Chinese engineers used gravitational slingshots to rescue a pair of satellites

Chinese engineers used gravitational slingshots to rescue a pair of satellites

On March 15 at 8:15 p.m. Beijing time (March 14 at 8:42 p.m. EDT; 5:42 p.m. PDT), China launched two satellites atop a Yuanzheng-1S mounted on a Long March-2C rocket. While the first and second stages were successful, a technical launch with the upper stage prevented the satellites from reaching their intended orbit. Several months of rescue attempts followed as Chinese engineers tried to find a solution, which included deorbiting the satellites…

Chinese Engineers Used Gravitational Slingshots to Rescue a Pair of Satellites

When China's DRO-A and B satellites were launched, their rocket failed to deliver them to their planned orbit. Even worse, the satellites were spinning out of control, unable to properly charge their solar panels. Engineers realized that there was still a way to put them on course again. They executed a series of gravitational slingshots over 123 days, using the Sun, Earth, and the Moon to raise the spacecraft's orbits and put them into their pr…

China rescues two satellites stranded on orbit with help of moon’s gravity

Future Space China used the moon's gravity as a slingshot to help get a pair of damaged satellites into the correct orbit after the launch failed to do so. Credit VideoFromSpaceFuture Space China used the moon's gravity as a slingshot to help get a pair of damaged satellites into the correct orbit after the launch failed to do so. Credit VideoFromSpace Amazing Future Science & Technology

The Chinese space program has managed to rescue two satellites stranded in space to return to their course and reach the intended orbit, improvising as a means a 'cosmic depth'. ...

On 15 March at 8:15 pm Beijing time (14 March at 8:42 pm EDT; 5:42 pm PDT), China launched two satellites at the top of a Yuanzheng-1 mounted on a long rocket of March-2C. While the first and second stages were successful, a technical launch with the upper stage prevented the satellites from reaching their orbit [...]