Featured image credit: Xinhua
Lift Off Time | October 7, 2022 – 13:10 UTC | 21:30 CST |
|---|---|
Mission Name | CentiSpace-1 S5 & S6 |
Launch Provider | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) |
Customer | Future Navigation |
Rocket | Long March 11 |
Launch Location | DeBo-3 Barge, Haiyang, Shangdong, China |
Payload mass | ~ 200 kg |
Where did the spacecraft go? | Low Earth orbit (LEO) |
Did they attempt to recover the first stage? | No, this is not a capability of the Long March 11 |
Where did the first stage land? | It crashed in the ocean |
Did they attempt to recover the fairings? | No, this is not a capability of the Long March 11 |
Were these fairings new? | Yes |
This was the: | – 14th Long March 11 launch – 3rd Long March 11 launch in 2022 – 130th orbital launch attempt of 2022 (126th successful) |
Where to watch | If available, an official replay will be listed here |
How Did It Go?
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) successfully launched the pair of satellites, the CentiSpace-1 S5 & S6, to Low Earth orbit, on behalf of the Beijing based company Future Navigation.
CentiSpace-1 S5 & S6 Satellites
Not much is known about the CentiSpace-1 S5 and S6 satellites. They are Chinese commercial small satellites from the company Future Navigation which will provide GNSS augmentation signals services from LEO. Each satellite is thought to be ~ 200 kg. These satellites are the beginning of a planned 160 satellites constellation.
What Is The Long March 11?
The Long March 11 is a four-stage small satellite launch vehicle developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The rocket is 20.8 m tall and 2.0 m in diameter and is capable of putting up to 700 kg (1,500 lb) into low-Earth orbit or 350 kg (770 lb) into a Sun-synchronous orbit.
The rocket is incredibly versatile, having been designed with the capability of launching on short notice and launching from road vehicles and ships, specifically specially converted barges, namely the Tai Rui and the De Bo 3. The maiden flight of the rocket happened in September 2015 and it has since launched fourteen times, four of which have been at sea.
