Fwd: China puts surveillance satellite in orbit

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: October 21, 2014 10:13:08 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: China puts surveillance satellite in orbit

 

 

 

China launches remote sensing satellite

 

English.news.cn   2014-10-20 16:30:09

 

A Long March-4C carrier rocket carrying the Yaogan-22 remote sensing satellite blasts off from the launch pad at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Oct. 20, 2014. The satellite will be used for scientific experiments, natural resource surveying, estimating crop yields and disaster relief. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao)

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TAIYUAN, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- China launched the Yaogan-22 remote sensing satellite into scheduled orbit at 2:31 p.m. on Monday Beijing Time from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

The satellite will be used for scientific experiments, natural resource surveying, estimating crop yields and disaster relief.

It was carried by a Long March-4C rocket. The launch is the 195th mission for the Long March rocket family. 

 

Copyright ©2014 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved.

 

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China puts government surveillance satellite in orbit
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
October 20, 2014

China sent a reconnaissance satellite into orbit Monday from the Taiyuan space center, expanding the country's network of intelligence-gathering spacecraft.

The Yaogan 22 satellite lifted off on a Long March 4C rocket at 2:31 p.m. Beijing time Monday. Credit: Xinhua
 
The Yaogan 22 satellite lifted off at 0631 GMT (2:31 a.m. EDT) Monday aboard a three-stage Long March 4C rocket from the Taiyuan space base in northern China's Shanxi province, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

The liftoff occurred at 2:31 p.m. Beijing time, and the liquid-fueled launcher put the Yaogan 22 spacecraft into the planned orbit, Xinhua reported.

China did not announce the launch ahead of time, keeping with standard practice for nearly all Chinese rocket flights.

Tracking data from the U.S. Air Force's Space Surveillance Network indicated the satellite was put into orbit 1,200 kilometers, or 745 miles, above Earth at an inclination of about 100 degrees.

"The satellite will be used for scientific experiments, natural resource surveying, estimating crop yields and disaster relief," Xinhua reported.

But Western analysts believe Yaogan satellites conduct global surveillance with high-resolution imaging payloads for Chinese intelligence and military authorities.

Yaogan 22's launch mimics previous launches in December 2009, May 2012 and November 2013, which used the same type of Long March rocket, the same launch facility and put a satellite in nearly identical orbits.

The "Yaogan" name may be a cover for China's spy satellite missions.

Monday's launch marked the seventh Chinese space launch of the year, and the 63rd rocket flight to reach orbit worldwide in 2014.  

 

© 2014 Spaceflight Now Inc.

 

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