CZ-2D was launched for the 7^th time of the year at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on August 23, 2020, and succeeded in sending GF-9-05 satellite and two carried satellites into the preset orbit.

The Long March 2D carrier rocket (hereinafter referred to as CZ-2D) is a normal-temperature liquid-powered two-stage carrier rocket developed by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. It’s designed with about 300 tons of takeoff trust, and1.2 tonsof carrying capacity corresponding to 700km solar synchronous orbit, and can also launch single and multiple satellites as per different orbit requirements. GF-9-05 satellite is developed by Aerospace Dongfanghong Satellite Co., Ltd.( part of China Academy of Space Technology).

Based on the high reliability, CZ-2D is also characterized by strong environmental adaptability and considerable service assurance, by which missions at three satellite launch centers in China can be executed, despite of the weather condition and season, providing comfortable ground and flight environment for satellites.

The high environmental temperatures in summer is a major challenge encountered by this launch: some rocket products or ground testing device, especially precision equipment can be quite demanding for assured environment temperature, so the model team has summarized the assurance requirements and countermeasures of each product respectively, to ensure that theenvironmental assurance conditions can be met for each single set. The air cushion of propellant tank is a key factor to launch the rocket under high temperature, so a series of assurance has been conducted, to ensure the temperature at the launch window and the air cushion by model team. Meanwhile, the team has also tested and corrected parameters related to the temperature of the propellant repeatedly, put forward reasonable temperature regulating requirements for the warehouse, coordinate with the launch center to assure the filling temperature of propellant. In addition, the temperature of replacement has also been under whole-course control, to ensure scheduled launch.CZ-2D adopts comprehensive measures to preserve the heat of the entire rocket, and is especially provided with a series of heat preservation services for satellite fairing,to make the satellite under the most comfortable temperature and humidity.CZ-2D rocket will put the image measuring system fully into effect in 2021, to make it more intuitive to observe the flight section of the rocket.

As of May 2020, five rocket launching missions has been executed successively, and a series of launching records, including five victories in five missions within 60 days, 4 launch at different places within 40 days, and 2 successive launch at the same place within 30 days, has been created by CZ-2D, owing to the early planning and early promotion made by the model team. As early as in 2017, the model was innovated and upgraded in technologies, to make its hardware smaller, more automatic, intelligent and reliable. Meanwhile, the management procedure was also refined, while the personnel configuration was simplified and made more effective, to “keep the standard high under tight schedule”. No quality problems were found at launching site when launching rockets this year, and under strict quality control, all procedures went smoothly. Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology has set up a full-time launch testing group at launching site, to provide more professional personnel assurance for it to respond fast, and complete the intensive launch missions with assured quality and quantity.

The primary satellite launched in the mission is GF-9-05 satellite, which is mainly used in land resources survey, urban planning, crop evaluation, and disaster prevention and reduction etc..

This launch is the 51^st launch of CZ-2D, the121^st flighttest of Long March series carrier rockets developed by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, and also the 343^rd launch of Long March series of carrier rocket.

Launch collection of CZ-2D in 2020:

January

Jilin-1 Wide-swath01 satellite and 3 small satellites were sent at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into the preset orbit.

February

Four new-tech experiment satellites were sent at Xichang Satellite Launch Center into the preset orbit.

May

GF-9-02 satellite and HD-4 satellitewere sent into the preset orbit.

June

GF-9-03 satellite, HD-5, PX-3A satellite were sent into the preset orbit.

July

Shiyan-6-02 satellite was sent into the preset orbit.

August

GF-9-04 satellite, 05 satellite and 3 carried satellites were sent into the preset orbit.

More than one hundred satellites have been sent by CZ-2D into the preset orbit