China launches new Earth observation satellite Gaofen 5
09 May 2018
On 9 May, China launched Gaofen-5, a hyperspectral imaging satellite, as part of the country's high-resolution Earth observation project. The Gaofen-5 satellite was launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 2:28 a.m. Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province. It was the 274th flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket. The satellite can be used for comprehensive environmental monitoring.
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Commercial launch provider OneSpace Technology prepares for first launch
04 May 2018
Shu Chang, founder and chief executive of OneSpace Technology, a privately owned startup in Beijing that develops and builds carrier rockets, said that the maiden launch of the company's OS-X0 solid-fuel rocket is set to take place in May at a test field in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Engineers at OneSpace have finished most of the testing on the rocket, which was recently transported from the company's manufacturing facility in Beijing to the test field, he said.
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China launches new communication satellite for HK-based company
04 May 2018
On 04 May, China launched a new communication satellite "APSTAR-6C" at 00:06 h Beijing Time (03. April; 16:06 h UTC) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
The satellite, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), was sent into orbit by the Long March-3B carrier rocket. This was the 273rd mission of the Long March rocket series. The user of the satellite is Hong Kong-based APT Satellite Co., Ltd. The satellite will provide TV transmission, communication, Internet and multimedia services to customers across the Asia-Pacific region. It is the second communication satellite developed by CAST for APT Satellite, following the APSTAR-9, which went into orbit on 17 October 2015.
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China sets up emergency response mechanism to serve countries along Belt, Road
03 May 2018
China has established an emergency response mechanism for disaster prevention and mitigation to serve countries along the Belt and Road region, said the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). Under the mechanism, those countries can submit applications to the World Meteorological Organization for starting the mechanism once they encounter typhoon, rainstorm, sandstorm or other extreme weather. Then, CMA would operate on-duty Fengyun satellites for frequent regional observation over the disaster areas every five to six minutes.
CCTV footage