Yep, another Yaogan [Long March 2D Y102]

This post was originally published on April 5th 2024.

Ignition of the Long March 2D Y102’s engines at Xichang.

Back on Wednesday, April 3rd 2024, China launched a Long March 2D from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Yaogan-42A satellite into low Earth orbit. Yaogan-42A is yet another remote-sensing satellite intended to help with land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below.

Liftoff is believed to have occurred at 06:56 am, China Standard Time, from Launch Complex 3 of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This was the 87th launch of the Long March 2D, and the 515th launch of the Long March series of launch vehicles overall.

The launch mission patch of the Long March 2D Y102.

There's not much more I can say about the launch due to this being an incredibly common payload and rocket combination, other than that the United States claims the spacecraft to be military in nature, again. However, I will leave you with some pretty photos from launch vehicle integration and launch.

The first-stage arriving at Xichang.

The second-stage being lifted into the launch vehicle integration structure.

The Long March 2D Y102 fully assembled on the launch pad, the protective cover is still on the interstage in this photo!

Liftoff of the Long March 2D Y102.

The Long March 2D Y102 early in first-stage flight from Xichang.