Launch Detail

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Name: Smart Dragon 3 | 9 satellites
Start: 2024-02-03T02:56:00.000Z
End: 2024-02-03T03:16:00.000Z
Location: South China Sea (launch location 2)

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Launch detail

Smart Dragon 3 | 9 satellites

China Rocket Co. Ltd. • Smart Dragon 3 • South China Sea (launch location 2) (NA)

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9 satellites

China Rocket Co. Ltd. • Smart Dragon 3 • South China Sea (launch location 2)

T-00h:00m:00s

Feb 3, 3:06 AM UTC

Carried 9 satellites to Sun-synchronous orbit: * DRO-L * Zhixing-2A (SmartSat-2A) * DongFangHuiYan-GF01 * WeiHai-1-01/02 * XingShiDai-18/19/20 * NEXSAT-1

Rocket profile

Smart Dragon 3

Length: 32 m

Diameter: 2.64 m

Reusable: No

Launch

Photo credit: China Daily/Chen Xiaolong•License: Unknown

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Smart Dragon 3 launches across time.

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Launch news

Linked via Spaceflight News API (SNAPI).

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Article

SpaceNewsFeb 4, 2024

China launches 20 satellites on separate inland and sea rocket launches

A pair of Chinese rockets launched 11 mobility services satellites for an automaker and nine further, diverse satellites into orbit late Friday.

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Launch info

Provider

China Rocket Co. Ltd.

Vehicle

Smart Dragon 3

Pad

South China Sea (launch location 2) (South China Sea (launch location 2))

State

NET

2024-02-03T03:06:00+00:00

Window start

2024-02-03T02:56:00+00:00

Window end

2024-02-03T03:16:00+00:00

Orbit

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Mission type

Technology

Launch site

Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Reusable

Pad satellite view

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Satellite preview

South China Sea (launch location 2)

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Haiyang Oriental Spaceport21.56667, 112.03333Provider map

9 satellites

Carried 9 satellites to Sun-synchronous orbit: * DRO-L * Zhixing-2A (SmartSat-2A) * DongFangHuiYan-GF01 * WeiHai-1-01/02 * XingShiDai-18/19/20 * NEXSAT-1

Rocket

Smart Dragon 3

Manufacturer: China Rocket Co. Ltd.

Smart Dragon-3 is a solid fuel orbital rocket designed by a subsidiary of the state-owned CASC group built for the commercial market.

Maiden flight

2022-12-09

Launch mass (t)

140

Links & sources

Watch coverageLive/Replay Pad satellite mapSatellite Smart Dragon-3 launches 9 satellitesRecap

Service provider

China Rocket Co. Ltd.

Provider news

Commercial • CHN

China Rocket Co. Ltd. is a spinoff of China’s state-owned launch vehicle manufacturer using a “commercial business model”.

Objects from this launch

11 objects

SATCAT inventory for 2024-024

Last checked: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Last success: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Last non-empty: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Latest snapshot: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Snapshot hash: 125376fa3b58df22ee3e62bee3c17e3aee7e5dda484c185d51a9b14a3295c65f

LL2 payloads: 0SATCAT payloads: 9Delta: +9RB: 0DEB: 0UNK: 2

SATCAT payload objects

OBJECT A
2024-024ANORAD 58917PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 88.24 min
Inc: 97.3°
178 km → 197 km
OBJECT B
2024-024BNORAD 58918PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 94.69 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T11:41:07.02384+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
491 km → 516 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T11:41:07.02384+00:00
OBJECT C
2024-024CNORAD 58919PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 92.39 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:57:33.815808+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
390 km → 394 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:57:33.815808+00:00
OBJECT D
2024-024DNORAD 58920PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 87.75 min
Inc: 97.3°
156 km → 171 km
NEXSAT-1
2024-024ENORAD 58921PAYEGYPOps: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 93.99 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:53:49.092864+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
463 km → 476 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:53:49.092864+00:00
OBJECT F
2024-024FNORAD 58922PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 94.72 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:46:04.348992+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
496 km → 514 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:46:04.348992+00:00
OBJECT G
2024-024GNORAD 58923PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 91.03 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T13:09:54.206784+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
323 km → 327 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T13:09:54.206784+00:00
OBJECT H
2024-024HNORAD 58924PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 87.99 min
Inc: 97.3°
165 km → 184 km
OBJECT J
2024-024JNORAD 58925PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 92.28 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:17:25.321632+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
383 km → 389 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:17:25.321632+00:00

