China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 2F/GLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle
Launched
September 4, 2020
Image: Xinhua
Summary
Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 2F/G from Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on September 4, 2020. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 291st launch, 21st this year and humanity's 5,991st orbital launch attempt. It was the 7th Long March 2F/G flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Chonfu Shiyong Shiyan HQ, one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 339 × 355 km orbit inclined 50.2°. The spacecraft was Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle. 7 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Test Flight · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 7th Long March 2F/G flight · 1st this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 291st launch21st this yearhumanity's 5,991st orbital launch attempt69th orbital launch attempt this year
Spacecraft
Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle
First Chinese reusable spacecraft, apparently a spaceplane with wings per a photo taken by a US satellite. No public information of it is available. Its official name is "Chongfu Shiyong Shiyan Hangtian Qi", meaning "Reusable Experimental Spacecraft". Note: It is unknown how many flight vehicles have been built and flown.
- Destination: Low Earth Orbit
- Mission length: 1 day 18 hours
The reusable space plane landed on the Lop Nur dried salt lake.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Chonfu Shiyong Shiyan HQ · NORAD 46389 · 2020-063 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 7 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2020-063A
- Epoch
- 2020-09-04 12:05:41 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.76699811 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0012238
- Inclination
- 50.2016°
- Ascending node
- 65.2567°
- Arg. of perigee
- 283.9946°
- Mean anomaly
- 184.6939°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 3
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
7 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 5 components; none still in orbit
- Chonfu Shiyong Shiyan HQ · NORAD 46389 · landed September 6, 2020
CZ-2F T3 Stage 2 · re-entered July 1, 2021
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The payload is an experimental reusable spacecraft. It is rumored to be a prototype of a reusable spaceplane (similar to Boeing X-37B vehicle). The spacecraft stayed in orbit for two days and returned to Earth on September 6. Though the landing site was not disclosed, the spacecraft is presumed to have landed at an airbase near Lop Nor nuclear test site.
Pad
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
14th launch from Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), 1st this year · 131st from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
29 launches from this pad · 299 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
about 4 years after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle launch?
Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle launched on September 4, 2020. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle?
Long March 2F/G, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 2F/G spec sheet
Where did Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle launch from?
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit did Chinese Reusable Space Vehicle reach?
Chonfu Shiyong Shiyan HQ, one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 339 × 355 km orbit inclined 50.2°.