By 
October 8th, 2022
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The first offshore launch of China’s Long March-11 took place Friday, lofting two spacecraft — the CentiSpace-S5/S6 test satellites — from an offshore site.
According to China Central Television (CCTV) the satellites will be used to monitor the performance of the global navigation satellite system in real time, and carry out navigation augmentation and intersatellite laser communication tests.
This was the fourth sea launching of Long March-11 rocket – but with a difference. This mission took place only a couple of miles (three kilometers) away from the shore.
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
To date, the Long March-11 rockets have carried out 10 inland launches and four sea launches successfully. China conducted four seaborne launches using its Long March-11 carrier rocket between June 2019 and October 2022, CCTV reports, laying a foundation for regular seaborne launch missions in the days to come.
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Shorten launch cycle
Dong Xiaobin, deputy chief designer of Long March-11 rocket project with China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told CCTV: “Compared with open sea, offshore areas are more suitable for rocket launch. The ship [that carried the rocket] can head out and come back within one day, unlike previous launches which needed days of sailing. This helps shorten the launch cycle.”
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Zhang Ming, deputy chief designer of the Long March-11 rocket project with the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, told CCTV: “There are different launch sites to choose from for seaborne launch, making it easier to find a safe area for rocket debris to land. Therefore, it’s more convenient than land launch.”
Go to the video of the first offshore launch of the Long March-11 launch vehicle at:
Posted in Space News
