China's Space Program News Thread

[Hendrik_2000]

Six satellites, including two Jilin-1-07 and -08 video satellites, were successfully launched today at 12:12 Beijing time by a CZ-11 rocket at the Jiuquan Space Center (JSLC).
From Henri K blog

 

[Hendrik_2000]

Henri K write up on the launch of CZ 11 a competitor to Kuaizhou?

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6 Chinese and Canadian satellites put into orbit by CZ-11 launcher
BY

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The Jiuquan Space Center (JSLC) yesterday completed its 100th civilian launch, allowing the new Chinese CZ-11 launcher from the Long March family to put into orbit six satellites, including one Canadian.

The takeoff, carried out from a Tractor-Erector-Launcher car on a simplified shooting step, took place this Friday 19 January at 12:12 Beijing time. This is the third flight of CZ-11, which has made a flawless run so far since its maiden flight in September 2015.

Among the six passengers of this fourth Chinese space launch in 2018 are two video satellites 07 and 08 of the Jilin-1 commercial observation constellation , two CubeSat 6U from the Tianyi Private Institute known as XJNA ( Xiao Jiang New Area ) and QTT-1, as well as a Huai'an ZHOU En Lai CubeSat 2U designed by Nanjing University of Science and Technology and middle school students from Jiangsu Province, and Kepler Communication's CubeSat 3U Canadian KIPP .



The third flight of the CZ-11 launcher
Developed by CASC Group's Chinese Casting Technology Academy (CALT), the CZ-11 is the only solid propellant rocket in the Long March launchers family. It is a four-stage launcher, all running on solid propellant, which measures 20.8 meters long, 2 meters in diameter and weighs about 58 tons with a take-off thrust of 120 tons.

The program, which is part of the new generation Chinese launchers, started development in 2012 and achieved its inaugural flight on September 25, 2015 by placing 4 satellites in SSO orbit.

Like its main competitors , CASIC's Kuaizhou rockets , CASC's CZ-11 has been designed to provide a means of rapid access to space and address the small satellite segment of the domestic and international market, with a capacity of 400 kg in a 700-kilometer SSO orbit. The preparation of CZ-11 before its launches is particularly short - in 24 hours the rocket could be ready and in flight state according to its designers.

But this very short period of preparation remains theoretical for the moment and has not yet had the opportunity to demonstrate it. For this launch, for example, the two main satellites Jilin-1-07 and -08 left their factory on January 1st and the integration was completed on the 13th, for a launch on the 19th. So we see a much shorter duration compared to a conventional launcher liquid propellant, but it is still far from the account of 24 hours announced.

Unlike most civilian rockets that launch from a firing point, the CZ-11 takes off from a TEL (Tractor-Erector-Launcher) as a ballistic missile. It is perhaps for this reason that the photos of his first two launches in 2015 and 2016 are unveiled only recently, on the occasion of this third flight.

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The CZ-11 Y3 launcher

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The integration of satellites to the launcher

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The CZ-11 is ejected outside its launch tube by a gas generator

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According to

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, the CALT Institute has made several improvements to the launcher to increase its carrying capacity by around 20%.

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made of carbon-carbon composite, with a new coating laid by automated machines that can significantly reduce its thickness.

A new satellite separation support has also been developed at the request of customers, with one exception, the Canadian KIPP satellite, which has used its own separation system provided by the Dutch company SLS.

The Chinese authorities have issued two messages to aircrew (NOTAM) to report a fallout area of the launcher debris. It is located about 320 km from the firing point and could correspond to the drop zone for the first floor or the headdress.

A0223 / 18
Q) ZLHW / QRTCA / IV / BO / W / 000/999 / 3809N09931E034
A) ZLHW B) 1801190407 C) 1801190425
E) A TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA ESTABLISHED BOUNDED BY:
N373645E0994253-N374351E0990304-N384153E0991924-N383442E0995943
BACK TO START. VERTICAL LIMITS: GND-UNL
F) GND G) UNL

A0240 / 18
Q) ZLHW / QARLC / IV / NBO / E /
000/999 / A) ZLHW B) 1801190402 C) 1801190427
E) THE FLOW SEGMENTS OF ATS RTE CLSD:
1. W191: MULRU - RUSAT.
2. B215: NOGEX - OMGUP.

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NOTAMs for the 3rd flight of CZ-11 (Image: East Pendulum)

It should be noted that the CZ-11 launcher did not fly by relying on an umbilical tower as for the other classic Long March rockets, because of its concept called "rapid reaction" originally from the middle military and its particular mode of preparation.

For this purpose, the JSLC Space Center constructed two new, very simplified firing points, located respectively 4.3 and 6 km from the main launching site, each with concrete ground and lightning arresters. One for the CASC CZ-11 and the other for the Kuaizhou CASIC launchers.

