Success

Shenzhou-2

Name: Shenzhou-2 launch
Start: 2001-01-09T17:00:03+00:00
End: 2001-01-09T17:00:03+00:00
Location: Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Long March 2FChina Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921)

Tuesday, January 9, 2001 · 05:00 PM UTCAdd to Calendar

This mission is complete.

Vehicle

Long March 2F

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The Long March 10A is a human-rated launch vehicle designed to replace the current Long March 2F, along with the Low Earth Orbit version of China's Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, as their...

Height67.4 m

LEO Payload18,000 kg

Launches612

Successes589

Provider

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

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CHN • Founded 1999

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufactu...

Mission Brief

Second test flight of the Shenzhou spacecraft, without crew on board. A monkey, a dog, and a rabbit were carried in a test of the spaceship's life support systems. There were also 64 different scientific payloads, including a microgravity crystallography experiment; animal species including six mice, small aquatic and terrestrial organisms; cosmic ray and particle detectors and gamma-ray burst detectors. To test the radio transmitting systems taped messages were broadcast from the spacecraft. During return to Earth the parachutes failed to open upon re-entry, which resulted in a hard landing of the descent capsule.

PayloadShenzhou-2

OrbitLow Earth Orbit

CustomerShenzhou

Stages2

PadLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China