China's first launch of 2020 lofts mystery payload
Source: SpaceFlight Now
A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launched a satellite Tuesday toward a position in geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth. Chinese state media claimed the mysterious spacecraft has a communication and television broadcast mission, but analysts believe it could enter service for the Chinese military.
The Long March 3B launcher lifted off from the Xichang space center in southwestern China’s Sichuan province at 1520 GMT (10:20 a.m. EST; 11:20 p.m. Beijing time) Tuesday, Chinese state media reported.
Four liquid-fueled strap-on engines gave an extra boost to the three-stage, 184-foot-tall (55-meter) rocket as it arced toward the east from Xichang, setting off on China’s first satellite launch of 2020.
The Long March 3B’s third stage was expected to deploy the satellite, designated TJS 5, into an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit with an apogee, or high point, stretching more than 22,000 miles above Earth.
Read more: https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/01/07/chinas-first-launch-of-2020-lofts-mystery-payload/