FSW-3 1

China

Spacecraft Nº:

China satellite nº: 81

"FSW3" Fanhui Shi Weixing = "recoverable experiment satellite"

Launch data:

Designation	28078 / 03051A
Launch date	03 Nov 2003 - 07:20 UT
Launch site	Jiuquan, SLS-2
Launch vehicle	CZ-2D (CZ2D-4 #73)
Mission	Recoverable photoreconnaissance
LEO Earth orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	194 / 325 km
Inclination	62,99°
Period	89,69 min

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor
Customer
Platform
Mass at launch	3400 kg ?
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape
Dimension
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime

Mission details:

First flight of a new generation recoverable satellite, normally used for photoreconnaissance, Earth remote sensing and science/microgravity experiments.
The Chinese have referred to the satellite as being JIANBIN-4 (JB-4). Orbital manoeuvres for this satellite appear to be smaller and morefrequent than those seen on the earlier FSW-2 satellites. The descent module was recovered Nov 21.09 in Sichuan Province, leaving the service/instrument module (2003/051A) in orbit.
This was the first launch from the new pad close to the launch complex for the CZ-2F launches, to the north- east of the previously used CZ-D launch pad.

Ref.: #3(SD377), #7 - update: 23.02.04