Tianping-2 A/B/C | Long March 11

Lift Off Time
March 30, 2022 – 02:29 UTC | 10:29 BJT
Mission Name
Tianping-2 A/B/C
Launch Provider
(What rocket company launched it?)
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
Customer
(Who paid for this?)
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
Rocket
Long March 11
Launch Location
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China
Payload mass
Unknown, but up to 700 kg (1,500 lb)
Where did the spacecraft go?
Low Earth orbit
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 North-West China
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:
– 12th Long March 11 launch
– 413th Long March launch
– 33rd orbital launch attempt of 2022 (32nd successful)
Where to watch
If available, an official replay will be listed here

How Did It Go?

China has successfully launched three satellites, the Tianping-2 A, Tianping-2 B, and Tianping-2 C, atop a Long March 11 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This launched marks the 12th Long March 11 mission.

Tianping-2 A/B/C

Very little is known about the three Tianping-2 payloads, the Tianping-2 A, Tianping-2 B, and Tianping-2 C, but it has been reported that they will be used for “atmospheric research and orbital model prediction improvement”.

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 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 twelve times, two of which have been at sea.

Long March 11, De Bo 3 launch platform
A Long March 11 rocket launches from the De Bo 3 in 2020 (Credit: Xinhua)

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