OREANDA-NEWS. January 03, 2012. With the successful launch of Ziyuan-02C satellite in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China completed all of its launch activities in the year 2011. During this year, China has conducted 19 launches in total, including 9 GTO missions and 10 LEO missions.

Compared to 15 launches in 2010, the year of 2011 witnessed the new China launch record of 19 launches a year and became a new milestone for the development of China’s space industry. The parallel launch operations and high-density launches have become a routine. In particular, the successful rendezvous and docking of Tiangong-1 Orbiter and Shenzhou-8 spaceship further demonstrated the progress of the research and development capability of China’s space industry, as well as the strong launch and tracking control capacity.

For the international business in 2011, China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), as the commercial arm of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), has conducted three international commercial launches, successfully sending three telecommunications satellites (PakSat-1R, W3C and NigcomSat-1R) into the predetermined orbits, among which PakSat-1R and NigcomSat-1R are both Chinese developed satellites.

In the past 12 months, CGWIC delivered the communications satellite to its first Asian customer (PakSat-1R), and provided the launch services to a prominent world class satellite operator from Europe (Eutelsat) for the first time. Meanwhile, CGWIC signed contracts for the Bolivian Tupak Katari communication satellite program, Venezuela VRSS-1 Remote Sensing Satellite program, Belarus communication satellite program and several launch services programs. With these contracts, China’s space industry will realize the breakthrough of the export of Chinese made remote sensing satellite, and expand its communications satellite sale to the European market.

In the year of 2012, CGWIC foresees 5 commercial launch services for international customers, including two telecom satellites of Apstar-7 and Apstar-7B, two remote sensing satellites, and one piggyback launch for a Luxemburg-built micro satellite used for maritime surveillance. Moreover, Long March 2D (LM-2D) launch vehicle will be used for international customers for the first time.