The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s (CASC) Jielong-3, or Smart Dragon-3 rocket, successfully launched nine satellites into the Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO), off the coast of Yangjiang in southern Guangdong province, China.
- The launch was coordinated by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and it was the third successful mission for the Smart Dragon-3 launch vehicle.
9 Satellites:
The Jielong-3 rocket that carried 9 satellites included:
- DRO-L
- Zhixing-2A (SmartSat-2A)
- DongFangHuiYan-GF01
- WeiHai-1-01/02
- XingShiDai-18/19/20
- NEXSAT-1
Note: NExSat-1 is for the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA).
Features of Jielong-3:
i.Jielong-3, or Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) is a small, powerful, and solid-propellant rocket developed by the China Rocket Co. Ltd., affiliated with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).
ii.It is also known as Lightning Dragon No. 3, which can carry a payload of 1,500 kilograms (kg) into a 500-km SSO.
iii.It could carry over 20 satellites at a launch cost of under USD 10,000 per kg, a globally competitive rate for small-lift rockets.
iv.Jielong-3 is comparable to CAS Space’s Lijian-1, capable of carrying a 1,500 kg payload to a 500-km SSO, which 1st flew in 2022.
Other Launches:
Chinese automaker Geely Holding Group has successfully launched 11 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites (Geely-02) by Long March-2C carrier rocket, marking its 2nd significant dispatch in advancing accurate navigation technology for autonomous vehicles.
- The satellites were launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, China.
About Geely’s Launch:
i.Geely expects to have 72 satellites in orbit by 2025 and envisions a constellation of 240 in the future. The first launch was conducted in June 2022.
ii.Geely’s network not only offers high-precision positioning support to self-driving cars but also serves diverse commercial functions such as connectivity to the consumer electronics sector.
iii.The satellites are equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) remote sensing functions, providing 1-5 meter (3.2-16.4 ft) clear high-resolution remote sensing imaging.
iv.The Long March-2C carrier rocket was developed by the CALT, which is affiliated with the CASC.
Recet related News:
On 21 October 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched Gaganyaan’s 1st flight Test Vehicle Abort Misiion-1 (TV-D1) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
About China:
President– Xi Jinping
Premier– Li Qiang
Capital– Beijing
Currency– Chinese yuan renminbi
