Huanjing 1A

Launch data: Designation  33320 / 08041A Launch date  06 Sep 2008 - 03:25 UT Launch site  Taiyuan Launch Center Launch vehicle  CZ-2C-III/SM (#F30) Mission  Government: Remote Sensing Polar LEO Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  625 x 661 km Eccentricity  2,57E-03 Inclination  98.1 deg Period  97.58 min

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• Monitors environment and natural disasters.
• Two Huan Jing ('Environment') satellites were launched by CZ-2C from China's Taiyuan space centre on Sep 6. They carry visible and infrared sensors.
• The satellites were launched into a 626 x 668 km x 98.0 deg orbit. A moderately large number of debris objects have been catalogued, suggesting that the second stage disintegrated after being discarded.
• Three objects (41A, B, D) are tracked in the high orbit, presumably the payloads and the SMA kick stage. Four objects tracked in higher apogee transfer orbits of 250 x 850-880 km are probably the four stage separation motor covers usually associated with CZ-2C launches: 41V, 41Y, 41Z, 41AA. The remaining objects are in 200-400 x 500-700 km orbits and I expect they are associated with disintegration of the CZ-2C second stage, which is probably 41C.