Featured image credit: Xinhua
Lift Off Time | February 25, 2022 – 23:44 UTC February 26, 2022 – 07:44 BJT |
|---|---|
Mission Name | L-SAR 01B |
Launch Provider | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) |
Customer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) |
Rocket | Long March 4C |
Launch Location | SLS-2, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China |
Payload mass | ~ 3,200 kg (7,054 lbs) |
Where is the spacecraft going? | ~ 600 km Sun-synchronous orbit |
Will they be attempting to recover the first stage? | No, this is not a capability of the Long March 4C rocket |
Where will the first stage land? | It will crash back over land in northwest China |
Will they be attempting to recover the fairings? | No, this is not a capability of the Long March 4C rocket |
Are these fairings new? | Yes |
How’s the weather looking? | TBD |
This will be the: | – 19th orbital launch attempt of 2022 – 40th Long March 4C mission |
Where to watch | If available, an official replay will be listed here |
What Does All This Mean?
China is scheduled to launch the Gongjian Ludi Tance-1 01B (L-SAR 01B) atop a Long March 4C rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. The Earth observation satellite will be deployed into a ~ 600 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
L-SAR 01A
The L-SAR 01B is an Earth observation satellite equipped with L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which will be used to survey the environment after events like landslides and earthquakes. The satellite weighs ~ 3,200 kg, and has an antenna which spans over 33 m2.
The L-SAR 01B is part of a satellite group, comprised of this satellite and the L-SAR 01A which was launched in January 2022. Together these satellites will be used to monitor the environment, for public works (such as tunnel digging), as well as for landslide and earthquake prevention and damage assessment.
Long March 4C
The Long March 4C is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle derived from China’s Long March 4B vehicle. It is able to put up to 4,200 kg into low-Earth orbit, 2,600 kg into a Sun-synchronous orbit, and up to 1,500 kg into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
First Stage
The first stage has four open cycle YF-21C engines. Each engine runs on dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH), producing 740 kN of thrust, with a specific impulse (ISP) of 260 seconds. Overall, the first stage produces 2,960 kN of thrust and carries 182,000 kg of propellant. The first stage is 27.91 m tall, and 3.35 m in diameter.
Second Stage
The second stage runs on a single YF-24C engine, which contains one main YF-22C engine for thrust, and four YF-23C attitude control thrusters. The main engine produces 742 kN of thrust and the attitude control thrusters each produce 47 kN, and both run on N2O4 and UDMH. The main engine’s ISP is 300 seconds, and the attitude control thrusters have an ISP of 289 seconds. The second stage is 10.9 m tall, 3.35 m in diameter, and carries 52,700 kg of propellant.
Third Stage
The third stage has two open cycle YF-40A engines that also run on N2O4 and UDMH. Each engine produces just over 100 kN of thrust and has an ISP of 303 seconds. The third stage is 14.8 m tall and 2.9 m wide.
Rocket section adapted from Trevor Sesnic
