toward greater commercialization...

      November 17, 2021

      Uncrewed

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      Uncrewed

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Falcon 9 launches Arabsat 7B following weather delays

      May 26, 2023

  • Shop
POPULAR
SpaceX moves launch CRS-28 resupply mission to the...
SpaceX launches second of two Starlink missions within...
This Week In Spaceflight: China’s lunar plans, North...
North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...
Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...
PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...
Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...
China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...
Ship 25 confirmed as push for summer replay...
India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV
NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • Artemis
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Indian Russian
      Commercial

      This Week In Spaceflight: China’s lunar plans, North...

      June 2, 2023

      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...

      May 30, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...

      May 29, 2023

      Chinese

      Beidou-3 G4 gets launched and Chinese Raptor gets...

      May 17, 2023

      Chinese

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches resupply mission, lands space plane, and...

      May 9, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...

      May 30, 2023

      European

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’...

      May 20, 2023

      European

      Ariane 6’s first flight likely to slip into...

      May 15, 2023

      European

      Orbex breaks ground on Sutherland Spaceport as UK...

      May 4, 2023

      Indian

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO launches PSLV with Singaporean satellites

      April 21, 2023

      Indian

      OneWeb completes initial constellation with launch from India

      March 25, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO’s second SSLV mission successfully launches trio of...

      February 9, 2023

      Russian

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Russian

      Russia’s Progress MS-23 resupply mission arrives at space...

      May 24, 2023

      Russian

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Russian

      US, Russian EVAs install upgrades and make history...

      May 5, 2023

  • Other
    • All Science Shuttle Uncrewed
      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      Featured

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...

      May 31, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...

      May 29, 2023

      Science

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...

      May 31, 2023

      Science

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’...

      May 20, 2023

      Science

      Webb directly images young star’s asteroid belt; discovers...

      May 12, 2023

      Science

      With help from NEOWISE, astronomers observe giant star...

      May 6, 2023

      Shuttle

      SpaceX SLC-6 takeover to mark a new chapter...

      April 26, 2023

      Shuttle

      Historic scrubs and aborts that could happen to...

      March 28, 2023

      Shuttle

      30 years after Intelsat VI rescue, Northrop Grumman...

      May 7, 2022

      Shuttle

      Axiom-1 science & the push toward greater commercialization...

      November 17, 2021

      Uncrewed

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      Uncrewed

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Falcon 9 launches Arabsat 7B following weather delays

      May 26, 2023

  • Shop
NASASpaceFlight.com
NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • Artemis
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Indian Russian
      Commercial

      This Week In Spaceflight: China’s lunar plans, North...

      June 2, 2023

      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...

      May 30, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...

      May 29, 2023

      Chinese

      Beidou-3 G4 gets launched and Chinese Raptor gets...

      May 17, 2023

      Chinese

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches resupply mission, lands space plane, and...

      May 9, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private...

      May 30, 2023

      European

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’...

      May 20, 2023

      European

      Ariane 6’s first flight likely to slip into...

      May 15, 2023

      European

      Orbex breaks ground on Sutherland Spaceport as UK...

      May 4, 2023

      Indian

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO launches PSLV with Singaporean satellites

      April 21, 2023

      Indian

      OneWeb completes initial constellation with launch from India

      March 25, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO’s second SSLV mission successfully launches trio of...

      February 9, 2023

      Russian

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Russian

      Russia’s Progress MS-23 resupply mission arrives at space...

      May 24, 2023

      Russian

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Russian

      US, Russian EVAs install upgrades and make history...

      May 5, 2023

  • Other
    • All Science Shuttle Uncrewed
      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      Featured

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...

      May 31, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with...

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space...

      May 29, 2023

      Science

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover...

      May 31, 2023

      Science

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’...

      May 20, 2023

      Science

      Webb directly images young star’s asteroid belt; discovers...

      May 12, 2023

      Science

      With help from NEOWISE, astronomers observe giant star...

      May 6, 2023

      Shuttle

      SpaceX SLC-6 takeover to mark a new chapter...

      April 26, 2023

      Shuttle

      Historic scrubs and aborts that could happen to...

      March 28, 2023

      Shuttle

      30 years after Intelsat VI rescue, Northrop Grumman...

      May 7, 2022

      Shuttle

      Axiom-1 science & the push toward greater commercialization...

      November 17, 2021

      Uncrewed

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,...

