NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

QUESS, Lixing-1, & 3CAT 2

Launch Time
Mon Aug 15, 2016 17:40 UTC

Rocket

Long March 2D
CASC
Status: Active
Price: $29.75 million
Liftoff Thrust: 2,962 kN
Payload to LEO: 3,500 kg
Payload to GTO: 1,200 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 40.77 m
Fairing Diameter: 3.35 m
Fairing Height: 7.82 m

Mission Details

QUESS

Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS), is an international research project in the field of quantum physics. QUESS is a proof-of-concept mission designed to facilitate quantum optics experiments over long distances to allow the development of quantum encryption and quantum teleportation technology.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 631.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Lixing-1

Lixing 1 is a Chinese satellite to conduct research on the rarified upper atmosphere, which was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Lixing 1 was shown on the launch animation as an object of elongated cylinder shape. It likely features some kind of propulsion to lower the orbit and to maintain the low orbit.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 110.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

3CAT 2

3Cat 2 is a 6U CubeSat developed at the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (UPC) to demonstrate a novel dual-frequency (L1+L2) GNSS-R altimeter/scatterometer and GNSS-RO.

The mission is designed to perform ocean altimetry by means of Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R). The main payload is the novel dual-band altimeter P(Y) & C/A ReflectOmeter (PYCARO) which has been designed and manufactured at UPC’s Remote Sensing Lab and NanoSat Lab. It also integrates the Mirabilis Star Tracker, an experimental star tracker for attitude determination, and the AMR eLISA magnetometer designed and manufactured at IEEC for the future ESA’s LISA mission.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 7.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Location

Site 9401 (SLS-2), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China

Stats

2016

51st orbital launch attempt

Long March 2D

29th mission
3rd mission of 2016
29th successful mission