China puts two satellites into orbit

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, October 21, 2003

China puts two satellites into orbit

China sent the second Earth resources satellite developed jointly by China and Brazil and another China-made small satellite into different preset orbits on Tuesday by a Long March IV B carrier rocket at 11:16 a.m. (BJT) at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China.

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China-Brazil satellite lifts off

China sent the second Earth resources satellite developed jointly by China and Brazil and another China-made small satellite into different preset orbits on Tuesday.

The satellites were raised by a Long March IV B carrier rocket which blast off at 11:16 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China.

According to data from the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring and Control Center, the Earth resources satellite entered the sun-synchronous orbit 13 minutes after the rocket lifted off.

The rocket went on flying for about 40 seconds and hurled a Chinese satellite into a fixed orbit smoothly. The satellite, known as Chuangxin I or Innovation I, was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It is the country's first satellite weighing less than 100 kg.

The second Resources No.1 satellite was designed to monitor Earth's land resources change, survey arable lands and grasslands,monitor natural and human disasters, offer information on aquatic farming and environmental pollution, and explore mineral resources.

The resources satellite, 1,550 kg in weight with a designed service life of two years, was developed by China Academy of Space Technology in cooperation with Brazilian National Institute for Space Research.

With a designed two-year life span, the satellite will be controlled by China for one and a half years, with the rest of time being handled by Brazil.

The satellite is more reliable than the first one which was developed by the two countries and launched on Oct. 14 ,1999 at the same launch center. The previous one has outlived its planned two-year service term and is still operational in orbit.

The Xi'an Satellite Monitoring Center will monitor and test thenew resources satellite in orbit for some time before its actual utilization right is delivered to its clients.

Leaders of China and Brazil have congratulated on the successful launch, saying the achievement will enrich the two countries' strategic partnership and promote mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation, according to sources with China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It was the 30th consecutive success of China's launching Long March rocket series since October 1996.

The first China-Brazil earth resources satellite was launched in 1999 in Taiyuan. The two sides are also working on the versions of a third and fourth satellite.

New stage for China in aerospace technology

The successful launch of the small satellite named "Chuangxin I" on Tuesday marks that China is now able to develop micro-satellites, according to a Chinese science official.

Chuangxin I is the first satellite weighing below 100 kilograms ever developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), according to Jiang Mianheng, vice-president of the CAS.

The first Chuangxin satellite, whose name means "innovation", was launched at the Taiyuan space center in north China's Shanxi Province together with the second earth resources satellite jointly developed by China and Brazil.

The satellite, which has adopted a series of advanced telecommunication technologies, can play a big role in data transmission to help traffic control, environmental protection, oil and gas transportation, flood prevention and earthquake monitoring, Jiang said.

The successful launch of the Chuangxin I marks a new phase in China's aerospace technology, Jiang added.

Long March rockets on par with world's advanced level

China's successful launch of two satellites on Tuesday indicates the country is on a par with the world's advanced level in terms of rocket technology and aerospace management, according to an aerospace expert.

China's Long March IV B carried the second Earth resources satellite developed jointly by China and Brazil and another China-made small satellite into different preset orbits.

Zhang Qingwei, general manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., said it was China's 30th consecutive success in launching the Long March rocket series since October 1996.

With 103,000 employees, the aerospace corporation is the manufacturer of China's Long March launch vehicles, including the Long March II F rocket that put China's first manned spacecraft inspace.

Zhang, also deputy commander of China's Manned Spaceflight Program, said stringent management contributed to the consecutive launch successes over the past seven years.

The three-stage Long March IV B carrier rocket has a diameter of 3.35 meters with a lift-off mass of 250 tons.

China to develop two more satellites with Brazil by 2010

China and Brazil will join hands in putting two more earth resources satellites into orbit by around 2010, a Chinese space official said on Tuesday.

Sun Laiyan, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said both sides will share the costs equally for developing and producing the satellites, citing an agreement the two countries signed late last year.

The official made the remarks after a Chinese rocket carried anearth resources satellite developed by the two countries and a Chinese-made small communications satellite into separate orbits on Tuesday.

Space officials said the satellite is more reliable than the first one which was developed by the two countries and launched on Oct. 14., 1999 from the same launch center.

Sun described the successful launch in 1999 as a milestone for both China and Brazil as it was the fruit of 13 years of efforts by experts from the two countries.

The first satellite has outlived its planned two-year service term and is still in operational orbit.

According to an agreement signed by the two countries, Brazil was responsible for the development of a CCD imaging system in the satellite, while China was responsible for the application platform and two other payloads.

The second Resources No. 1 satellite was designed to monitor earth's land resources changes, survey arable lands and grasslands, monitor natural and human disasters, offer information on aquatic farming and environmental pollution, and explore mineral resources.

The resources satellite, 1,550 kg in weight with a designed service life of two years, was developed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology in cooperation with the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research.

China bore 70 percent of the costs of the resources satellites the two countries developed, while Brazil bore 30 percent, according to an agreement the two countries signed in 1986.

By People's Daily Online

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