NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Double Star P

Launch Time
Sun Jul 25, 2004 07:05 UTC

Last flight of CZ-2C with an SM upper stage.

Rocket

Long March 2C/SM
Image Credit: CASC
CASC
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 2,963 kN
Payload to LEO: 2,500 kg
Stages: 3
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 34.65 m
Fairing Diameter: 3.35 m
Fairing Height: 5.84 m

Mission Details

Double Star P (TC-2)

Double Star is a joint satellite-based space mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). It is the first space mission launched by China to investigate Earth's magnetosphere. It consists of two satellites: an Equatorial satellite (TC-1) and a Polar satellite (TC-2). Double Star follows in the footsteps of ESA's Cluster mission by studying the effects of the Sun on the Earth's environment. After a nominal mission of one year (from the launch of TC-2 in July 2004), the Double Star mission was extended twice by both agencies till the end of September 2007.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 660.0 kg
Highly Elliptical Orbit

Location

LC-7, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China

Stats

2004

29th orbital launch attempt

Long March 2C

21st mission
2nd mission of 2004
21st successful mission