China's Haiyang in Shandong Province has successfully conducted its first sea launch using a locally assembled rocket and developed satellites, marking a significant step in fostering its commercial space industry.
On August 5, at 10:38 a.m., the Jielong 3 Yao 12 carrier rocket was launched from waters near Haiyang, successfully placing the Dongfang Huiyan high-resolution spectral satellites 01 and 02 into their intended orbits.
The two satellites, named Jinshanxing and Yingshanxing, were developed by Wuhan University and each weighs approximately 300 kg. They are equipped with 22 spectral channels, a spatial resolution of 5 meters, and a 300 km observation width, which will be utilized for atmospheric analysis, water quality and crop monitoring, and mineral resource exploration.
The Jielong 3 rocket, measuring 31.8 meters in length and weighing 140 tons at launch, underwent final assembly and delivery processes in Haiyang. The Haiyang Dongfang Spaceport is ramping up efforts to establish a commercial space ecosystem that integrates satellite, rocket, launch vehicle, and application services, with an annual assembly capacity of up to 50 rockets.
On the day of the launch, youth from eight countries observed the event from the Lianlidao viewing area and later participated in various hands-on activities at the Space Science Museum, including rocket assembly and operating an AR Mars rover.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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