Global Times reported that China's Jilin-1 Gaofen 02C optical remote sensing satellite (Cat Lam-1 Cao Phan 02C) could not enter the fixed orbit on September 12. The mission was China's fourth defeat in 2020.
According to Global Times, the Cat Lam-1 Cao Phan 02C optical remote sensing satellite was launched by the Khoi Chau-1A rocket (Kuaizhou-1A) from the Tuyen Satellite Reports Center at 1:02 p.m. (local time) on September 12. The center said the mission failed due to an unusual incident and the cause of the failure is being investigated.
A video of the launch released after the mission shows the missile taking off from Jiuzhaigou, and Khoi Chau seemingly flying normally in the early stages. According to media reports, two more solid fuel run phases are expected to be burned to put the mission's two satellites into orbit. Chinese officials did not say when the missile had a problem during the flight.
The Cat Lam-1 satellite was developed in Cat Lam province and is China's first self-developed retro-spattern for commercial use. With high-resolution sensors, large widgets and high-speed data transmission, the new satellite will be used in natural resource exploration, ecological environment monitoring, urban construction, natural disaster prevention and mitigation, and other fields.
The first announcement about the mission was made on August 24 when Truong Quang Satellite Technology Company introduced 3 satellites in the Cat Lam-1 Cao Phan-02 series, saying that the satellites will be launched in three different missions using Khoi Chau-1A launch vehicles.
Cat Lam-1's Cao Phan-02D and Cao Phan-02F satellites are expected to launch on September 17 and September 22, with both launch scheduled for around 6:20 a.m. However, the September 12 failure is likely to delay further launches, according to NASA SpaceFlight.com.
The first flight of the Khoi Chau 11 rocket was scheduled to take place earlier this year, but the launch was delayed due to the blockade of Vu Han to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic. The media said that the mission on September 12 was China's fourth failure in 2020 after 26 launches.
Previously, China's Khoi Chau 11 rocket exploded in its first launch on July 10.
