China's Space Program Thread II

[tphuang]

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LM-2D launched 6 Jilin-1 satellites into space today. 宽幅02B01至06星

kuanfu02B satellites can see width of 150 km with 0.5 m resolution

Kuanfu 02 to 06 is China's new generation coverage satellite by ChangGuang. They are the first ultra-sideband and high resolution remote sensing satellites

Now, 114 satellites are in orbit, which will allow 37 to 39 revisit to any location in the world every day.

Ability to fully cover world 6 times a year.

From this 2022 article.

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It said they were planning to get 140 satellites in the air by end of last year for revisit every 10 minutes. Looks like they have not achieved this yet.
The goal once they have 300 in the air is for full global coverage once a day.

 

[taxiya]

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LM-2D launched 6 Jilin-1 satellites into space today. 宽幅02B01至06星

kuanfu02B satellites can see width of 150 km with 0.5 m resolution

Kuanfu 02 to 06 is China's new generation coverage satellite by ChangGuang. They are the first ultra-sideband and high resolution remote sensing satellites

Now, 114 satellites are in orbit, which will allow 37 to 39 revisit to any location in the world every day.

Ability to fully cover world 6 times a year.

From this 2022 article.

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It said they were planning to get 140 satellites in the air by end of last year for revisit every 10 minutes. Looks like they have not achieved this yet.
The goal once they have 300 in the air is for full global coverage once a day.

It is likely that they increased their specification for the satellites besides increasing the number.

The original plan (as of 2017) had two phases with final phase having 140 in orbits by the end of 2023. In that plan the wide frame satellites are 150km wide at 1m resolution.

宽幅02B01至06星 in the updated plan however have 0.5m resolution at the same width of 150km at the same orbital altitude. That is a big jump. I guess that they delayed on purpose because their newer version intended for future replacement went too fast to almost catch up the planned version before launch, so they'd rather wait a bit longer (about a year).

It is similar to the CZ-9 program where the rocket design evolved so fast that some engines like YF-130 and maybe more will never get a chance to fly, in the mean time the maiden flight is shifting later (In 2019 it was said around 2030, now it is said to be around 2033).

 

[by78]

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LM-2D launched 6 Jilin-1 satellites into space today. 宽幅02B01至06星

kuanfu02B satellites can see width of 150 km with 0.5 m resolution

Kuanfu 02 to 06 is China's new generation coverage satellite by ChangGuang. They are the first ultra-sideband and high resolution remote sensing satellites

Now, 114 satellites are in orbit, which will allow 37 to 39 revisit to any location in the world every day.

Ability to fully cover world 6 times a year.

From this 2022 article.

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It said they were planning to get 140 satellites in the air by end of last year for revisit every 10 minutes. Looks like they have not achieved this yet.
The goal once they have 300 in the air is for full global coverage once a day.

They've already sent back the some images.

 

[davidau]

They've already sent back the some images.

thanks, very clear definition

 

[gpt]

The final two backup Beidou-3 satellites (no. 59 & 60) have arrived at their MEO slots.

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Liu Yingchun, chief designer of the BDS-3, said the development of the next generation BDS-4 has begun and these two satellites from the last group will conduct technological verification and exploration.

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China aims to establish a more ubiquitous, integrated and intelligent comprehensive PNT by 2035, providing a stronger, safer and more reliable system that covers everything from indoors to outdoors, and from deep sea to deep space.

 

[broadsword]

What improvement will BDS-4 bring and how many satellites?

 

[taxiya]

There are two aspect of BDS-4.

First is to replace existing BDS-3 sats when they run out of life in a few years. Hence the recent launched sats are testing some techs. For this replacement the number is one to one replacement, no change, that is 24 MEOs plust 8 backups (including 2 just launched), 3 IGSO and 3 GEOs.

Another goal in BDS-4 system is LEO sats, the number will be large at leasts in the hundreds. They will increase the accuracy to CM level. Their signal is stronger to enable indoor application.

 

[tphuang]

the longer term goal is to be able to use persistent global coverage + AI to track everything you want globally (including B-21s)

offer internet to people everywhere that's not interruptible by Western companies.

Provide unlimited data linking for anyone wishing to utilize Chinese spacial capacity.

Offer best positioning technology for anyone wishing to use it.

We are still quite a way from that.

 

[broadsword]

How I wish China could locate and track every troop, vehicle, and ship movement. And also those small drones.

 

[by78]

Zhongke/CAS Space has successfully completed a stage separation test (1st and 2nd stage) for the Lijian-2 launch vehicle.

The first 1st-stage oxygen tank of the Lijian-2 launch vehicle has rolled off the production line. The tank has a diameter of 3.35m and a length of 12m. It's made of 5A06 aluminum-magnesium alloy.