[October 27, 1998] AsiaSat Stake to be Sold to
PanAmSat Cable & Wireless PLC is to sell its 28.7
percent stake in Asia Satellite Telecommunications to
Hughes Electronics unit, PanAmSat, industry newsletter
Satellite International said. Quoting Asian sources the
newsletter said the deal is close to completion. It said
some analysts question how CITIC and the Chinese
authorities will react if PanAmSat buys the C&W
stake, given that PanAmSat is a U.S. company that will
hold a substantial stake in a China focused
telecommunications group. According to the newsletter
CITIC and the Chinese regulators have already approved
the deal. (AFX)
[October 20, 1998] Rocsat-1 Launch Set for
January 27 Taiwan announced on October 18 that its first
fully owned satellite Rocsat-1 will be launched into
space on Junuary 27, 1999 at 8:15am local time from Cape
Canaveral. Rocsat-1 is a low orbit remote sensing and
research satellite weighing 400 kg. Rocsat prgram began
in 1991. The launch had been planned in 1997 but
technical problems delayed the launch several times.
According to the announcement, the satellite will be sent
to the United States on December 8 for launch preparation
(Lianhe Zaobao)
[October 16, 1998] Chinese Manned Spacecraft is
Defferent From Soyuz The lastest issue of LaunchSpace Magazine
published an article China's 'Project 921' - Men in
Space by Phillip Clark. The article revealed many
details of the Chinese manned spacecraft. Having a mass
of about 8.4 tons, the Chinese spacecraft has two major
external differences compared with Soyuz - it has two
pairs of solar panels and the forward module is
distinctly cylindrical compared to the spheroid on Soyuz.
Additionally, it is thought that up to four people could
fly inside the Chinese spacecraft. From the outset, the
spacecraft will be equipped with an androgynous docking
system and an internal transfer tunnel, which the
original Soyuz did not carry. This means that early in
their program, two spacecraft can be docked nose-to-nose
and the two crews can move from one craft to another. Two
docked Chinese craft could act as a small orbital station
for a few weeks, as a precursor to a larger, dedicated
space station. Satellite images have shown a new launch
complex has been built at the Jiuquan launch site. Now
confirmed by the Chinese, this launch pad is compatible
with a planned all-new family of medium/heavy-lift launch
vehicles - believed to be using LOX/kerosene in their
lower stages rather than the Chinese standard N2O4/UDMH.
Before the end of 1998, the Chinese should have
test-flown both the man-rated CZ-2E vehicle and the
manned spacecraft without a crew. A second successful
test in the first half of 1999 would clear the way for a
two-man launch before the end of that year, conveniently
tying it in with the 50th anniversary of the communist
takeover of China. A nose-to-nose docking of two craft
should come two years later. If all goes according to
plan, during late 1999 or early 2000 China will become
the third nation to launch its own people into orbit. (original
article)
[October 8, 1998] Surrey Awarded Tsinghua-1
Contract British spacecraft manufacturer, Surrey
Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), has been awarded a
US$4.8 million contract from Tsinghua University in
Beijing, to build a microsatellite and provide integrated
training in small satellite technology. The Tsinghua
team, comprising eight senior academic staff, will arrive
in the UK in mid-October 1998 for a period of 12-15
months to commence working with Surrey Space Centre
engineers on the design, construction, test, launch and
orbital operation of the Tsinghua-1 microsatellite. It is
planned to launch the microsatellite at the end of 1999
on a Chinese Long March rocket. The Tsinghua-1 is the
first demonstrator for a constellation of seven
microsatellites, planned for launch in 2000, to provide
daily world-wide high resolution imaging of disaster
monitoring and mitigation and communications.The project
is the first step in a long term collaboration between
Surrey and Tsinghua. (SSTL)
[October 6, 1998] Taiwai To Send Team to US for
Satellite Launch Tests Taiwan's National Space Program Office (NSPO)
will send a team to the United States in the coming weeks
to prepare for the launch of the low-orbit satellite
ROCSAT-1. The one-year integration testing for
ROCSAT-1, also known as Formosa-1, is scheduled to finish
on Wednesday. National Science Council Chairman
Hwang Jenn-tai is expected to announce the launch date
after he inspects the final testing operations. It has
been learned that Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, which
signed an agreement to launch the satellite, will put
ROCSAT-1 into orbit on Dec. 15. Once the NSPO receives
confirmation from US authorities on the launch date, the
satellite will be sent to Cape Canaveral in Florida along
with a 30-member team 50 days prior to the lift-off date
to finalize pre-launch preparations. (CNA)
[October 6, 1998] China Splits Civil, Military
Space Work China has separated its military and civil space
activities as part of market reforms of the country's
chronically debt-ridden and inefficient public sector.
