CHINA GREAT WALL Industry (CGWIC) says that telemetry data from its failed Long March 3B booster indicates that the control system's inertial-guidance platform failed T+2s after lift-off from Xichang on 14 February.
The maiden flight of the LM3B carried the Intelsat 708, which was lost in the crash that followed an in-flight explosion at T+25s. Falling debris killed four people on the ground (Flight International, 21-27 February).
CGWIC has invited representatives from Asia Pacific Telecommunications Satellite (ApStar) and Hughes Space and Communications to Xichang to review readiness for the launch of the ApStar 1A on about 10 April. The smaller-class satellite will be launched by the workhorse Long March 3 booster.
Source: Flight International
