SD-1 (Jielong)

 
 

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) * ChinaRocket
    

    

China will launch the first rocket for commercial missions in the first half of 2019, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The launch vehicle, Jielong (Smart Dragon) No.-1, will take on China's first commercial mission. China plans to develop two types of rockets for commercial purposes, the Jielong series and the Tenglong series, according to Tang Yagang, president of Chinarocket Co. Ltd. under the CASC.
The Jielong series are mainly solid propellant rockets which rely less on the launch facilities and are flexible and the Tenglong series are mainly liquid propellant rockets with larger payload capacity. There no information to the Tenglong yet. It could be that there is an affinity to the Naga-L (Dragon).

The Smart Dragon-1 is a four stage solid-fueled launch vehicle equipped with a reaction control system on the front cone of the launch vehicle. The launcher  has a total length of 19.5 meters, a diameter of 1.2 meters and a takeoff weight of 23.1 tonnes.
Unusually for satellite launch vehicles, the payload volume is located between the third and fourth stages, with the fourth stage motor and all payloads installed in invert position during launch.
After separation of the third stage, the fourth stage is then flipped over for the remainder of the mission.

Smart Dragon-1 can launch a 200 kg payload to a 500 km altitude Sun-synchronous Orbit (SSO), or 150 kg to a 700 km high SSO. Two types of payload envelopes are provided: 1.1 meters diameter, 1.5 meters length or 1.4 meters diameter, 2.0 meters in length.

 

2019, Oct. 21 --ChinaRocket, a commercial space wing of the country's leading rocket-maker China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, has unveiled its new generation of commercial carrier rockets. The new rocket family comprises a cluster of solid fuelled rockets codenamed the Smart Dragon (SD) family, and a Tenglong liquid-propellant rocket.

2019, Aug. 17 -- On this day, the first and successful launch took place with 3 satellites on board.