Another busy week of rocket launches in China has come to a close. On Wednesday, the Yaogan 36 mission launched on a Chang Zheng 2D from Xichang, and on Friday, the launch of Shiyan 21 atop a Chang Zheng 11 rocket was conducted from the same spaceport. In total, four launches were conducted from China this week. This includes the failed ZhuQue-2 methane rocket demo flight on Wednesday, and the launch of a Chang Zheng 4C out of Jiuquan on Monday, carrying the Shiyan 20A&B payload. Yaogan 36 Group 4 Liftoff of the Yaogan 36 Group 4 mission occurred on Wednesday at 18:25 UTC from LC-3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC). The payloads went to a 490 x 502 km orbit with an inclination of 35° and an orbital period of 94.5 minutes. Besides minor information on the remote sensing capabilities of the payload, no official information on the payload was given in the statement that the launch was successful. CZ-2D liftoff from Xichang. (Credit: CASC) Yaogan Weixing payloads are classified military satellites that provide remote sensing and disaster protection capabilities to China. They are commonly referred to as just “Yaogan,” and are comparable to classified government satellites…
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China completes doubleheader week from Xichang
