CASC: More Than 40 Launches Planned for 2021
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) says it is gearing up to launch more than 40 times in 2020, which would break a national record. The Xinhua news agency reports:
The construction of China’s space station, the key space mission in the year, will enter a crucial stage, according to the CASC.
The country plans to launch the core module of its manned space station in the first half of 2021. Subsequent space missions include the launches of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft and the Shenzhou-12 manned craft.
China’s Mars probe Tianwen-1 is designed to complete orbiting, landing and roving this year.
The spacecraft, launched on July 23, 2020, is expected to enter the Mars orbit around February. Afterward, it will spend two to three months surveying potential landing sites to prepare for its landing in May.
China launched 39 times with 35 successes and four failures in 2020,
4 responses to “CASC: More Than 40 Launches Planned for 2021”
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So much for my prediction of a Chinese slow down. 🙂 Let’s see if it happens. Likely will.
With Beidou pretty much done for the nonce, I had the same notion you did. If China gets to 40 launches, or anywhere fairly near that, this year, it will be interesting to see just what it launches on all those rockets.
I’m betting the experimental prototypes of a cell network in the sky or internet in the sky. A ‘iridium’ like network that they own would go a long way to empowering their agents worldwide. And probably make that many less numbers stations to tune into on the shortwave bands.
Interesting thought. The Chinese have already announced intentions of getting into the LEO broadband satellite constellation game so, if they’re about ready to start deployments, that could take up all of the slack left by Beidou’s completion – and more.
As for the Iridium phone idea, I wouldn’t be greatly surprised if China already has such a capability and has simply never said anything about it publicly. If true, the NSA would certainly know about it and would also have no particular incentive to say anything.
Recently, a number of companies in the U.S. and Europe have started putting up modest constellations of satellites designed to allow tight localization of terrestrial radio emitters. The intent is mainly to track illegal maritime operations by pirates, covert illegal fish trawlers, drug smugglers, etc. But it would seem these birds would also see transmissions from covert agents of pretty much any nationality as well.