Jielong 1
Jielong 1 (Chinese: 捷龙一号运载火箭, meaning "agile dragon", also known as Smart Dragon 1, SD-1), is a solid fueled orbital launch vehicle developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's subsidiary China Rocket to launch up to 150 kg to a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit. The rocket is 19.5 meters tall, 1.2 meters in diameter and weighs 23.1 metric tons. It is a solid fuel, 4 stage orbital rocket.[1] The development of the rocket took 18 months (initiated in February 2018); the rocket uses propulsion technology from Chinese missile programs. The program aims to produce a launch vehicle with launch price per mass of $US 30,000/kg, or $6 million for the launch.[2]
Function | Small orbital launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | CALT |
Country of origin | China |
Size | |
Height | 19.5 m (64 ft) |
Diameter | 1.2 m (3.9 ft) |
Mass | 23,100 kg (50,900 lb) |
Stages | 4 |
Capacity | |
Payload to SSO 500 km | |
Mass | 200 kg (440 lb) |
Payload to SSO 700 km | |
Mass | 150 kg (330 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Comparable | Jielong 3, Minotaur I Pegasus Start-1 Electron |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | Jiuquan |
Total launches | 1 |
Success(es) | 1 |
First flight | 17 August 2019 |
The launch vehicle features an inverted-position fourth stage motor and payload space during the initial portion of the launch sequence; the stack rotates to front after third stage separation.[3]
The maiden flight of Jielong 1 on 17 August 2019, 04:11 UTC was successful. It delivered three small satellites into polar orbit. The satellites were the Xingshidai 5 Earth observation satellite, Tianqi 2 experimental satellite and a third small Earth observing satellite Qiancheng 01[1] from Qiansheng Exploration Technology Co. Ltd. The launch took place from Jiuquan, with the rocket taking off from a road-mobile transporter.[2]
List of launches
Flight number | Flight | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Y1 | August 17, 2019 04:11[2] |
JSLC | Qiancheng 01 Xingshidai 5 Tianqi 2 |
SSO | Success[2] |
2 | Y2 | Q4 2023 | JSLC | SSO | Planned | |
References
- "Jielong-1 (Smart Dragon-1, SD 1)". Gunter's Space Page.
- "China's Jielong 1 smallsat launcher successful on first flight". 17 August 2019.
- Li, Ivan (17 August 2019). "China successfully conducts first launch of Smart Dragon-1 small satellite launch vehicle". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 29 December 2019.