posted 08-08-2020 02:24 AM               

Space Cover 572: China, first rocket launched from a sea platform

Back in SCOTW 537: San Marco Launch Site and SCOTW 546: Sea Launch we looked for rockets launched from a sea platform.

San Marco launch site, front the coast of Kenya, was an oil-platform from Scout rockets were s from 1967 to 1975 with an unique and last launch in 1988, and Sea Launch Corp. launched 36 Zenith 3SL rockets from 1999 to 2014.

Both sea launch platforms are currently not operative and it seems will be never do again.

But the question is if there is now any space agency or private company with technology available to launch rockets from any sea platform.

And the answer appeared in 2019 when China tested it by launching on Jun 5, 2019 a rocket Long March 11 (LM-11 or CZ-11 as per Chinese characters) from a sea platform in the Yellow Sea.

LM-11 is a four stage solid-propellant carrier rocket, operative from 2015 and launched from then nine times more. In its seventh launch LM-11 blasted-off from a special converted barge (not name by supplied) in the Yellow Sea with 7 satellites to be placed in low earth orbit with a success as result.

Both covers above shown were cancelled in Shandong post office, homeport of sea platform.