SAR imaging satellite for Arctic routes monitoring
03 December 2020
China plans to launch a new Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite for monitoring Arctic shipping routes. Jointly developed by scientists from Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University and the China Academy of Space Technology, the satellite has been designed to be put in 2022 in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 720 km and to generate high-quality SAR satellite imagery with 50-meter resolution and 300 km width.
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Space contractor eyes 5G technology at sea
03 December 2020
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, a major space contractor, is striving to use its satellite technology to enable 5G telecommunication service at sea. The State-owned space conglomerate conducted China's first technology demonstration tests using a low-orbiting satellite to enable 5G communication and internet-of-things services on waters off Daishan county in Zhejiang province last month.
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Packed and sealed - lunar probe sampling accomplished
03 December 2020
China's Chang'e-5 probe has completed sampling on the moon, and the samples have been sealed inside the spacecraft, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced in the morning of 3 December. After the spacecraft worked for about 19 hours on the Moon, the sampling ended on 2 December at 22:00 BJT, and the samples were stowed in a container inside the ascender of the probe as planned, said CNSA. By using data sent back by the probe, researchers simulated the sampling procedure in a lab, providing an important basis for the operation on the Moon. The lunar regolith penetrating radar and other payloads installed on the lander have carried out scientific exploration as planned and provided information support for sampling.
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Video footage of sampling process
China to build new production base for solid rockets
02 December 2020
Chinese rocket manufacturer, China Rocket Co., Ltd., and the municipal government of Haiyang in east China's Shandong Province signed a contract on 2 December, pledging to build a 163-hectare production base for solid-propellant rockets. The base will be able to produce 20 solid rockets annually, including Smart Dragon series carrier rockets, upon its completion, according to the company. The production base will also offer services such as rocket assembling, testing and seaborne rocket launch for domestic and overseas aerospace companies.
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Video with footage and animation of the sea launch facility