Taiyuan – Spaceflight Now

China resumes launch campaigns after string of failures, delays lunar mission

October 4, 2017

The launch of three experimental remote sensing satellites last week signaled the resumption of Chinese space launches following multiple rocket failures since late last year, but a senior Chinese space official has confirmed the Chang’e 5 mission to return samples from the moon remains grounded.

Commercial Earth-observing craft recover from off-target launch

January 11, 2017

Two Chinese satellites launched into the wrong orbit Dec. 28 have reached their planned perch at an altitude of around 300 miles and sent back their first high-resolution views of Earth for their Beijing-based commercial owner.

Chinese Earth observation satellites launched into lower-than-planned orbit

December 28, 2016

Two commercial Earth-imaging satellites launched by a Chinese Long March 2D booster Wednesday are flying in lower-than-planned orbits after an apparent rocket mishap, according to tracking data published by the U.S. military.

Chinese officials silent after Long March rocket failure

September 2, 2016

A U.S. Air Force spokesperson said Friday that the military has not detected any objects deployed in orbit by a Chinese Long March rocket launch Wednesday, but China’s official media outlets still have not acknowledged the apparent failure.

Radar remote sensing satellite launched by China

August 10, 2016

A Long March 4C rocket took off from northern China on Tuesday and deployed a radar imaging satellite into orbit about 460 miles above Earth to survey the oceans, crops and resources, and natural disasters.

Long March 4B lofts Earth-viewing satellites for China, Argentina

May 31, 2016

Three Earth observation satellites for the Chinese government and a commercial Argentine startup launched Monday, entering an orbit 300 miles above Earth to begin mapping missions.

Radar spy satellite launched by China

November 27, 2015

China launched its latest military spy satellite Thursday with the successful deployment of the Yaogan 29 payload in polar orbit, likely adding a new radar reconnaissance craft to the country’s space fleet.

Intelligence-gathering satellite launched by China

November 9, 2015

China launched a government-owned surveillance satellite Sunday, adding another member to the country’s reconnaissance network after liftoff on a Long March 4B booster.

Debut launch of Long March 6 deploys 20 satellites

September 20, 2015

China’s Long March 6 rocket, fueled by a mixture of kerosene and liquid oxygen, successfully shot into orbit on its first mission Saturday with 20 small satellites, signaling a revolution in Chinese rocketry as the country prepares to test bigger boosters in the coming months.

Chinese spy payload fired into orbit

August 27, 2015

China sent the next in a series of military-operated spy satellites into orbit Thursday aboard a Long March 4C rocket in an unannounced launch from the country’s northeastern space center.