Swakopmund tracking station is a Chinese space tracking station in Swakopmund, Namibia, South-West Africa which is used for the Chinese manned space programme. The full name of the station, according to the Namibian Ministry of Education, is China Telemetry, Tracking and Command Station.[2] The station, which opened in 2001, tracks the re-entry of Chinese manned space vehicles.
The station was built as a result of an agreement signed in October 2000 between the Namibian and Chinese governments.[1][2] It was built by Windhoek Consulting Engineers at an estimated cost of $12 million Namibian dollars and opened in July 2001. The site is north of Swakopmund and is a 150m x 85m compound surrounded by a 2m high wall. There are two antennae for communicating with spacecraft, one 5m in diameter and the other 9m. The latter is 16m high.[1]
In March 2012 it was announced that it had participated in six launches.[2] It was involved in the 29 June 2012 descent of Shenzhou 9, the first manned craft to dock with Chinese space station Tiangong 1, and the craft with the first Chinese woman in space, Liu Yang. The ground track of the descending craft passed over the station on its way to land in Inner Mongolia.[3]
The station is part of the Chinese Tracking, Telemetry, Command and Communications System which uses S band communications. It is one of three overseas stations - the other two are in Karachi, Pakistan and Malindi, Kenya. The programme also uses Yuanwang tracking ships and Tianlian relay satellites.[4]
Referencesedit
^ abcd"Swakopmund, Namibia". Chinese Space Facilities. Global Security. 21 July 2011. from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
^ abc"Namibia and China sign an employment agreement". Republic of Namibia Ministry of Education. 29 March 2012. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
^Robert Christy (29 March 2012). "Shenzhou 9 Return to Earth - June 29". Zarya. from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
swakopmund, tracking, station, chinese, space, tracking, station, swakopmund, namibia, south, west, africa, which, used, chinese, manned, space, programme, full, name, station, according, namibian, ministry, education, china, telemetry, tracking, command, stat. Swakopmund tracking station is a Chinese space tracking station in Swakopmund Namibia South West Africa which is used for the Chinese manned space programme The full name of the station according to the Namibian Ministry of Education is China Telemetry Tracking and Command Station 2 The station which opened in 2001 tracks the re entry of Chinese manned space vehicles Swakopmund tracking stationPart of Tracking Telemetry Command and Communications System China Manned Space EngineeringSwakopmund NamibiaSwakopmund tracking stationCoordinates22 34 29 S 14 32 52 E 22 574746 S 14 54778 E 22 574746 14 54778TypeSpace tracking stationSite historyBuilt2001 2001 1 Built byWindhoek Consulting Engineers 1 The station was built as a result of an agreement signed in October 2000 between the Namibian and Chinese governments 1 2 It was built by Windhoek Consulting Engineers at an estimated cost of 12 million Namibian dollars and opened in July 2001 The site is north of Swakopmund and is a 150m x 85m compound surrounded by a 2m high wall There are two antennae for communicating with spacecraft one 5m in diameter and the other 9m The latter is 16m high 1 In March 2012 it was announced that it had participated in six launches 2 It was involved in the 29 June 2012 descent of Shenzhou 9 the first manned craft to dock with Chinese space station Tiangong 1 and the craft with the first Chinese woman in space Liu Yang The ground track of the descending craft passed over the station on its way to land in Inner Mongolia 3 The station is part of the Chinese Tracking Telemetry Command and Communications System which uses S band communications It is one of three overseas stations the other two are in Karachi Pakistan and Malindi Kenya The programme also uses Yuanwang tracking ships and Tianlian relay satellites 4 References edit a b c d Swakopmund Namibia Chinese Space Facilities Global Security 21 July 2011 Archived from the original on 19 April 2013 Retrieved 28 June 2012 a b c Namibia and China sign an employment agreement Republic of Namibia Ministry of Education 29 March 2012 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 28 June 2012 Robert Christy 29 March 2012 Shenzhou 9 Return to Earth June 29 Zarya Archived from the original on 19 October 2012 Retrieved 28 June 2012 TT amp C and Communications System China Manned Space Engineering Office Archived from the original on 19 October 2011 Retrieved 28 June 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Swakopmund tracking station amp oldid 1064279405, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
