On August 9, a Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) rocket lifted off from the offshore waters near Rizhao, Shandong Province, successfully sending the Geely-04 constellation of satellites into orbit.
Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the SD-3 is a four-stage solid-propellant rocket designed for sun-synchronous and low Earth orbits missions.
A Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) rocket carrying the Geely-04 constellation of satellites lifts off from sea near the city of Rizhao, Shandong Province. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
This mission marked the first time the rocket was launched from the offshore waters of Rizhao, expanding its launch site flexibility to better meet the timeliness demands of the commercial launch market.
During the mission, the SD-3 team optimized the rocket’s performance according to user requirements, providing precise and efficient launch services to support constellation deployment. Special technical measures and improvements were implemented to counter the challenges of high temperature and humidity at sea, significantly enhancing the rocket’s environmental adaptability and ensuring mission success.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
