Re-Entry: Long March 3B Upper Stage from Beidou M3/M4 Launch

Patrick Blau 2994 Views
Photo: Xinhua

A Long March 3B rocket stage re-entered the atmosphere on August 17, 2017 after over five years in orbit, making a slow decay from a highly elliptical Medium Earth Transfer Orbit. The Long March 3B rocket launched the Beidou M3 and M4 navigation satellites as part of the second Beidou generation that established a regional navigation system for China and the Asia-Pacific Ocean by means of satellites in Medium Earth and Geostationary Orbit.

NORAD ID: 38253
Origin: China
Object: CZ-3B Rocket Body
Type: Long March 3 Upper Stage
Dry Mass: 2,740 Kilograms
Inclination: 54.7°
Launched: April 29, 2012 – 20:50 UTC
Launch Vehicle: Long March 3B/E
Launch Site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China

Re-Entry Prediction: August 17, 2017 – 21:05 UTC +/-7 Min.
Re-Entry Zone: Pacific Ocean

 

Re-Entry Zone
Image: Spaceflight101/Orbitron
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