LM-4C Launched GF-12 Satellite Successfully

China launched the GF-12 satellite using a LM-4C launch vehicle from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 07:52 Beijing time on November 28,2019.The satellite entered its preset orbit successfully.

The GF-12 satellite,developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST)under CASC,is a remote sensing satellite in the China High-Resolution Earth Observation System.It is mainly used in the fields of land survey,city planning,confirmation of land right,road network designing,crop yield estimation and disaster prevention and mitigation,providing information support for implementation of national strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative.

The LM-4C launch vehicle which carried out this mission was also developed by SAST.It is a normal temperature liquid three-stage launch vehicle,with the capacity to launch single or multi satellites of different orbital requirements.

37 major mandatory tests had been conducted in the launch site process,including two new measures to make the rocket more reliable.

The first of the new measures was to confirm the safety during hoisting and docking.4 people are in charge of this field instead of 1 to ensure the absolute safety of the product.

The second is to upgrade the fairing cleanliness check using a vacuum detection device.

The launch site process took 20 -22 working days which was shortened by about 3 days compared with previous years.The LM-4 is planned to conduct more than 10 launch missions in 2020.

This was the 320th mission of the Long March series launch vehicle.

A LM-4C launch vehicle is lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center,sending the GF-12 satellite into orbitPhoto:Sun Gongming