Consecutive Successful Launch of LM-Series Launch Vehicle of Great Wall

The China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC"), announced today, that a Chinese developed three-stage launch vehicle, Long March 3, successfully sent a meteorological satellite - Feng Yun 2 (FY-2) into the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province of China.

As emphasized in CGWIC's News Release, this successsful launch of LM-3 launch of LM-3 launch vehicle, together with the other two consecutive successful launches of LM-2D in October 1996 and LM-3A in May 1997, will be very helpful to re-establish customers' confidence in Long March.

The third satellite of APT Satellite Holdings Limited, APSTAR-IIR, is scheduled to be launched in August, 1997 by LM-3B of the China Great Wall. The LM-3B launch vehicle, which is designed and developed on the basis of LM-3A, is the most powerful launch vehicle for GTO mission in the Long March fleet.

Issued by:

Brian Lo
Company Secretary
APT SATELLITE HOLDINGS LIMITED

New Release (Extraction) on Successful Launch of Long March 3 (LM-3) of China Great Wall Industry Corporation

A Chinese developed three-stage launch vehicle, Long March 3, lifted off at 20:00pm, June 10, 1997 (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC) in Sichuan Province of China, and successfully sent a meteorological satellite- Feng Yun 2 (FY-2) into the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

The FY-2 satellite is new generation metorological satellite of China, manufactured by China Aerospace Corporation.

This launch mission is the twelfth LM-3 flight and the ninth successful LM-3 lauch. This has been the third consecutive successful launch of the Long March series launch vehicles since last August. On May 12, 1997, an LM-3A launch vehicle successfully put the DFH-3 telecommunications satellite into orbit. The satellite is under in-orbit test as planned. Recent mission successes indicate that the rigorous measures of product quality assurance have proved both effective and successful.

This successful launch of LM-3 launch vehicle, together with the other two consecutive successful launches of LM-2D in October 1996 and LM-3A in May 1997, will be very helpful to rebuild the customers' confidence in Long March. Several contracted GTO launch missoins (*) will be performed in 1997 by using LM-3B launch vehicles for commercial launch services programs. The LM-3B launch vehicle, with four (4) strap-on boosters on the basis of LM-3A, is the most powerful launch for GTO mission in the Long March fleet.

China Great Wall Industry Corp.
June 11, 1997
 

Note: *    The third satellite of APT Satellite Holdings Limited, APSTAR-IIR, is scheduled to be launched in August, 1997 by LM-3B of the China Great Wall Industry Corp. of China Aerospace Corp. - APT Satellite Holdings Limited