ChinaSat 9 (Chinese: 中星9号; pinyin: Zhōngxīng Jiǔhào),[2] also known as ZX-9, is a Chinese communications satellite.

Launch

It was launched from pad 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre on 9 June 2008, at 12:15:04 UTC, by a Long March 3B launch vehicle.[3] It is based on the Spacebus 4000C2 satellite bus, and was constructed in France by Thales Alenia Space in its Cannes Mandelieu Space Center.[4] It is one of several ChinaSat spacecraft in orbit.

Mission

It was launched to act as a relay satellite for the 2008 Olympic Games, and will subsequently be used for general communications. Equipped with 22 Ku-band transponders, it was placed in geosynchronous orbit at a longitude of 92.2° East.[3]

References

  1. ^ "ZX 9 (Chinasat 9)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  2. ^ "中星9号". China Satellite Communications (in Chinese). 2 December 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b Barbosa, Rui C. (9 June 2008). "CZ-3B Chang Zheng-3B launches ChinaSat-9". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  4. ^ Yuxia, Jiang (9 June 2008). "China launches French-built satellite". Xinhua. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.