China launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gobi Desert on Sept 21, sending a Yunhai-1 03 satellite into selected orbit.
A Long March-2D carrier rocket, carrying the Yunhai-1 03 satellite, is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gobi Desert on Sept 21. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Generally developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the Yunhai-1 03 satellite will be mainly used in surveying atmospheric, marine and space environments, supporting disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, and carrying out scientific research.
The carrier rocket, which was also developed by the company, is able to launch a single or multiple satellites into different required orbits and has a payload capacity of 1.3 metric tons for trips to the sun-synchronous orbit about 700 kilometers above the Earth.
The Long March-2D carrier rocket, carrying the Yunhai-1 03 satellite, is ready for launch at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
So far, the Long March-2D carrier rocket has flown 65 missions and the one on Sept 21 was the 438th flight of the Long March series.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
