China – Page 7 – Spaceflight Now

China launches Haiyang oceanography satellite

September 22, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Chinese oceanography satellite designed to measure wave height and winds launched Monday aboard a Long March 4B rocket equipped with grid fins to help control the first stage’s descent back to Earth, an improvement aimed at keeping falling boosters away from Chinese villages.

China successfully launches satellites from ocean-going platform

September 17, 2020 Stephen Clark

A solid-fueled Long March 11 launcher delivered nine small Chinese Earth observation satellites to orbit Tuesday after firing off a ship positioned in the Yellow Sea.

Chinese smallsat launcher fails

September 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Chinese small satellite launcher failed after liftoff Saturday, destroying a commercial Earth-imaging payload before it could enter orbit.

China launches another Gaofen Earth observation satellite

September 8, 2020 Stephen Clark

A new optical Earth observation satellite launched by China Monday joins the country’s remote sensing network for land surveys, urban planning, and agriculture monitoring.

China tests experimental reusable spacecraft shrouded in mystery

September 8, 2020 Stephen Clark

A mysterious space vehicle described by Chinese state media as an experimental reusable spacecraft completed a two-day flight in low Earth orbit Sunday.

China launches another Gaofen Earth observation satellite

August 24, 2020 Stephen Clark

Another Chinese Gaofen Earth-imaging satellite launched Sunday aboard a Long March 2D rocket, riding to space with a pair of experimental rideshare payloads for the Chinese military.

Mars missions complete first course corrections on journey to Red Planet

August 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

Three robotic Mars missions launched from Earth last month have begun fine-tuning their trajectories through the solar system with the first in a series mid-course corrections to take aim on the Red Planet for arrival next February.

Earth observation and research satellites ride Chinese rocket into orbit

August 6, 2020 Stephen Clark

China sent an Earth observation satellite and a university-built research payload into orbit Thursday aboard a Long March 2D rocket.

China launches high-resolution mapping satellite

July 25, 2020 Stephen Clark

China launched a Long March 4B rocket Saturday with a high-resolution mapping satellite for the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources and two smaller spacecraft designed for astronomical observations and data relay services.

China launches robotic mission to orbit, land, and drive on Mars

July 23, 2020 Stephen Clark

A heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket propelled China’s first Mars landing mission toward the Red Planet on Thursday after launching from a seaside spaceport on Hainan Island, the second of three international Mars probes expected to depart planet Earth this month.