LM-11 Starts China's Commercial Launch Activity in 2019

At 13:42 Beijing time on January 21,a LM-11 solid carrier rocket soared up from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center,carrying Jilin-1 GP-01 and 02 satellites and 2 piggyback satellites into orbit.

LM-11 was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology for launching medium- and small-sized spacecraft into SSO and near Earth orbit with a launch capacity of 420 kg to a 700 km SSO. The vehicle can launch one satellite and multiple satellites into orbit at one go. Until now, LM-11 has conducted 6 launches with 100% success rate,achieving zero flight failures, zero change in window launch and high accuracy of orbital insertion, demonstrating high product performance and high reliability.

Adopting the generalized flight-control software, the LM-11 launch vehicle launched the first satellite of the Hongyun Project into orbit in 2018. The 2019 mission was the first time that multiple satellites were placed into orbit using the software, marking the maturing of the vehicle in response to the market demand thus providing an easy to operate quick-reaction commercial launch service for customers.

The two primary satellites, Jilin-1 GP-01 and 02, were developed by the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co.,Ltd. The piggybacked two satellites were two small 6U CubeSats Xiaoxiang-1 from SpaceTy and Lingque 1A from ZeroG Lab. Xiaoxiang-1 is a scientific test satellite and Lingque 1A is the first demonstration satellite in the Lingque Constellation.

The launch was the 299th mission of the LM series launch vehicle. (SONG Haowei/China Space News)

Jilin-1 is preparing for launch Photo:ZI Bo