🚀 Chang Zheng 4B (CZ-4B) | 🛰 Shijian 26
Launch date: May 29, 2025 04:12 UTC
Payload: Shijian 26
Location: Site 9401 (SLS-2), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China
Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B (CZ-4B)
A Chinese CZ-4B rocket successfully launched Shijian 26, an experimental Earth observation satellite, into sun-synchronous orbit from Jiuquan on May 29, 2025. This was the first CZ-4B mission of 2025 and the 52nd overall for this vehicle.
Site 9401 (SLS-2), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Inner Mongolia, China
Site 9401 (commonly referred to as SLS-2) is a launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), located in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia. As one of JSLC’s principal launch complexes, it primarily supports launches of the Long March 2D (Chang Zheng 2D) rocket family. The facility has played a crucial role in deploying a variety of satellites, and has been used for significant missions including crewed Shenzhou flights and other national space projects.
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is China’s oldest and most important spaceport, handling both military and civilian missions since its establishment in 1958. SLS-2 (Site 9401) continues to serve as a pivotal site for China’s advancing space program, with infrastructure supporting preparations, integration, and launches for a range of payloads.