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China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 3B/ELaunch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Compass-M3 & Compass-M4
Launched
April 29, 2012
Image: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Summary
Compass-M3 & Compass-M4 launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 3B/E from Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on April 29, 2012. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 106th launch, 5th this year and humanity's 5,209th orbital launch attempt. It was the 8th Long March 3B/E flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). Beidou DW 12, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 251 × 21,582 km orbit inclined 55.0°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Navigation · Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
- Milestone
- 8th Long March 3B/E flight · 2nd this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 106th launch5th this yearhumanity's 5,209th orbital launch attempt19th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Beidou DW 12 · NORAD 38250 · 2012-018 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2012-018A
- Epoch
- 2012-04-30 00:33:23 UTC
- Mean motion
- 3.81958777 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.6169689
- Inclination
- 55.0294°
- Ascending node
- 117.8666°
- Arg. of perigee
- 173.4037°
- Mean anomaly
- 202.1152°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: MEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 2 still in orbit
- Beidou DW 12 · NORAD 38250 · in orbit
- Beidou DW 13 · NORAD 38251 · in orbit
CZ-3B Y14 Stage 3 · re-entered August 18, 2017
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Compass-M3 and M4 were the first pair of BeiDou-2 medium Earth orbit navigation satellites launched together on a single Long March 3B, expanding the constellation's coverage beyond the Asia-Pacific region.
Pad
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
47th launch from Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), 3rd this year · 74th from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
126 launches from this pad · 242 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
29 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Compass-M3 & Compass-M4 launch?
Compass-M3 & Compass-M4 launched on April 29, 2012. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Compass-M3 & Compass-M4?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Compass-M3 & Compass-M4?
Long March 3B/E, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 3B/E spec sheet
Where did Compass-M3 & Compass-M4 launch from?
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit did Compass-M3 & Compass-M4 reach?
Beidou DW 12, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 251 × 21,582 km orbit inclined 55.0°.
How many satellites did Compass-M3 & Compass-M4 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).