      May 31, 2023

      Uncrewed

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Falcon 9 launches Arabsat 7B following weather delays

      May 26, 2023

  • Shop
Tag:

Long March 11

    ChineseInternationalUncrewed

    China completes doubleheader week from Xichang

    by Adrian Beil December 16, 2022
    written by Adrian Beil

    Another busy week of rocket launches in China has come to a close. On Wednesday, the Yaogan 36 mission launched on a Chang Zheng 2D from Xichang, and on Friday, the launch of Shiyan 21 atop a Chang Zheng 11 rocket was conducted from the same spaceport. 

    In total, four launches were conducted from China this week. This includes the failed ZhuQue-2 methane rocket demo flight on Wednesday, and the launch of a Chang Zheng 4C out of Jiuquan on Monday, carrying the Shiyan 20A&B payload.

    Yaogan 36 Group 4

    Liftoff of the Yaogan 36 Group 4 mission occurred on Wednesday at 18:25 UTC from LC-3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC). The payloads went to a 490 x 502 km orbit with an inclination of 35° and an orbital period of 94.5 minutes. Besides minor information on the remote sensing capabilities of the payload, no official information on the payload was given in the statement that the launch was successful.

    CZ-2D liftoff from Xichang. (Credit: CASC)

    Yaogan Weixing payloads are classified military satellites that provide remote sensing and disaster protection capabilities to China. They are commonly referred to as just “Yaogan,” and are comparable to classified government satellites launched by the United States and Russia.

    The Yaogan 35 & 36 satellites are special, as they are often triplets of payloads that are launched together. The purpose of these satellites is not known. The suspected usage of Yaogan includes a wide range of spy, national security, and surveillance purposes. 

    While no official statement has been given, the Yaogan mission patches from recent launches are forming a collage image of a sailboat. This might indicate some relation to ocean observation capabilities on the satellites.

    For this mission, the Chang Zheng 2D (CZ-2D) rocket was used. The CZ-2D has been China’s workhorse rocket this year, with 15 launches under its belt in 2022. This makes it the second most flown rocket of the year, behind SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which has flown 56 times in 2022 thus far. All 15 CZ-2D flights this year have been successful. 

    The CZ-2D was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). The rocket features two stages and is mainly used to loft payloads into low Earth orbit (LEO) and Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). 

    The CZ-2D is essentially a two-stage version of the bigger Chang Zheng 4 rocket and has only experienced one partial failure in its career with the launch of the SuperView-1 mission in December 2016. Since then, it has launched successfully 41 times, bringing its total launch count to 73 launches.

    https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1603169128897839104

    Modern Chinese rockets, such as the Chang Zheng 6A, could replace the CZ-2D in the future, with China planning to phase out its older generation of launch vehicles, including the Chang Zheng 2/3/4. Commercial rockets, such as the recently tested ZhuQue-2, could also assist with the phasing out of these older vehicles.

    Shiyan-21 

    Shiyan-21 was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and is an test satellite of unknown purpose, with unclear details regarding its mission.

    The name Shiyan means “experiment” and is used as a label for technology demonstration missions developed by China. 3D printing technology is being tested on this mission, with the satellite using a frame structure that was completely printed, shortening the delivery time of the satellite by 40%. It is unclear if this test of 3D printed technology is the primary purpose of the mission.

    https://twitter.com/Cosmic_Penguin/status/1603657068262883328

    As a vehicle for this launch, the Chang Zheng 11 rocket was used. The CZ-11 is a four-stage solid-propellant vehicle, which can be tube-launched from a mobile launcher. The rocket can also be launched from sea barges in a configuration known as the Chang Zheng 11H. 

    It is the first and only solid-based rocket developed by China and was designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). Its goal is to offer a cheaper and faster way of launching payloads to space. Given that the rocket only uses solid propellant, it can be stored easily and deployed when needed.

    CZ-11 in the launch tube. (Credit: CASC)

    At liftoff, the CZ-11 generates 1,176 kN of thrust. Standing 20.8 meters tall with a diameter of 2.0 meters, the rocket can launch with a fairing that is either 1.6 meters or 2.0 meters in diameter. For this launch, the larger 2.0-meter fairing was used. Some of the preview pictures for this launch, published by CASC, show a different fairing diameter, which makes it likely that these are pictures from a previous launch. 

