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China’s new Long March 7A rocket successfully launched its first orbital mission after its first attempt a year ago was unsuccessful.
The rocket lifted off from the Wenchang satellite launch center on the Chinese island of Hainan on Thursday, March 11 at 12:51 p.m. EST (5:51 p.m. GMT or 1:51 a.m. local time on March 12), according to Chinese state media. . Xinhua.
It put into orbit a classified experimental satellite called Shiyan-9 (meaning “experiment-9”), which was developed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology, according to a report by SpaceNews.
“The satellite will mainly be used for in-orbit testing of new technologies, including monitoring the space environment,” Xinhua said in its report.
Video: China launches experimental satellite on improved rocket
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When China attempted to launch the new Long March 7A rocket on its maiden flight on March 16, 2020 – almost exactly a year ago – an engine malfunction occurred shortly after the first stage separated and the payload was lost, SpaceNews reported.
The new rocket is intended to replace China’s Long March 3B rocket as the launcher of choice for sending satellites into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, or the path that satellites take to reach a geostationary orbit above Earth. It is a modified version of the Long March 7 rocket, which debuted in 2016 and launched two missions into low earth orbit.
To reach a geosynchronous transfer orbit, a rocket must launch the satellite into an elliptical orbit that extends about 23,000 miles (37,000 kilometers) above Earth, according to NASA, while satellites in low Earth orbit are from 100 to 200 miles (161 to 322 km). ) above our planet.
The Long March 7A is also capable of lifting heavier payloads in orbit, with a load capacity of 8 tons (7 metric tons), as opposed to the 6 tons (5.5 metric tons) load capacity of the Long March 7, according to Xinhua.
China plans to launch three to five 7A long March missions per year before 2025, Xinhua said, adding that “scientists will further improve the launcher to meet the demand for sending satellites and probes into deep space for explore the moon, Mars and asteroids. “
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