Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Gaofen 13 Launch Live Stream

China is targeting 17:00 on 10/11/2020 UTC for liftoff of their Long March 3B/E rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, China. The rocket will carry Gaofen 13, a Chinese communicat...

Long March-3B launches Gaofen-13

A Long March-3B launch vehicle launched the Gaofen-13 satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 11 October 2020, at 16:57 UTC (12 October, at 00:57 loca...

Gaofen 13

Overview

Destination: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Geostationary Transfer Orbit Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Gaofen is a series of civilian Earth observation satellites developed and launched for the China High-definition Earth Observation System (CHEOS), a state-sponsored programme aimed to develop a near-real time, all-weather, global surveillance network consisting of satellite, near-space (stratosphere) airships, and aerial observation platforms.

Long March 3B/E

Family:
Configuration: B/E

The Long March 3B / E (G2) (CZ-3B / E) is one of the most successful medium-range launchers and the strongest variant of the CZ-3 series. It was specially developed for the transport of heavy communications satellites into a geostationary transfer orbit. The additional designation "E" stands for a higher payload fairing, stretched boosters and extended fuel tanks at the first stage, over the CZ-3B.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    56.3 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    4.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    456.0 T
  • Thrust
    5924.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 3B/E
  • Family
  • Variant
    B/E
  • Alias
    CZ-3B/E
  • Full Name
    Long March 3B/E
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $70000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    12000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    5500.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 545 Failures: 14 Pending: 10

Agency Type:

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceNews

China launches Gaofen-13 observation satellite towards geostationary orbit

NASA Spaceflight

Long March 3B lofts Gaofen-13

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Complex 2 (LC-2)


Long March 8A
Success
1 day, 7 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 14
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Kuaizhou-1A
Success
2 days, 6 hours ago
Traffic VDES A & B
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Two technology demonstration satellites for satellite transmissions of signals for the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), a successor to the current Au…


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 18 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-25
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Zhuque-3
Success
4 days, 11 hours ago
Demo Flight
Launch Area 96B - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch of LandSpace’s ZQ-3 rocket, with a dummy payload. The rocket’s 1st stage will attempt to land on a landing pad about 300 km downran…


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-95
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 10 hours ago
Starlink Group 15-10
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Vega-C
Success
5 days, 22 hours ago
KOMPSAT-7
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

KOMPSAT-7 is the follow-up model of KOMPSAT-3A whose mission is to provide high-resolution satellite images to satisfy South-Korea's governmental and…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 7 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-86
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 7A
Success
1 week ago
Shijian 28
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Classified experimental Chinese satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Transporter 15 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.