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China Aerospace CorporationLong March 3BLaunch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
INTELSAT 708
Launched
February 14, 1996
Summary
INTELSAT 708 launched on a China Aerospace Corporation Long March 3B from Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on February 14, 1996. The mission failed: Guidance platform short-circuited right at liftoff, leading to loss of attitude control. The vehicle hit the ground at T+23 seconds and exploded, killing at least 6 people on the ground. It was China Aerospace Corporation's 10th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 4,049th orbital launch attempt. It was the 1st Long March 3B flight. The payload was bound for Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO).
- Result
- Guidance platform short-circuited right at liftoff, leading to loss of attitude control. The vehicle hit the ground at T+23 seconds and exploded, killing at least 6 people on the ground.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Long March 3B · China Aerospace Corporation
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO)
- Milestone
- 1st Long March 3B flightChina Aerospace Corporation's 10th launch1st this yearhumanity's 4,049th orbital launch attempt8th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
About this launch
Geostationary communications satellite
Pad
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
10th launch from Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), 1st this year · 19th 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
48 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 INTELSAT 708 launch?
INTELSAT 708 launched on February 14, 1996. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Why did INTELSAT 708 fail?
Guidance platform short-circuited right at liftoff, leading to loss of attitude control. The vehicle hit the ground at T+23 seconds and exploded, killing at least 6 people on the ground.
Where can I watch INTELSAT 708?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched INTELSAT 708?
Long March 3B, flown by China Aerospace Corporation. Long March 3B spec sheet
Where did INTELSAT 708 launch from?
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit was INTELSAT 708 going to?
Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO), a communications mission.