Launch News Yaogan 13, Long March 2C, November 29/30, 2011

[Cosmic Penguin]

Yup, the Chinese has done it again. In the matter of less than three weeks, the Chinese has sent up their second reconnaissance satellite. A [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_2C"]Long March 2C rocket[/ame], on its return-to-flight, was launched from the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiyuan_Satellite_Launch_Center"]Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center[/ame] at 18:50 UTC yesterday (02:50 local), carrying the Yaogan (remote-sensing) 13 satellite into a 500 kilometer circular Sun-synchronous orbit. Judging from its launch time, orbit and rumors about its manufacturer and payload, it probably is a light radar-sensing satellite similar to Yaogan 6 (launched in April 2009). The two will probably provide all-weather surveillance ability to China during morning and afternoon sessions (with YG-13 being the "afternoon satellite"). Missions acknowledged to the public include natural resources surveys, crop yield assessment, and input to disaster monitoring and prevention plans.

This is the 16th Chinese orbital launch attempt of the year, an all-time record. And the 17th isn't far away: the tenth satellite of the Compass navigation system will be launched from [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xichang_Satellite_Launch_Center"]Xichang[/ame] towards an inclined geosynchronous transfer orbit at around 21:00 UTC on December 1st. Stay tuned for more news on that launch!

Overview articles:

China return Long March 2C to flight with YaoGan Weixing-13 launch (NASASpaceflight.com)

Chinese reconnaissance satellite reaches orbit (Spaceflight Now)

Photos:

Launch news report (in Chinese)

Discussion threads on this launch:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27400.0

http://www.9ifly.cn/thread-6278-1-1.html (in Chinese)

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Good for them! Glad to see them getting into the swing of the space launch business.