Chine has launched two satellites in two days. The first was launched at 0712 GMT on 20th November by a Long March 2D flying from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The satellite carried was Yaogan 24 (aka Yaogan Weixing 24) which is officially for remote sensing and disaster monitoring. However, western analysts widely consider that the Yaogan series of satellites are for use by the Chinese military. As such, Yaogan 24 is thought to be an electro-optical imaging reconnaissance satellite.
The second Chinese satellite launch occurred at 0637 GMT on 21st November when a Kuiazhou solid rocket launch vehicle carried the Kuiazhou-2 (KZ-2) satellite. This launch also took place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The Kuaizhou-2 satellite will be used for Disaster Monitoring.
This launch was the second operational flight of the Kuiazhou launch vehicle. This is a solid fuelled launch vehicle designed to provide China with a rapid response launch capability and can be launched from anywhere in China as it is not dependent upon the facilities at the usual Chinese satellite launch centres.
Kuiazhou is a three stage launch vehicle based upon the DF31 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. A commercial version of this vehicle is being developed called Feitian 1 which is being marketed to provide rapid launch capabilities for remote sensing satellites. The Kuiazhou/Feitian 1 vehicle is capable of launching satellites with a mass of up to 430 kilograms to a Sun-Synchronous low Earth orbit.
