A Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket was launched off the coast of Yangjiang in South China's Guangdong Province on Feb 3, sending nine satellites into preset orbit.
A Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket, carrying nine satellites, is launched off the coast of Yangjiang in South China's Guangdong Province on Feb 3. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Generally developed and invested by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the rocket is a solid launch vehicle with high-cost performance, high reliability, fast contractual capacity, and quick launch capacity.
The rocket completed general assembly at the company's Haiyang Base in Yantai, East China's Shandong Province. The second phase of the base has been completed and is expected to be capable of manufacturing 20 solid launch vehicles annually once operational.
The satellites launched by Smart Dragon-3 are Yantai 2, Weihai Yihao 01 and 02, NExSat-1, Xingshidai 18, 19 and 20, DRO-L, and Zhixing 2A.
The NExSat-1 satellite is a remote microsatellite of the national experiment satellites of Egypt. It is intended to improve satellite technology in that country.
The launch on Feb 3 was the third launch of the Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