 

[Hendrik_2000]

(cont)

Jilin-1 video satellites and the four CubeSats
The main passengers of this CZ-11 flight are the two satellites Jilin-1-07 and Jilin-1-08, both of which are part of the Jilin-1 commercial ground-based observation constellation, which will be networked with the 8 first satellites put into orbit between 2015 and 2017.

Jilin-1-07 is also called "Deqing 1", Deqing being a destrict of Zhejiang Province, while Jilin-1-08 also has another name called "Silviculture 2". The two optical observation satellites weigh 416 kg together and they have cameras with a maximum resolution of 0.92 meters with a swath of 19 km.

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according to the manufacturer Chang Guang Satellite Technology.

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The Jilin-1-07 satellite (Deqing 1)

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The separation of the two Jilin-1 satellites (Image: CCTV-7)

After these two satellites as main payloads come four nano-satellites, including two CubeSats 6U, a 3U and a 2U.

The two 6U XJNA and QTT-1 satellites are all designed by the Tianyi Institute (天 仪 研究院), a private satellite manufacturer in China, weighing in at 8kg each. XJNA, also called Xiaoxiang-2 , ships the instruments for 4 different experiments -

1. Optical fiber remote sensing, developed by Beijing Information Science & Technology University
2. Software radio trials in space, co-developed with a subsidiary of the CALT Institute
3. The amateur radio tests, conducted by Hunan Radio Association which brings together a group of radio amateurs
4. Optical image stabilization tests, co-developed with Xi'an Jiaotong University

The QTT-1, meanwhile, was commissioned by the company Quan Tu Tong (全 图 通 位置 网络 限 有限公司), specializing in geolocation services based on the Chinese navigation system Beidou. The experimental nano-satellite includes an integrated navigation system, a small commercial camera, an AIS transponder for ships and a radio test bench for amateurs. Quan Tu Tong plans to offer its satellite "self-service" so that users can exploit it to other types of tests in orbit.

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The two CubeSats 6U of the Tianyi Institute, XJNA and QTT-1 (Photo: Tianyi Institute)

Note that the Tianyi Institute had signed a launch contract with the CALT Institute for 30 of its satellites, XJNA and QTT-1 are therefore parties.

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Synthetic image on the desubitalization "veil" of the Huai'an CubeSat

The fifth passenger of the CZ-11 flight is still a Chinese nano-satellite named after former Chinese premier ZHOU En Lai and his birthplace Huai'an. Designed by Nanjing University of Science and Technology, with the participation of high school students from Jiangsu Province, the CubeSat 2U weighing 2.4 kg will be used to conduct space experiments for young people, and especially test a desorbitalization device.

This is a "sail" made of double-sided aluminized polyimide film, which measures about 1.2 m² and weighs 300 g. When folded it is only Ø 70 mm × 60 mm.

The sixth and final passenger comes from a Canadian startup, Kepler Communications, which wants to commercialize inter-satellite communication services and a network of connected objects (IoT) in the maritime, agricultural and transportation sectors. The satellite is team including a software radio.

 

[Hendrik_2000]

The Chinese communication satellite SJ-13 has completed ground laser data link tests at 600Mbps, 1.25Gbps, 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps, and an error rate of less than 10 ^ 6.

 

[Hendrik_2000]

The fifth Chinese space launch of the month will be dedicated to put the 4th YG-30 military triplet into orbit this Thursday, January 25 at 05:30 UTC at the Xichang Space Center (XSLC).

 

[Hendrik_2000]

Here is the write up about communication satellite Shijian SJ13 via cirr

China develops communications satellite tech edge

2018-01-24 08:51

China Daily Editor: Mo Hong'e

China has become a leader in the cutting-edge technology of space-based, high-speed information transmission thanks to an advanced satellite, according to the National Space Administration.

The Shijian 13 communication satellite has conducted the world's first experiment on high-orbit laser communication, a technology crucial to enabling a spacecraft to send, receive and transmit a large quantity of data with ground stations, the administration said in a statement on Tuesday.

The experiment was one of the 11 technological demonstration programs made by Shijian 13, which is orbiting nearly 40,000 kilometers above the Earth, since it was lifted atop a Long March 3B carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province in April. It proved that the satellite is capable of carrying out steady, high-speed and high-quality transmission of information with the ground.

The fastest transmission speed recorded during the experiment was five gigabytes of data per second, which means a user could download a high-resolution movie within one second.

The administration said that the laser equipment was designed by Ma Jing and Tan Liying, two professors from Harbin Institute of Technology, and that the devices are the world's best of their kind in this field.

