By 
February 27th, 2022
Credit: China Media Group(CMG)/China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
China launched a Long March-8 rocket on Sunday from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province.
Tagged as a new generation carrier rocket, the Long March-8 Y2 placed 22 satellites into Earth orbit, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single booster.
A two-stage medium-lift carrier rocket, the Long March-8 is 165 feet (50.3 meters) long, with a takeoff weight of 356 tons. It uses liquid propellants with a 5-ton capacity for sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 435 miles (700 kilometers).
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Designed for both land and sea takeoff, the rocket made its maiden flight on Dec. 22, 2020 from the Wenchang coastal launch site.
Long March-8 Y2 is the second Long March-8 launch vehicle and the first to be launched without boosters.
Credit: Twitter image via Seger Yu
According to sources, the 22 satellites “will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation.”
For video of the launch, go to:
Posted in Space News
