Jielong 1 (Chinese: 捷龙一号运载火箭, meaning "agile dragon", also known as Smart Dragon 1, SD-1), is a solid fueled orbital launch vehicle developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's subsidiary China Rocket to launch up to 150 kg to a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit. The rocket is 19.5 meters tall, 1.2 meters in diameter and weighs 23.1 metric tons. It is a solid fuel, 4 stage orbital rocket.[1] The development of the rocket took 18 months (initiated in February 2018); the rocket uses propulsion technology from Chinese missile programs. The program aims to produce a launch vehicle with launch price per mass of $US 30,000/kg, or $6 million for the launch.[2]

Jielong 1
FunctionSmall orbital launch vehicle
ManufacturerCALT
Country of originChina
Size
Height19.5 m (64 ft)
Diameter1.2 m (3.9 ft)
Mass23,100 kg (50,900 lb)
Stages4
Capacity
Payload to SSO 500 km
Mass200 kg (440 lb)
Payload to SSO 700 km
Mass150 kg (330 lb)
Associated rockets
ComparableMinotaur I
Pegasus
Start-1
Electron
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesJiuquan
Total launches1
Success(es)1
First flight17 August 2019

The launch vehicle features an inverted-position fourth stage motor and payload space during the initial portion of the launch sequence; the stack rotates to front after third stage separation.[3]

The maiden flight of Jielong 1 on 17 August 2019, 04:11 UTC was successful. It delivered three small satellites into polar orbit. The satellites were the Xingshidai 5 Earth observation satellite, Tianqi 2 experimental satellite and a third small Earth observing satellite Qiancheng 01[1] from Qiansheng Exploration Technology Co. Ltd. The launch took place from Jiuquan, with the rocket taking off from a road-mobile transporter.[2]

List of launches

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Flight number Flight Date (UTC) Launch site Payload Orbit Outcome
1 Y1 August 17, 2019
04:11[2]
JSLC Qiancheng 01
Xingshidai 5
Tianqi 2
SSO Success[2]
2 Y2 Q4 2023 JSLC SSO Planned

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Krebs, Gunter Dirk. "Jielong-1 (Smart Dragon-1, SD 1)". Gunter's Space Page.
  2. ^ a b c d Clark, Stephen (17 August 2019). "China's Jielong 1 smallsat launcher successful on first flight". Spaceflight Now.
  3. ^ Li, Ivan (17 August 2019). "China successfully conducts first launch of Smart Dragon-1 small satellite launch vehicle". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 29 December 2019.