Long March-2D launches China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite Zhangheng-1

A Long March 2D has conducted the sixth Chinese launch of 2018, with the lofting of the Zhangheng-1 spacecraft, a new research satellite for the observation of ionospheric precursors of earthquakes. The launch took place at 07:51 UTC on Friday from the 94 Launch Platform at the LC43 Launch Complex from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC). An additional six small satellites rode along with the primary payload. The Zhangheng-1 (ZH-1) – also known as China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) – was developed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and is based on the CAST2000 bus. The satellite will be operated by China National Space Administration (CNSA) together with the China Earthquake Administration and the China National Space Administration in cooperation with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). ZH-1 carries six instruments to measure the electromagnetic effects of earthquakes above 6 magnitude in China and quakes above magnitude seven all over the world. On board the satellite is the Hig