China's Space Program, News & Views

Until there is enough immediate short-term profitability in space exploration and r&d, the private sector won't be able to take up the mantle. Perhaps one day in the future, that may become possible. Until then, the heavy lifting will have to be done by governments that don't need to worry about the short-term profitability of their pet space projects. The reasons are pretty simple. Private organizations lack the scale of funding that a government institution can potentially leverage. Especially if that government institution is a Chinese one. Even the wealthiest private company in the world can't compare to the funding that a determined Chinese government can provide. Even more so if we consider the potential future scale of China's economy and national budget once she becomes a "developed" nation.

Here's a presentation by Neil deGrasse Tyson he talks briefly on the Chinese space program and mostly general space exploration history.

[Space Chronicles] - C-SPAN Video Library

Originally Posted by ABC78

Here's a presentation by Neil deGrasse Tyson he talks briefly on the Chinese space program and mostly general space exploration history.

[Space Chronicles] - C-SPAN Video Library

He's one of my favorite public figures.

YuanWang-6 participated in controlling and monitoring the recent launch from XSLC.

more pics






GEO-1, GEO-3, GEO-4, GEO-5; IGSO-1 to 5; MEO-3 MEO-4

boosters debris near Longshuang and Mayao.

China eyes launches of more Beidou satellites

China launched two satellites for its Beidou global navigation and positioning system into space atop a carrier rocket on Monday, and will see similar launches in the future to reduce costs and save time, a rocket scientist said.

The two satellites - the 12th and 13th satellites for the Beidou system, China's version of the US Global Positioning System - were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province early on Monday morning.

At a time when China is planning many space launches, such an efficient way of launching navigation satellites will reduce both time and costs, said Jiang Jie, chief designer of the mission's launch carrier system.

"Two such launches (with two satellites on one rocket) are planned for this year ... Otherwise, four navigation satellites would need four rockets, which would be more time-consuming," she said.

The future trend is a carrier rocket capable of launching four satellites at one time, she added.

Rocket designers made 26 changes over the course of three years to the Long March-3B carrier rocket used for Monday's mission, including a new orbit for launching and a redesigned supporting structure for the satellites, she said.

"The key problem (in launching two satellites on one rocket) is to make sure all separation moves between satellites and rockets are safe and reliable," she said.

Monday's mission involved a more complicated separation process that included seven separation moves, compared to five moves for normal launches, she said.

According to the latest NOTAMS notification, the launch of the military satellite 3D mapping Tianhui-1B will take place on May 6.

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A model of the original TH-1

Some good news: the Long March 2F rocket has been completed, and on today a delivery ceremony will take place at CALT's plant before the rocket heads to JSLC via rail.

The ceremony itself

China launches Tianhui-1B via Long March 2D

China launched the second TH-1 Tianhui-1 satellite - Tianhui-1B - on Sunday, using a Long March 2D (Chang Zheng-2D) launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Launch took place at 07:10UTC from the 603 launch pad from the LC-43 launch complex.

Like the first satellite, launched on August 24th, 2010, the new satellite will be used for mapping using stereo-topographic techniques from orbit.

The Tianhui-1 (Sky drawing) satellites - built by the Hangtian Dongfanghong Weixing Corporation and established by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) - are equipped with a three-dimensional survey camera and a CCD camera with a ground resolution of 5 meters, spectral region of 0.51μm to 0.69μm, and with a camera angle of 25 degrees.

A multi-spectrum camera – with a ground resolution of 10 meters, and spectral region of 0.43μm to 0.52μm, 0.52μm to 0.61μm, 0.61μm to 0.69μm, and 0.76μm to 0.90μm - was also be aboard. The cameras form an image of 60 kilometres wide.

The satellites operate on a 500 km circular orbit and are equipped with two deployable solar panels for energy generation that is stored on onboard batteries.

The Tianhui-1 satellites are part of the Ziyuan program that cover different civil and military earth observation as well as remote sensing programs. The Ziyuan-1 program is focused on Earth resources and looks to have two distinct military and civil branches (this one being operated together with Brazil).

The satellites are operated jointly by the Center for Earth Operation and Digital Earth (CEODE) and the Brazilian INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais National Institute of Space Research).

Ziyuan-3 satellites are operated by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping. There have also been indications that the development of Tianhui-1 program was merged with the Ziyuan-3 project planned for launch in 2011.

This launch was the 161st Chinese successful orbital launch and the 161st launch of a Chang Zheng launch vehicle, being also the 52nd orbital launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This was also the first orbital launch from Jiuquan this year and the sixth Chinese orbital launch in 2012.


The road to Shenzhou-9:

On May 5, the China Academy of Launch Technology (CALT) plant conducted the delivery ceremony for the Chang Zheng-2F launch vehicle that will be used for the launch of SZ-9 Shenzhou-9 manned mission.

The rocket passed a readiness review on April 11, allowing for the different launcher components to be sent by rail to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center where the manned SZ-9 capsule is already being prepared for launch after arriving on April 9.

Shenzhou-9 launch is now expected to take place at the end of June or in the first days of July. The Shenzhou-9 should be the first manned docking on the Chinese space program.

Also, on the subject of the crew, the latest statements from CALT confirms the presence of the first Chinese taikonauta female on board. The name of Liu Yang has been posted for the main SZ-9 crew, as much as this is still lacking official confirmation.

Launch video: http://news.cntv.cn/china/20120506/105615.shtml

LM-3A Series Launch Vehicles User's Manual issue: here

China’s Evolving Space Capabilities: Implications for U.S. Interests
http://www.uscc.gov/RFP/2012/USCC_Ch...April-2012.pdf

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has made significant advances in its space program and is emerging as a space power. With preservation of its monopoly on power as an overriding goal, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bolsters its legitimacy through achievements in space.

The Chinese military manages China’s space program and there is significant overlap between civilian and military space operations, which mutually reinforce one another. An increasingly sophisticated R&D and industrial establishment supplies the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with military space systems. The PLA General Armaments Department (GAD) appears to oversee space systems acquisitions and operations. Other important organizations in the space program include the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). As a rough NASA counterpart, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) facilitates international exchanges and cooperative programs with other space-faring nations