Shijian 13, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and based on its DFH-3B communications satellite platform, has been called the country's most advanced communications satellite by the administration.

Weighing 4.6 metric tons, the satellite is expected to operate in a geostationary orbit for 15 years. It features a Ka-band broadband communications system capable of transmitting 20 gigabytes of data per second, exceeding the total capacity of all the country's previous communications satellites.

Shijian 13 uses an electric propulsion system, which allows it to carry more scientific instruments than previous satellites. At present, most satellites rely on chemical propulsion, which requires a relatively large amount of fuel that occupies space which could otherwise be used for scientific payloads.

Shijian 13 has been used to give 15 schools in southwestern China access to the internet, the administration said, explaining that students at those schools could not reach the internet because their schools are out of the reach of ground-based communications networks.

Wang Min, deputy head of the Institute of Telecommunication Satellite under the China Academy of Space Technology, previously said China plans to establish a constellation of advanced communications satellites based on the more advanced DFH 4 and DFH 5 platforms by 2025 and, after the plan is fulfilled, people will be able to use high-quality Wi-Fi services anywhere and anytime, including on bullet trains and planes.

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[B.I.B.]

Here is the write up about communication satellite Shijian SJ13 via cirr

China develops communications satellite tech edge

2018-01-24 08:51

China Daily Editor: Mo Hong'e

China has become a leader in the cutting-edge technology of space-based, high-speed information transmission thanks to an advanced satellite, according to the National Space Administration.

The Shijian 13 communication satellite has conducted the world's first experiment on high-orbit laser communication, a technology crucial to enabling a spacecraft to send, receive and transmit a large quantity of data with ground stations, the administration said in a statement on Tuesday.

The experiment was one of the 11 technological demonstration programs made by Shijian 13, which is orbiting nearly 40,000 kilometers above the Earth, since it was lifted atop a Long March 3B carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province in April. It proved that the satellite is capable of carrying out steady, high-speed and high-quality transmission of information with the ground.

The fastest transmission speed recorded during the experiment was five gigabytes of data per second, which means a user could download a high-resolution movie within one second.

The administration said that the laser equipment was designed by Ma Jing and Tan Liying, two professors from Harbin Institute of Technology, and that the devices are the world's best of their kind in this field.

Shijian 13, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and based on its DFH-3B communications satellite platform, has been called the country's most advanced communications satellite by the administration.

Weighing 4.6 metric tons, the satellite is expected to operate in a geostationary orbit for 15 years. It features a Ka-band broadband communications system capable of transmitting 20 gigabytes of data per second, exceeding the total capacity of all the country's previous communications satellites.

Shijian 13 uses an electric propulsion system, which allows it to carry more scientific instruments than previous satellites. At present, most satellites rely on chemical propulsion, which requires a relatively large amount of fuel that occupies space which could otherwise be used for scientific payloads.

Shijian 13 has been used to give 15 schools in southwestern China access to the internet, the administration said, explaining that students at those schools could not reach the internet because their schools are out of the reach of ground-based communications networks.

Wang Min, deputy head of the Institute of Telecommunication Satellite under the China Academy of Space Technology, previously said China plans to establish a constellation of advanced communications satellites based on the more advanced DFH 4 and DFH 5 platforms by 2025 and, after the plan is fulfilled, people will be able to use high-quality Wi-Fi services anywhere and anytime, including on bullet trains and planes.

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It is amazing to see how far China's satellite and launch service has progressed despite the U.S. best attempts to undermine it. Banning China from launching American made or any satellites that contained American parts. Plus there was the usual suggestions about quality and launch sites where being closer to the equator was better.

 

[Hendrik_2000]

It is amazing to see how far China's satellite and launch service has progressed despite the U.S. best attempts to undermine it. Banning China from launching American made or any satellites that contained American parts. Plus there was the usual suggestions about quality and launch sites where being closer to the equator was better.

What is even more remarkable is how little did they spend compare to other space power That tell you the efficiency of their approach

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The US has the biggest budget for space exploration by far, spending over six times more than China, according to OECD figures for 2013.

From the first moon landing to the International Space Station, the US government agency NASA has been leading space exploration since its creation in 1958.

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saw a dramatic increase during the height of the space race with Russia, from 0.1% of GDP in 1958 to more than 4.4% in 1966. This increase coincided with the global race to reach the moon when US President John F. Kennedy promised that the US would land men on the moon before 1970.

Following Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon in 1969, US spending on space exploration dropped back, falling to below 1% in 1975. As interest in space decreased over the years, it became less of a government spending priority, and by 2013 only 0.23% of GDP went on space.

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Although OECD countries account for the largest proportion of the global space budget, BRIC economies increased their spending on space exploration between 2008 and 2013. The Russian space budget grew 144% during this period – an increase which has seen Russia take the top spot for spending on space budget as a share of GDP.

