China's Space Program News Thread

[Broccoli]

Are we ever gonna see Long-March 7 launch without use of boosters aka the CZ-720?

 

[escobar]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1483156008625225734

 

[iantsai]

2022年1月17日10时35分，我国在太原卫星发射中心用长征二号丁运载火箭，成功将试验十三号卫星发射升空，卫星顺利进入预定轨道，发射任务获得圆满成功。
此次任务是长征系列运载火箭的第406次飞行。

China launched Shiyan-13 technical experiment satellite with a CZ-2D rocket in Taiyuan Satellites Launching Center, 10:35 UTC+8, Jan 17, 2022. This is the first launch mission of CNSA in 2022, and the 406th CZ series launch.

 

[taxiya]

Are we ever gonna see Long-March 7 launch without use of boosters aka the CZ-720?

I think so, at least according to a paper in 2021, it is still in their roadmap. It is named CZ-8A now.
CZ-8 is the base model with two boosters. CZ-8A is variant without boosters.

 

[taxiya]

The latest study paper on CZ-8 family. There is PDF format to download

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About CZ-8R it says that unit (mass of payload) launch cost of 3 reuse launches would be break even to (3) non-reuse launch.

 

[escobar]

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Rumored to be a PLARF satellite for calibration of air defense and missile defense radars

 

[taxiya]

Are we ever gonna see Long-March 7 launch without use of boosters aka the CZ-720?

Further thought, there should not be any doubt of CZ-8A (CZ-720) because it is the replacement of CZ-2D.

 

[by78]

High-resolution images of the Shiyan-13 launch.

 

[Suetham]

Rumored to be a PLARF satellite for calibration of air defense and missile defense radars

If the rumors prove to be correct, it will be very important for the protection of Chinese airspace. Calibration of air defense and special radars is suitable when using an early warning and tracking system. As we know that the Russians are helping the Chinese to implement the early warning system, it becomes an essential factor that China adopts a calibration method for space object tracking systems as it becomes operational. This will help eliminate systematic errors in tracking measurements, characterizing each type of constant error in continuous tracking.

 

[escobar]

If the rumors prove to be correct, it will be very important for the protection of Chinese airspace. Calibration of air defense and special radars is suitable when using an early warning and tracking system. As we know that the Russians are helping the Chinese to implement the early warning system, it becomes an essential factor that China adopts a calibration method for space object tracking systems as it becomes operational. This will help eliminate systematic errors in tracking measurements, characterizing each type of constant error in continuous tracking.

Exactly. If true, this sat can also be used as simulations of warheads for calibration of ground based radars and sensors like soviet Taifun-2 (11F634) series sat. Last year they launched the last of the SY-6 trio sats used for dection and tracking of space object from LEO, and now this. All the different elements are being put in place for ABM and ASAT systems.

SY-13 unusual satellite platform