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July 27, 2019
Image above: A Long March 2C rocket lifted off at 0357 GMT Friday (11:57 p.m. EDT Thursday) with three Yaogan 30 satellites for the Chinese military. The grid fins are visible on the gray section of the rocket at the top of the first stage. Image Credit: Xinhua.
A Chinese Long March 2C rocket launches with three Yaogan 30-05 surveillance satellites for the Chinese military.
Long March-2C launches new Yaogan-30 satellites
A Long March-2C launch vehicle launched a new group of Yaogan-30 remote sensing satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 26 July 2019, at 03:57 UTC (11:57 local time). According to official sources, the satellites have entered the planned orbits, and will be used for electromagnetic environment detection and related technological tests.
The three satellites confirmed as deployed – via CCTV, China
Tracking data published by the U.S. military indicated the Long March 2C rocket achieved a 370-mile-high (600-kilometer) orbit with an inclination of 35 degrees to the equator. The orbit matches that of four previous triplets of Yaogan 30 satellites in late 2017 and early 2018, which also flew into space aboard Long March 2C rockets from Xichang.
Yaogan-30 satellite. Image Credit: Günter Space Page
The Yaogan series of satellites are believed to be operated by the Chinese military for intelligence-gathering purposes.
Some analysts suggested the 12 Yaogan 30-01, 30-02, 30-03 and 30-04 satellites launched in 2017 and 2018 could be testing new electronic eavesdropping equipment or helping the Chinese military track U.S. and other foreign naval deployments.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC): http://english.spacechina.com/n16421/index.html
China National Space Administration (CNSA): http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/
Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: Credits: China Central Television (CCTV)/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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