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| China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) Launches Yaogan-35 Spy Satellite Again |
Beijing - China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) launched a trio of military reconnaissance satellites Yaogan-35 into orbit on Friday, July 29, 2022 morning. The spy satellite was launched on a Chang Zheng 2D rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
The Yaogan Weixing satellite, translated to "remote sensing satellite", often shortened to Yaogan is the name CASC gives to its military spacecraft, much like the "Kosmos" and "US" designations that have been used by Russia and the United States.
Each Yaogan satellite performs a different surveillance and national security mission for the Chinese government. The Chinese government provides only limited information regarding the operation of each satellite in orbit.
Official information provided, satellites are used for agricultural purposes such as crop yield estimation and natural disaster prevention. This mission marks the third launch of the Yaogan-35 group of satellites, with previous launches in December 2021 and June 2022, respectively.
The Yaogan-35 is still considered a relatively new type of payload, so it will likely be some time before its intended purpose becomes clear. The latest batch of satellites flew over the Chang Zheng 2D (CZ-2D) launch vehicle. Also known in western circles as the Long March 2D, it is a two-stage vehicle that serves as part of the traditional Chang Zheng rocket family along with the CZ-3 and CZ-4 classes.
The CZ-2 rocket is mostly used to launch missions into low-Earth orbit. Three versions namely Chang Zheng 2C, Chang Zheng 2D, and Chang Zheng 2F are currently in active service for CASC.
Quoted from nasaspaceflight, so far China's space program has launched 27 orbital missions by 2022, with 26 successes and one failure. The launch is the 27th in China this year.
CASC plans to launch more than 50 times during 2022. There is yet to come the eagerly awaited maiden flight of LandSpace Zhuque-2, which will be China's first orbital-class rocket to use liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellants.
The two-stage vehicle is said to be capable of lifting 4,000 kilograms (8,818 pounds) of payload into low-Earth orbit. The launch is currently scheduled for sometime in early August.