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China's KZ-1A rocket launches two satellites
Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-31 15:47:35|Editor: Li Xia
JIUQUAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Two satellites for technological experiments were sent into space by a Kuaizhou-1A, or KZ-1A, carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Saturday.
The rocket blasted off at 7:41 a.m. and sent the two satellites into their planned orbit.
Kuaizhou-1A, meaning speedy vessel, is a low-cost solid-fuel carrier rocket with high reliability and a short preparation period. The rocket, developed by a company under the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, is mainly used to launch low-orbit microsatellites.
Saturday's launch was the third mission of the KZ-1A rocket.
One of the newly launched satellites was developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and will be used for microgravity technology experiments.
It will conduct on-orbit experiments on ultra-high precision control and measurement technologies under microgravity conditions, according to the CAS.
The technologies will lay a solid foundation for space science tasks and frontier basic science research, such as space-based gravitational wave detection and ultra-high precision inertial navigation, CAS said.
The other satellite, developed by Spacety Co., Ltd. (Changsha), a privately owned Chinese commercial space company, will be used to test solar sail technology.
The microgravity technology experiment satellite belongs to the second phase of a space science program of the CAS. During the first phase, a series of space science satellites have been sent into space, including the DAMPE to search for dark matter, the world's first quantum satellite and the HXMT, China's first X-ray space telescope.
In the coming three to four years, China plans to launch new space science satellites including the Gravitational Wave Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM), the Advanced Space-borne Solar Observatory (ASO-S), the Einstein-Probe (EP) and the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) to study gravitational waves, black holes, the relationship between the solar system and humanity, and the origin and evolution of the universe.
Translation:中科院之声
今天 15:42 来自 微博 weibo.com
【我国首颗空间引力波探测技术实验卫星—“太极一号”第一阶段在轨测试任务顺利完成】“太极一号”第一阶段在轨测试和数据分析结果表明,激光干涉仪位移测量精度达到百皮米量级(约为一个原子直径),引力参考传感器测量精度达到地球重力加速度的百亿分之一量级,微推进器推力分辨率达到亚微牛量级。“太极一号”实现了我国迄今为止最高精度的空间激光干涉测量,成功进行了我国首次在轨无拖曳控制技术试验,并在国际上首次实现了微牛级射频离子和双模霍尔电推进技术的在轨验证。
China Focus: Chinese satellite tests space-based gravitational wave detection technologiesNote:
The "Taiji-1" satellite is the official name of the "microgravity technology experiment satellite" referred above, that was launched recently on 31st Aug 2019. It is part of China's "Project Taiji" that is similar to the European LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna - Wikipedia) project. With scientific mission for detection and measurement of gravitational waves.
Translation:
Voice of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Today 15:42 from Weibo
[China's first space gravitational wave detection technology experimental satellite - "Taiji-1" first stage in-orbit test mission successfully completed]
"Taiji-1" first stage in-orbit test and data analysis results show laser interferometer displacement measurement accuracy up to the order of one hundred picometers (about one atomic diameter), the gravitational reference sensor measurement accuracy reaches the order of per ten billionth of one g, and the micro thruster's thrust resolution reaches the sub-micro-Newton level. "Taiji-1" has achieved the highest precision of space laser interferometry measurement in China so far, successfully carried out the first in-orbit test of drag-free control technology in China, and also realized on-orbit verification for the first time in the world, micro-Newton level RF ion and dual mode Hall effect thruster technology.
Most Russia launch are ISS resupply or astronauts.太空精酿
今天 03:31 来自 微博 weibo.com
2019世界航天发射赛程过去大半,目前来看,中美俄三足鼎立,世界所有其他国家在旁边看热闹
Over half the year has gone, the space launch schedule looks to be dominated by China, Russia and USA.
What rocket launched? LM-5 rocket?环球时报
今天 15:39 来自 微博 weibo.com
【远望21号火箭运输船即将完成适应性改造 为重大任务做最后冲刺】远望21号火箭运输船负责人今日向外界透露,为更好地执行即将开展的一系列海上运输任务,9月初远望21号火箭运输船进厂进行改造,随着后续任务时间的日益临近,船员和工厂师傅开启了“白加黑”和“五加二”的工作模式,据了解,远望21号火箭运输船将于本月底完成改造,靠回中国卫星海上测控部母港,为即将开始的火箭运输任务做最后准备。(高超、亓创)
Global Times
Today 15:39 from Weibo
[Yuanwang No. 21 rocket transport ship is about to complete the adaptive transformation to make the final sprint for a major mission[憧憬]]
The head of the Yuanwang-21 rocket transport ship revealed to the outside world today that in order to better carry out the upcoming series of maritime transport missions, Yuanwang-21 rocket transport ship entered the shipyard for renovation in early September. With the approaching task time approaching, the crew and factory masters opened the working mode of “day plus night” and “five plus two”. It is understood that Yuanwang-21 rocket transport ship will be renovated at the end of this month, and will return to the home port of the China Satellite Maritime Monitoring and Control Department to make final preparations for the upcoming rocket transportation mission. (Gao Chao, Yu Chuang)
Yuanwang-21 could only be used for LM-5 or LM-7 transport. There is no news on plan of new LM-7 launch, so likely either LM-5 or LM-5B would be transport to Wenchang.What rocket launched? LM-5 rocket?