The Russian government has

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for the Russian Federal Space Agency in an effort to modernize and expand infrastructure and capabilities by 2020. However, the traditional rivalry between the US and Russia over space exploration may be declining. Both countries have

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following the retirement of the International Space Station in 2024.

Some of these figures may seem mind-blowing, especially at a time of tighter budgets. But as

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showed, space spending has directly contributed to several useful spin-offs down here on Earth, including cancer-detecting technology.

 

[Hendrik_2000]

Via Jsch
China puts high-throughput communication satellite into service
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-23 20:43:55|Editor: Xiang Bo

BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Shijian-13, China's first high-throughput communication satellite, has been put into service after completing a key laser communication test, China National Space Administration said Tuesday.

The high-orbit satellite has finished a two-way high-speed laser communication test between the satellite and ground, the first of its kind in the world, the administration said in a statement.

Serving users in China, the satellite will connect communication base stations in remote areas and meet the needs of distance education, digital news gathering, and emergency communication, said Li Feng, chief satellite designer at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Shijian-13, launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province in 2017, has a transfer capacity of 20 Gbps and a designed orbital life of 15 years.

The satellite, named Zhongxing-16 after it was put into service, will provide better Internet access on planes and high-speed trains with a maximum download capacity of 150 Mbps and upload capacity of 12 Mbps, according to the statement.

High-throughput communication satellites can form a communication network with larger transfer capacity and higher transfer speeds compared with ordinary satellites.

With a transfer capacity of 200 Gbps, a communication network covering China and the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be established in 2020 as China will send more high-throughput communication satellites into space, said the statement.

By 2025, China will have 22 communication satellites, with five built based on brand new designs, according to a medium-long term development plan for civilian space infrastructure released in 2015.

 

[Hendrik_2000]

I think Shijian along with Yaogan series of satellite are spy satellite

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China’s powerful new satellites may also have a spy mission
Some observers suspect that advanced imaging sensors and cameras may be installed on communication satellites for space reconnaissance
By ASIA TIMES STAFF JANUARY 24, 2018 3:15 PM (UTC+8

China’s first high-throughput communication satellite, Shijian-13 (Practice-13), is up and running in space after accomplishing an inauguratory two-way 5Gbps (gigabits per second) laser-communication test with its ground control center, the China National Space Administration said on Tuesday.

The satellite, also known as ChinaSat-16, was shot into geostationary orbit more than 35,000 kilometers above the surface of the Earth atop a Chang Zheng (Long March) rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China’s Sichuan province last April.

Chinese orbital carrier rocket Long March 3B launched Shijian-13 into geostationary orbit in April 2017. Photo: Xinhua
It was made by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation as the best of what China’s aerospace industry has to offer in the global competition to upshift the capacity of radio communication services and lower cost-per-bit.

The satellite’s ground control center in Beijing said in a statement that Shijian-13 would start amplifying and relaying signals between base stations in remote areas for distance education, emergency communication and disaster relief.

Shijian-13 has a transfer capacity of 20Gbps – more than that of all previous Chinese communication satellites combined – and a designed orbital life of 15 years. Airborne and shipborne Internet access via the satellite can be guaranteed a mean download speed of 150 megabits per second and 12Mbps for upload.

An animation of Shijian-13 in orbit. Photo: China Central Television
China plans to launch several more similar satellites before 2020, knotting together a constellation of devices with a combined transfer capacity of 200Gbps that will encompass not only China but the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

On the ground, meanwhile, a nationwide investment boom for base stations is working in tandem, Xinhua reports, to install more satellite dishes along the borders, on frigid plateaus in Tibet, and on newly reclaimed islands and airstrips in the South China Sea.

Analysts suspect that each communication satellite to be launched may also contain optical imaging or synthetic aperture radar sensors so they can can spy on military installations of neighboring armies and even detect low-observable aircraft from space.

The South China Morning Post late last year

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that Chinese scientists at multiple institutions were making headway toward putting “ghost imaging” technology on a satellite.

A satellite dish in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region. Photo: Sunkins/Wikimedia
Gong Wenlin, director of research at the Quantum Optics lab at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai, said he expected his team to build a prototype by 2020.

One key goal is to develop optical cameras that can see through clouds, smoke, dust, and other obscuring particles. This is a particular issue for electro-optical imaging, where overcast and other environmental factors can easily blur or block the view.

The virtue of integrating “ghost imaging” modules into a communication satellite is more precise positioning of a targeted object, even if the object itself doesn’t emit signals or its signal is erupted, as constant ground-space transmission of signals between the satellite and any ground communication point close to the target can help pinpoint its location.