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China: Communication satellite launch planned for mid-November

Posted on: Saturday, 8 November 2003, 06:00 CST

Text of dispatch by Kung Shuang-yin entitled: "Yuan Jiajun, president of the China Research Institute of Space Technology, reveals that a communication satellite will be launched in mid- November at Xichang satellite launch centre"; published by Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao web site on 6 November; subheadings as published

Beijing, 5 November: In the remaining 50-odd days of this year, China will launch two satellites.

Yuan Jiajun, president of the China Research Institute [CRI] of Space Technology, revealed today that the China Space Technology Group will launch a communication satellite in mid-November at the satellite launch centre in Xichang, immediately to be followed by the scheduled launch of Tance [Exploration] No 1 satellite at the end of this year under the "Double Star Programme" initiated in cooperation with the European Space Agency [ESA].

This is a year in which China's space missions were launched with high frequency. Citing the achievements of the aerospace personnel, Yuan Jiajun said, with all sorts of feelings welling up in his mind, that behind the success is the tremendous effort exerted by all the spacecraft launch staff. He told a reporter of this newspaper that this is a year in which space flight missions were carried out with extremely high frequency, with six launches in a row within a short period of several months, which is unprecedented in global aerospace history. This has not only fully demonstrated China's comprehensive strength in new and high technology, but also has attracted the increasing glare of international attention to China's high-tech space products.

Shenzhou V's orbital module is able to dock with space station

The Shenzhou V space craft's module, currently in orbit, has operated for close to 20 days. As this is a year in which geomagnetic storms occurred with increasing frequency, the status of the orbital module has been the object of special concern. According to the news released by the the China Space Environment Prediction Centre, the altitude at which the Shenzhou V space craft's module is orbiting has apparently lowered because of the impact from the geomagnetic storm. However, the orbital module is still operating normally because some onboard sensors are already covered with an anti-radiation "heavy cotton-padded jacket [Chinese: hou mian ao]". In the event of highly charged particles, the spacecraft can switch its sensors, or dodge by adjusting its flight posture.

According to Xi Zheng, director of the Beijing Spaceflight Command and Control Centre, the orbital module, one of the three cabins of the Shenzhou V, assumes a vital role. During the half-a- year independent operation in orbit, it will, prior to China's next plans for developing a manned space station that can operate in space for a long period of time, carry out initial scientific experiments, verify experiments on the performance of a space-based station, accumulate relevant data, evaluate the effect of the space environment on the body of an astronaut working at the orbital space station, and also conduct experiments with a focus on earth observation. At the front end of the orbital module there is also a supplementary section, which is designed to safely dock the module with a future space station.

At present, the orbital module is under the close monitoring of ground science and technology personnel. Xi Zheng said that as special staff at the Beijing Spaceflight Command and Control Centre are assigned every day to maintain and control the orbital module platform, onboard devices, including solar panels and extendable large solar cell wings, are functioning normally.

Jianbing [Vanguard] No 4 satellite operating normally

On the 21st of last month, "Earth Resources No 1 satellite", developed in cooperation with Brazil, and a China-made small satellite - "Chuangxin No 1" - were launched into orbit. According to Dong Deyi, director of the Xian Satellite Control Centre, "Resources No 1" has so far safely orbited the earth 209 times, with all onboard subsystems working normally and images relayed to the ground were clear and of good quality. The Xian Satellite Control Centre has issued several thousand remote-control commands to the earth resources satellite. Its operation will be handed over to a client after the next stage of orbital testing is completed.

Jianbing No 4, shot into space not long ago [3 November], is the 18th re-entry satellite developed by China. It is not only China's first launch of this type of satellite, but also China's first testing of a re-entry satellite since 1996. Compared with re-entry satellites previously rocketed into space, greater improvements have been made in the performance of this science experimental satellite. Remaining in orbit for 18 days before returning to the earth, the satellite is mainly for scientific research, land surveying and mapping.

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