SJ 18

Launch data: Designation  F01493 / 17F03 Launch date  02 Jul 2017 - 11:23 UT Launch site  We, LP-101 Launch vehicle  CZ-5 Mission  Communication Decay  02 Jul 2017

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• SJ 18 (Shijian 18) was a Chinese experimental geostationary satellite based on the new DFH-5 Bus.
• SJ 18 was to be the maiden flight of the DFH-5 ultra-high-performance satellite platform, featuring a high-thrust ion propulsion. It provides payload power up to 28 Kilowatts.
• The satellite hosted a Ka-band of 70 Gbps heigh-throughput communications payload. Also an optical infrared laser communications terminal for downlinks with data rates of upt to 4.8 Gbit/s was on board. Reportedly an experimental quantum communications payload, similar to the one on QSS (Mozi), was also carried.

Mission details:

• The 7600 kg Shi Jian 18 communications satellite was lost on Jul 2, 2017 when the second Chang Zheng 5 rocket failed to reach orbit. Problems during first stage burn made the rocket lose altitude from an apogee of around 170 km, and an apparently successful but truncated second stage burn was unable to prevent the vehicle falling back into the atmosphere.