SATCAT non-payload objects

OBJECT K
2024-024KNORAD 58926UNKPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 87.14 min
Inc: 97.4°
119 km → 146 km
OBJECT L
2024-024LNORAD 58927UNKPeople's Republic of China (PRC)
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 94.16 min
Inc: 97.3°
473 km → 483 km

Launch story

Mission stats

Provider, rocket, pad, and booster history tied to this launch.

2026 snapshot

Provider legacy

China Rocket Co. Ltd.

Lifetime launches

1 in 2026

China Rocket Co. Ltd. has 4 launches on record, with 1 in 2026.

Rocket track record

Smart Dragon 3

Successful missions

1 in 2026

Smart Dragon 3 has 9 successful missions on record, with 1 in 2026.

Pad history

South China Sea (launch location 2)

Pad launches

1 in 2026

South China Sea (launch location 2) has 1 launches from this pad on record, with 1 in 2026.

Rocket reliability

100% all time

2026: 100% (1/1)

Pad turnaround

Reported pad reuse cadence.

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Objects from this launch

11 objects

SATCAT inventory for 2024-024

Last checked: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Last success: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Last non-empty: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Latest snapshot: 2026-03-08T12:11:00.598+00:00

Snapshot hash: 125376fa3b58df22ee3e62bee3c17e3aee7e5dda484c185d51a9b14a3295c65f

LL2 payloads: 0SATCAT payloads: 9Delta: +9RB: 0DEB: 0UNK: 2

SATCAT payload objects

OBJECT A
2024-024ANORAD 58917PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 88.24 min
Inc: 97.3°
178 km → 197 km
OBJECT B
2024-024BNORAD 58918PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 94.69 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T11:41:07.02384+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
491 km → 516 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T11:41:07.02384+00:00
OBJECT C
2024-024CNORAD 58919PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 92.39 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:57:33.815808+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
390 km → 394 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:57:33.815808+00:00
OBJECT D
2024-024DNORAD 58920PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 87.75 min
Inc: 97.3°
156 km → 171 km
NEXSAT-1
2024-024ENORAD 58921PAYEGYPOps: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 93.99 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:53:49.092864+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
463 km → 476 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:53:49.092864+00:00
OBJECT F
2024-024FNORAD 58922PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 94.72 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:46:04.348992+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
496 km → 514 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:46:04.348992+00:00
OBJECT G
2024-024GNORAD 58923PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 91.03 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T13:09:54.206784+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
323 km → 327 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T13:09:54.206784+00:00
OBJECT H
2024-024HNORAD 58924PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 87.99 min
Inc: 97.3°
165 km → 184 km
OBJECT J
2024-024JNORAD 58925PAYPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: +
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 92.28 minOrbit source: gpEpoch: 2026-03-10T12:17:25.321632+00:00Orbit fetched: 2026-03-11T00:11:00.529+00:00
Inc: 97.3°
383 km → 389 km
Epoch: 2026-03-10T12:17:25.321632+00:00

SATCAT non-payload objects

OBJECT K
2024-024KNORAD 58926UNKPeople's Republic of China (PRC)Ops: D
Technical details
Orbit type: IMPOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 87.14 min
Inc: 97.4°
119 km → 146 km
OBJECT L
2024-024LNORAD 58927UNKPeople's Republic of China (PRC)
Technical details
Orbit type: ORBOrbit center: EALaunch site: SCSLAPeriod: 94.16 min
Inc: 97.3°
473 km → 483 km