    Both Yaogan 36 Group 4 and Shiyan-21 launched out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) in China. Located about 60 kilometers away from the city of Xichang, the site has been the site of many Chinese rocket launches since 1984. It is a spaceport that has faced harsh criticism in the past due to its inland location and close proximity to populated areas, which has unfortunately led to some expended rocket stages impacting nearby villages, injuring and killing residents. 

    With the launch of these two missions, a total of 62 launches have been conducted out of China this year. There is at least one more mission planned for the year, with the Beidou-3 mission possibly launching on Dec. 30.

    (Lead photo: a CZ-11 rocket lifts off from Xichang. Credit: CASC)

    December 16, 2022
    1 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • ChineseInternationalUncrewed

    Chang Zheng 11 sea-launches five Earth observation satellites

    by Lee Kanayama April 30, 2022
    April 30, 2022

    The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has launched the 13th Chang Zheng 11…

    3 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • ChineseInternationalUncrewed

    Atmospheric research satellites launched by Chang Zheng 11

    by Leo Bruce March 30, 2022
    March 30, 2022

    China successfully launched three Tianping-2 satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Wednesday morning…

    2 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • Chinese

    China bounces back with Long March 11 launch of nine satellites

    by Rui C. Barbosa September 14, 2020
    September 14, 2020

    Three days after losing a high-resolution remote sensing satellite due to an apparent problem with…

    3 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • Chinese

    Long March 11 launches out of Xichang for the first time.

    by Rui C. Barbosa May 29, 2020
    May 29, 2020

    China has conducted the first launch of its solid-fuelled quick-reaction Long March-11 launch vehicle from…

    3 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Active Discussions

Loading activity..

NSF Starbase Live

Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement NSF Merchandise
Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Tweets by NASASpaceflight
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • About Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Advertising Info
  • Join The Team
  • Content Use Policy

©2005-2023 - NASASpaceflight.com

NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • Artemis
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Indian Russian
      Commercial

      This Week In Spaceflight: China’s lunar plans, North…

      June 2, 2023

      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,…

      May 31, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private…

      May 30, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with…

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space…

      May 29, 2023

      Chinese

      Beidou-3 G4 gets launched and Chinese Raptor gets…

      May 17, 2023

      Chinese

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches resupply mission, lands space plane, and…

      May 9, 2023

      European

      PLD Space set to launch Spain’s first private…

      May 30, 2023

      European

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’…

      May 20, 2023

      European

      Ariane 6’s first flight likely to slip into…

      May 15, 2023

      European

      Orbex breaks ground on Sutherland Spaceport as UK…

      May 4, 2023

      Indian

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO launches PSLV with Singaporean satellites

      April 21, 2023

      Indian

      OneWeb completes initial constellation with launch from India

      March 25, 2023

      Indian

      ISRO’s second SSLV mission successfully launches trio of…

      February 9, 2023

      Russian

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Russian

      Russia’s Progress MS-23 resupply mission arrives at space…

      May 24, 2023

      Russian

      This Week In Spaceflight – May 12

      May 12, 2023

      Russian

      US, Russian EVAs install upgrades and make history…

      May 5, 2023

  • Other
    • All Science Shuttle Uncrewed
      International

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,…

      May 31, 2023

      Featured

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover…

      May 31, 2023

      Commercial

      Axiom 2 astronauts return from the ISS with…

      May 30, 2023

      Chinese

      China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to the Chinese Space…

      May 29, 2023

      Science

      Using data from Spitzer and TESS, scientists discover…

      May 31, 2023

      Science

      Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’…

      May 20, 2023

      Science

      Webb directly images young star’s asteroid belt; discovers…

      May 12, 2023

      Science

      With help from NEOWISE, astronomers observe giant star…

      May 6, 2023

      Shuttle

      SpaceX SLC-6 takeover to mark a new chapter…

      April 26, 2023

      Shuttle

      Historic scrubs and aborts that could happen to…

      March 28, 2023

      Shuttle

      30 years after Intelsat VI rescue, Northrop Grumman…

      May 7, 2022

      Shuttle

      Axiom-1 science & the push toward greater commercialization…

      November 17, 2021

      Uncrewed

      North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket fails to reach orbit,…

      May 31, 2023

      Uncrewed

      India launches new-generation navigation satellite aboard GSLV

      May 28, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Soyuz 2.1a launches Kondor-FKA n°1 satellite from Vostochny

      May 26, 2023

      Uncrewed

      Falcon 9 launches Arabsat 7B following weather delays

      May 26, 2023

  • Shop