Ziyuan-3-04

The mission

The ZY-3 (Ziyuan-3, 'Resource-3') series represents China's first high-resolution, stereoscopic mapping satellites for civilian use. The second satellite is managed by the Satellite Surveying and Mapping Application Center (SASMAC). The imaging payload consists of a three-line camera array and a multispectral imager. The three-line panchromatic camera array to acquire stereoscopic imagery consists of three telescopic cameras with one oriented to the nadir and the other two each offset by 22° forward and backward in flight direction. The stereo mapping camera of ZY-3 has a resolution of 2.1 m for the nadir camera, and 2.6 m for the offset cameras. The swath width is 51 km. The multispectral imager for environmental and vegetation monitoring consists of a three-mirror telescope and a cooled detector system sensitive to four wavelength bands to capture full-color imagery as well as near-infrared data. The ground resolution of this system is 5.8 m.

Type

Earth science

Destination

Sun-synchronous orbit

The rocket

The Long March 4B (Chinese: 长征四号乙火箭), also known as the Chang Zheng 4B, CZ-4B and LM-4B is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Launched from Launch Complex 1 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, it is a 3-stage rocket, used mostly to place satellites into low Earth and sun synchronous orbits.

Height

44.1 m

Built by

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

First flew

May 10, 1999

Lifts to low Earth orbit

4,200 kg

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Lifts to geostationary transfer

1,500 kg

Diameter

3.4 m

Mass at liftoff

249 t

Thrust at liftoff

2,961 kN

Stages

3

57 flights, 56 of them successful.

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The operator

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

Sector

Government

Based in

China

Founded

1999

Run by

Lei Fanpei, Chairman & President

612 launches so far, 596 of them successful. The last 3 in a row went to plan.

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The launch site

It went up from Launch Complex 9 at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China.

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