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ExPaceKuaizhou 1AMobile Launcher Pad, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E

Launched

August 14, 2023 · 05:32 UTC

Launch Successful

Summary

HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E launched on an ExPace Kuaizhou 1A from Mobile Launcher Pad, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on August 14, 2023 at 05:32 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:22 to 05:48 UTC. It was ExPace's 21st launch, 4th this year and humanity's 6,495th orbital launch attempt. It was the 22nd Kuaizhou 1A flight and the 4th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Jiaotong-6, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 702 × 713 km orbit inclined 45.0°. 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, 5 of them payloads.

Watch
Vehicle
Kuaizhou 1A · ExPace
Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone
22nd Kuaizhou 1A flight · 4th this yearExPace's 21st launch4th this yearhumanity's 6,495th orbital launch attempt127th orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

45.0°Inclination
702 × 713 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
98.8 minPeriodfrom mean elements
0.3°Ascending node
1159 d agoElement epoch2023-08-14 08:46 UTC · stale

Jiaotong-6 · NORAD 57626 · 2023-121 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2023-121A
Epoch
2023-08-14 08:46:18 UTC
Mean motion
14.57746082 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0007703
Inclination
45.0026°
Ascending node
0.2572°
Arg. of perigee
242.8555°
Mean anomaly
230.077°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
2
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

6 catalogued: 5 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 5 still in orbit

  • Jiaotong-6 · NORAD 57626 · in orbit
  • Jiaotong-7 · NORAD 57627 · in orbit
  • Jiaotong-8 · NORAD 57628 · in orbit
  • Jiaotong-9 · NORAD 57629 · in orbit
  • Jiaotong-10 · NORAD 57630 · in orbit

KZ-1A Y21 Stage 4 · re-entered August 15, 2023

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

5 commercial ship/traffic AIS tracking satellites.

Pad

Map of Mobile Launcher Pad

Mobile Launcher Pad, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

5th launch from Mobile Launcher Pad, 1st this year · 190th from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Local pad time at liftoff: Aug 14, 1:32 PM GMT+8, in daylight

8 launches from this pad · 242 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

240 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin · Aug 14, 2023 · source

Show 2 earlier updates

  • delayed by 1 day

    hitura-nobad · 8/12/2023 · source

  • Added launch per NOTAMs; payload and launch vehicle identity extremely uncertain.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/8/2023 · source

Questions

When did HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E launch?

HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E launched on August 14, 2023 at 05:32 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:22 to 05:48 UTC.

Where can I watch HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E?

Coverage: Kuaizhou-1A launches HeDe-3 A-E. Watch the replay

What rocket launched HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E?

Kuaizhou 1A, flown by ExPace. Kuaizhou 1A spec sheet

Where did HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E launch from?

Mobile Launcher Pad, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was Aug 14, 1:32 PM GMT+8 local time at the pad.

What orbit did HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E reach?

Jiaotong-6, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 702 × 713 km orbit inclined 45.0°.

How many satellites did HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E launch?

5 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 5 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).