Page 78 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

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China Successfully Launches Gaofen 12-03 Satellite

China has successfully launched the the risk of personnel transmission. It is that can transmit azimuth deviations. This
Gaofen 12-03 satellite, aboard a Long also not affected by climate conditions mission is the sixth of the Long March-4C
March-4C carrier rocket, from the Jiuquan such as blowing sand, strong wind and model this year. The proportion of young
Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China. showers, thus improving the universality people in this rocket model team is more
The satellite will be mainly used in a variety and adaptability of rockets compared with than 70%, but most of them also have rich
of fields including land surveys, urban the traditional optical alignment technology experience in testing and launching.
planning, rural land rights confirmation,
road network design, crop yield estimation
and disaster relief. This launch marks the
425th flight mission of the Long March
series of carrier rockets. The Long March-
4C carrier rocket used on this mission is
a normal temperature liquid three-stage
carrier rocket with excellent performance
and wide application. It has the ability
to launch various types of satellites with
different orbital requirements. It has a
carrying capacity of 3 tons to typical sun-
synchronous orbit with an altitude of 700
kilometers. This is the first time that a
Long March-4C model has applied fully
autonomous alignment technology. Verified
by measured data from multiple launch
sites, the fully autonomous alignment
relies on inertial unit measurement data
to calculate azimuth in real time, and
computer automatic binding reduces

SpaceX Signs First Airline for Starlink

SpaceX signed its first deal to add Starlink said. The co-founder of JSX, Wilcox was to provide financial details about JSX’s
satellite internet to an air carrier’s fleet of the former head of product development contract with SpaceX. He noted that JSX will
planes with semi-private charter company at JetBlue Airways. SpaceX’s Starlink provide Starlink service to passengers free
JSX, as Elon Musk’s firm moves into the service on JSX flights is pending regulatory of charge, with no login screens required
in-flight Wi-Fi market. JSX CEO Alex Wilcox approval, but Wilcox said he expects it to to access the network. Starlink on JSX
told CNBC on Thursday that the agreement be available by the fourth quarter, if not “will be just like home, only faster,” Wilcox
with SpaceX covers service on up to 100 earlier. Currently, a Starlink aircraft antenna said. In-flight connectivity is a market that
airplanes. JSX currently has 77 30-seat is installed on a JSX airplane for testing SpaceX has talked about disrupting since
Embraer jets in its fleet. “We’ll be the first purposes. “The SpaceX engineers are the company began offering its satellite
to have [Starlink] on an airplane,” Wilcox unbelievable,” Wilcox said. Wilcox declined internet service, with Starlink vice president
Jonathan Hofeller recently emphasizing
that the aviation Wi-Fi market “is ripe for
an overhaul.” SpaceX began testing an
aviation-specific version of its Starlink
antenna, or terminal, more than a year ago.
To date, SpaceX has launched about 2,000
Starlink satellites to support its global
network. The company has about 250,000
total Starlink subscribers, which includes
both consumers and enterprise customers.
Users pay $110 a month for the standard
service and $500 a month for the premium
tier.

78 MAY-JUNE 2022