Long March 5 returns to flight
Posted: Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 1:43 PM ET (1843 GMT)
China's Long March 5 returned to flight early Dec. 27. The rocket lifted off from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center at 7:45 am EST (1245 GMT), deploying the Shijian-20 experimental communications satellite into orbit 40 minutes later. The launch was the first for the heavy-lift rocket since a July 2017 launch failure. The rocket is a critical element of China's future space plans, with launches scheduled in mid-2020 of a Mars orbiter and lander, followed in late 2020 by a lunar sample return mission. A variant of the Long March 5 needed for launching space station modules will also be tested next year.
China's Long March 5 returned to flight early Dec. 27. The rocket lifted off from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center at 7:45 am EST (1245 GMT), deploying the Shijian-20 experimental communications satellite into orbit 40 minutes later. The launch was the first for the heavy-lift rocket since a July 2017 launch failure. The rocket is a critical element of China's future space plans, with launches scheduled in mid-2020 of a Mars orbiter and lander, followed in late 2020 by a lunar sample return mission. A variant of the Long March 5 needed for launching space station modules will also be tested next year.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
FAA restricts hours for commercial launches during shutdown
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 9:05 AM ET (1405 GMT) China postpones Shenzhou-20 return on orbital debris concerns
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 8:58 AM ET (1358 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, November 15
Emirates to put Starlink on aircraft in major win for SpaceX
Bloomberg News — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) DOJ Issued Seizure Warrant to Starlink Over Satellite Internet Systems Used at Scam Compound
Wired News — 5:09 am ET (1009 GMT) New Glenn Rocket Aces Launch and Landing, Setting Up Space Force for More Options
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 5:06 am ET (1006 GMT) Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket landed its booster on a barge at sea – an achievement that will broaden the commercial spaceflight market
The Conversation — 5:05 am ET (1005 GMT) Second Viasat Broadband Satellite Enters Space
Aviation Week — 5:04 am ET (1004 GMT) |
