China has successfully launched the Chinasat 1D (aka Zhongxing 1D aka Feng Huo 2D) communications satellite on a Long March 3B-G3 (CZ-3B-G3) launch vehicle from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, China, at 1640 GMT on 26 November. While never admitting its military application, Chinasat 1D satellite is designed to provide military communications services to the Chinese Armed Forces. The 5,320 kg spacecraft is built by CAST (Chinese Academy of Space Technology) using a version of its DFH-4 bus design. The spacecraft was injected into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from where it will use its own propulsion to circularise itself into its geostationary operating position.
