Re: New Chinese launch

From: Phillip Clark (molniya@dircon.co.uk)
Date: Sun Oct 27 2002 - 03:54:08 EST

  • Next message: David Brierley: "Corrected obs of 91-17A"

    The name "Jian Bing" (which means "pathfinder") was originally applied to
    the Chinese satellites in the FSW series which were _primarily_
    photoreconnaissance.   From memory the FSW series were JB-1, -2A and -2B,
    although it is not clear exactly which series JB-1 and JB-2A relate to.
    Maybe the FSW-0, 5-day FSW-1 and 8-day FSW-1 respectively.   But not all of
    these FSWs were JB satellites - only those which were primarily
    photoreconnaissance.
    
    USSPACECOM called the first ZY-2 "FSW-3 1" which seems to be a muddle with
    the JB designator.   I would guess that they knew that ZY-2 would be a
    photoreconnaissance mission and gave it the wrong name: FSW of course
    implies a _recoverable_ satellite, which ZY-2 is not.
    
    BTW, China announced the launch time as being the equivalent of 03.17 GMT,
    not 03.11 GMT.
    
    Phillip Clark
    
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    Phillip S Clark     Molniya Space
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    Publisher - Worldwide Satellite Launches
    
    
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