Guo Baozhu, vice Administrator of the China National
Space Administration, said CNSA will present a broad
outline for reform of the civil space sector to Premier
Zhu Rongji by year-end. Guo said market economics are to
play the central role in Chinese space activities. CNSA
will be in charge of planning and promotion of space
activities under the auspices of the Committee on
Science, Technology and Industry for National Defencse
(Costind). Chinese Military Command is now act only as a
customer. Since advancement of science and education are
top priorities for Zhu, the space sector expects to fare
well under his reforms. But such a politically favoured
position is unlikely to translate into significant budget
increases, Guo said. (AW&ST)
[October 5, 1998] China to Build Global
Monitoring Network for Space Activities China is pushing ahead with plans to build the
world's first global ground-based meridian circle to
forecast conditions for satellite launches, manned space
shuttles, airplanes, and ship navigation. The meridian
circle will monitor sun and geomagnetic storms as well as
electromagnetic radiation. As part of a future space
development strategy, China will be the first to build a
chain of ground stations along a span of 120 degrees east
longitude which will later form a global meridian circle
with monitoring stations along 60 degrees west longitude
which will be built by the US and Canada. In 2003, China
plans to send the world's most advanced solar telescope
into space orbit. Shao Liqin, a senior official with the
Ministry of Science and Technology, said the central
government has approved the "meridian chain
project" and has promised to pump 180 million yuan
(US$21.7 million) into it. The project is expected to be
completed within five years. (Xinhua)
[October 5, 1998] China will Keep on Improving
the Long March March 26, 1998 was hailed as a milestone event
in Chinese aerospace technology when the 50th Long March
rocket blasted off and carried two iridium satellites
into accurate orbit. The 50 launches have taken place
over a 28-year-long period during which occasional
setbacks have been overcome to record an 88
percent success rate for Long March launches.Despite
these successes, China's carrier rocket technology still
lags behind some countries in terms of launch-success
ratio. Liu Jiyuan, president of China Aerospace
Corporation, said,"We'll keep on improving the
carrying capacity and reliability of the Long
March series rockets, focus on developing communications
satellites, meteorological satellites and resource
satellites and execute our manned space
program." By 2000 China hopes to have
launched 30 more satellites for overseas users, improving
the success rate of its launches to an impressive 95
percent. (Xinhua)
[September 21, 1998] More Details about Long
March 2E/A Long March 2E/A is China's new heavy launcher
which is under development (see April
news and picture). At the Satel Conseil Conference in
Paris (Sep. 8-10), Dr. Qingwei Zhang, VP of CALT made a
presentation of Chinese commercial boosters including for
the first time CZ-2E/A. According to the presentation,
the new launcher's technical characteristics are as
follows:
-- Lift-off mass/thrust: 695,000 kg / 906.00 tf
-- Length/diameter: 53.628 m / 3.35 m (core)
-- Fairing: diameter = 5.20 m, length =12.39 m
-- LEO capability: 14,100 kg, H=200 km, I=48 deg.
(Stefan Barensky)
[September 17, 1998] Tsinghua-1 Launch Due End of
Next Year One of China's most prestigious universities
plans to have a satellite launched next year to celebrate
its 88-year history, a university offical said on
Wednesday. Tsinghua University, a top technical
institute, would develop a satellite for use in
monitoring the environment and tracking damage from
natural disasters, a university official said. The
satellite, which would weigh about 75 kg (220 lbs) with
height of 1.2 meter, would probably be launched by one of
China's Long March rockets at end of next year. The
satellite will be built with the cooperation from Surrey
University of UK. It also announced the openning of
Tsinghua-Surrey Small Satellite Technology Research
Center and Tsinghua Long March Space Technology Resaerch
Center. The latter is a joint research center of Tsinghua
and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).
[September 17, 1998] Taiwan Plans More Satellites The National Science Council Space Programme
Office of Taiwan has completed detailed planning for the
Chunghua(Rocsat) No 2 and No 3 satellites, signalling
another step forward in Taiwan's satellite development
programme. The Chunghua No 2, a low-orbit solar
synchronous remote-sensing satellite with minimum
resolution of five metres, is expected to be launched in
2002. The office will soon invite public bidding for the
satellite itself and the camera. Several US and French
satellite companies plan to bid for the project. The
Chunghua No 3 is a joint Tainwan-US venture. It budgeted
for eight mini-satellites, expected to be launched
simultaneously in 2001. During the first six months after
their launch, the satellites will be moved to different
monitoring orbits for the establishment of a network for
monitoring and collecting major global atmospheric
parameters.
[September 17, 1998] ST-1 Life Span Could Be
Longer Than 12 Years Singapore Telecom officials said that initial
tests on ST-1, which entered its obit on Monday, showed
that it is operating superbly. They are therefore
optimistic that its life span could be more than 12
years. Singtel will receive higher profits by leasing the
transponders -- radio or radar transceivers -- for a
longer period. In the next two or three weeks, Singtel,
Chunghwa and Matra Marconi Space (MMS), builder of the
satellite, will conduct more sophisticated tests on ST-1.
Singtel said that the commercial operation of ST-1, which
is equipped with 16 Ku-band and 14 C-band transponders
shared by Chunghwa and Singtel, will cover Asia and the
Indian subcontinent. Singtel and Chunghwa are set to
formally take over the ST-1 on Sept. 25. (Taiwan Central
News Agency)
[September 14, 1998] ST-1 Reached its Final Orbit The ST-1 satellite has reached its orbit and is
being tested prior to the start of commercial services in
late 1998. The ST-1 satellite, manufactured by Matra
Marconi Space, was launched into orbit on 25th August
1998 from French Guyana. Telemetry received from the
satellite indicates that all systems are working well and
the craft is stable within its allotted orbital position,
said Singapore Telecom. ST-1 transponders will be ready
for commercial service across Asia/Pacific from the
fourth quarter of 1998. All eight Ku-band transponders
owned by Singapore Telecom have been booked up, and the
company is close to concluding lease agreements with
potential users for several of its seven C-band
transponders. (NewsByte)
[September 8, 1998] Sinosat 1 Completes In-Orbit
Tests The European-built Sinosat 1 telecommunications
satellite successfully completed its in-orbit acceptance
tests. Alcatel performed the in-orbit tests from the
Sinosatcom ground control station in Bejing. The tests
enabled a thorough verification of all satellite
performances. The satellite is now ready for operational
use by Sinosatcom. Sinosat 1 features 24 C-band channels
and 14 Ku-band channels. The satellite is positioned at
110.5E on the geostationary orbit. It will provide
various services (television, telephone, data
transmission) over the Chinese territory and Asia.
[September 8, 1998] ST-1 Interference Problem
Resolved "There shouldn't be any interference
problem," Chen Yao, chairman of the
state-owned Chunghwa Telecom, said of Taiwan's first
satellite, co-owned with Singapore Telecom. Before the
blast-off, Singapore Telecom had registered the launch
with the International Telecommunication Union, Mr Chen
said. "The Singapore side had negotiated the
interference with the mainland side, and both sides had
reached consensus on how to remove the
interference," he said. Reports said that during
talks, Beijing asked Taipei's Defence Ministry to be
barred from using ST-1's transponders or Beijing would
not solve the interference problem. Mr Chen declined to
say if Beijing had made such a request. ST-1 orbits close
to the path of China's new ChinaStar-1, raising fears of
interference and poorer communications. (South China
Morning Post)