![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]()
Beijing (UPI) Sep 23, 2010 In the latest effort in China's feverish pace of space exploration activities, it has successfully launched a secret military payload, authorities said. It was the fifth launch in less than two months for China and the second launching in that time period of a clandestine Yaogan reconnaissance satellite, SPACE.com reported Thursday. China's recent rush to space includes a mysterious orbital rendezvous, an upcoming lunar probe and preparations for continued human missions. Wednesday's blastoff of a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan space center in the desert of northwestern China placed Yaogan 11 and two smaller satellites on a path nearly 400 miles above Earth. The Yaogan 11 will conduct scientific experiments, survey land resources, estimate crop yields and contribute to natural disaster response efforts, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The Yaogan satellites are believed to provide the Chinese military with high-resolution reconnaissance imagery, experts say. Next year, China plans to send its Tiangong 1 module to space. A series of unmanned and manned Shenzhou capsules will visit the module, forming a modest space station for long-duration research missions by Chinese astronauts, SPACE.com said.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology China News from SinoDaily.com
![]() ![]() Jiuquan, China (XNA) Sep 23, 2010 China successfully launched a remote-sensing satellite "Yaogan XI" Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern Gansu Province. The satellite was sent into space aboard a Long March 2-D carrier rocket at 10:42 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the center. The satellite will be used to conduct scientific experiment, carry out surveys on land resources, estima ... read more |
![]() |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |