ExPaceKuaizhou 11Launch Area 95A, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Xingyun VDES
Launched
December 7, 2022
Image: 中国航天科工
Summary
Xingyun VDES launched on an ExPace Kuaizhou 11 from Launch Area 95A, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on December 7, 2022. It was ExPace's 17th launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 6,351st orbital launch attempt. It was the 2nd Kuaizhou 11 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Xingyun Jiaotong VDES, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 745 × 757 km orbit inclined 98.4°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- Kuaizhou-11 launches VDESSciNews
- Vehicle
- Kuaizhou 11 · ExPace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
- Milestone
- 2nd Kuaizhou 11 flight · 1st this yearExPace's 17th launch3rd this yearhumanity's 6,351st orbital launch attempt169th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Xingyun Jiaotong VDES · NORAD 54588 · 2022-164 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2022-164A
- Epoch
- 2022-12-07 16:20:17 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.44497954 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0008349
- Inclination
- 98.3531°
- Ascending node
- 9.0582°
- Arg. of perigee
- 279.1039°
- Mean anomaly
- 242.6583°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 9
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage; 1 still in orbit
- Xingyun Jiaotong VDES · NORAD 54588 · in orbit
KZ-11 Y2 Stage 3 · re-entered May 12, 2025
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Test satellite for CASIC's own Xingyun Low Earth Orbit communication satellite constellation, with a VHF Data Exchange System payload for maritime traffic operation uses.
Pad
Launch Area 95A, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
35th launch from Launch Area 95A, 7th this year · 180th from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
68 launches from this pad · 299 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
20 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success.
Show 1 earlier update
Added launch per NOTAMs; launch vehicle and payload very uncertain.
Cosmic_Penguin · 12/6/2022 · source
Questions
When did Xingyun VDES launch?
Xingyun VDES launched on December 7, 2022. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Xingyun VDES?
Coverage: Kuaizhou-11 launches VDES. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Xingyun VDES?
Kuaizhou 11, flown by ExPace. Kuaizhou 11 spec sheet
Where did Xingyun VDES launch from?
Launch Area 95A, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit did Xingyun VDES reach?
Xingyun Jiaotong VDES, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 745 × 757 km orbit inclined 98.4°.
How many satellites did Xingyun VDES launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).