Google Unmasks Xichang - ASAT Pad Visible?

In the past day or so, Google removed the censored "gray-out" region
that masked out China's Xichang launch center, from where the recent
ASAT test may have been launched. I provided links in the following
message list.

"http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?
tid=6463&posts=18&mid=115775#M115775"

- Ed Kyle

On Feb 26, 9:13 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:
In the past day or so, Google removed the censored "gray-out" region
that masked out China's Xichang launch center, from where the recent
ASAT test may have been launched. I provided links in the following
message list.

"http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?
tid=6463&posts=18&mid=115775#M115775"

- Ed Kyle

To be more specific, Google Maps/Earth has unmasked the infamous self-
censored "gray box" that previously hovered just south of the XiChang
launch pads. The box appears to have covered a massive construction
project for either a new rail line or a new, low-gradient heavy-duty
roadway, complete with at least one long tunnel. The line appears to
stop in the mountains south of the Long March pads.

"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=28.207344+N,
101.975398+E&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=13&ll=28.212449,101.99 7242&spn=0.067617,0.173035&t=k&iwloc=addr"

In addition, there appears to be a new flat pad located near the
older, conventional Long March pads. This looks a lot like some of the
Russian mobile transporter/erector/launcher pads I've seen in photos.

"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=28.249064+N,
102.023613+E&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=28.249263,102.02386&s pn=0.002074,0.005364&t=k&om=0&iwloc=addr"

Could this be the ASAT launch pad?

- Ed Kyle

On Feb 26, 9:19 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:
On Feb 26, 9:13 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:

In the past day or so, Google removed the censored "gray-out" region
that masked out China's Xichang launch center, from where the recent
ASAT test may have been launched. I provided links in the following
message list.

"http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?
tid=6463&posts=18&mid=115775#M115775"

- Ed Kyle

To be more specific, Google Maps/Earth has unmasked the infamous self-
censored "gray box" that previously hovered just south of the XiChang
launch pads. The box appears to have covered a massive construction
project for either a new rail line or a new, low-gradient heavy-duty
roadway, complete with at least one long tunnel. The line appears to
stop in the mountains south of the Long March pads.

"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=28.207344+N,
101.975398+E&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=13&ll=28.212449,101.99 7242&spn=0.067617,0.173035&t=k&iwloc=addr"

In addition, there appears to be a new flat pad located near the
older, conventional Long March pads. This looks a lot like some of the
Russian mobile transporter/erector/launcher pads I've seen in photos.

"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=28.249064+N,
102.023613+E&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=28.249263,102.02386&s pn=0.002074,0.005364&t=k&om=0&iwloc=addr"

Could this be the ASAT launch pad?

- Ed Kyle

O.K. To make this easier, since these are cumbersome links, search
for the following
lat/long coordinates in Google Maps with the satellite view on:

For the really big construction project that leads to this location:
28.207 N,101.974E

And for the newish-looking flat pad:
28.249064 N,102.023613 E

- Ed Kyle

Nice work, Ed.

One way us good guys wind up winning a lot is we
keep trying the knobs on doors that used to be locked,
until the bad guys forget one day....



"Ed Kyle" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Feb 26, 9:19 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:
On Feb 26, 9:13 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:

"Jim Oberg" wrote in message
...
Nice work, Ed.

One way us good guys wind up winning a lot is we
keep trying the knobs on doors that used to be locked,
until the bad guys forget one day....


That's also how the bad guys win.

But they're also willing after awhile to take a sledge to the knock.

Not really sure what your point here was.




"Ed Kyle" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Feb 26, 9:19 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:
On Feb 26, 9:13 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:




--
Greg Moore
SQL Server DBA Consulting
sql (at) greenms.com http://www.greenms.com

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:16:01 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Greg D.
Moore \(Strider\)" made the phosphor
on my monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:


"Jim Oberg" wrote in message
...
Nice work, Ed.

One way us good guys wind up winning a lot is we
keep trying the knobs on doors that used to be locked,
until the bad guys forget one day....


That's also how the bad guys win.

But they're also willing after awhile to take a sledge to the knock.

Not really sure what your point here was.

It does seem like a strange comment, Jim. That's what Sovietologists
used to say about the Soviets. They were like thieves in a hotel,
going along each floor and turning doorknobs until they found one that
was unlocked.

On Feb 27, 1:10 pm, "Jim Oberg" wrote:
Nice work, Ed.

Thanks! Now, do me a favor, Jim and everyone else, and peer through
this cloud. I think this may actually be the destination of the new
roadway (and the reason I say roadway rather than railway now is due
to the tight 200 foot-ish radius curves on the upgrade).

28.199903 N, 101.963189 E

What destination could such a one-way road, requiring such an
obviously massive effort, have? It is about 8 km south of the
existing pad complexes. Could it be a new launch pad? A tracking
radar? An observatory? Why build whatever this is here, in the
mountains, rather than at the northern desert sites where construction
would be cheaper?

- Ed Kyle

On Feb 27, 8:00 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:
On Feb 27, 1:10 pm, "Jim Oberg" wrote:

Nice work, Ed.

Thanks! Now, do me a favor, Jim and everyone else, and peer through
this cloud. I think this may actually be the destination of the new
roadway (and the reason I say roadway rather than railway now is due
to the tight 200 foot-ish radius curves on the upgrade).

28.199903 N, 101.963189 E

What destination could such a one-way road, requiring such an
obviously massive effort, have? It is about 8 km south of the
existing pad complexes. Could it be a new launch pad? A tracking
radar? An observatory? Why build whatever this is here, in the
mountains, rather than at the northern desert sites where construction
would be cheaper?

- Ed Kyle

I notice that there is a growing pile of gravel building up at
this location. There is a possibility, I must admit, that this
could be the portal to a really long tunnel beneath the
mountains, leading west.

- Ed Kyle

Ed Kyle wrote:

What destination could such a one-way road, requiring such an
obviously massive effort, have?


Their new rockets:
http://english.people.com.cn/200510/...18_215027.html
http://english.people.com.cn/200510/...18_215027.html
http://www.astronautix.com/articles/china.htm
They intend to build large boosters in the Proton/Ariane 5 category
within the next few years for both manned and commercial missions.
They're going to need a place to lift off from.
This is that place.

Pat

Very interesting that its detailed in google maps, but not yet in google earth.
I always thought they used the same data,

Paul

On 26 Feb 2007 19:19:11 -0800, "Ed Kyle" wrote:

On Feb 26, 9:13 pm, "Ed Kyle" wrote:
In the past day or so, Google removed the censored "gray-out" region
that masked out China's Xichang launch center, from where the recent
ASAT test may have been launched. I provided links in the following
message list.

"http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?
tid=6463&posts=18&mid=115775#M115775"

- Ed Kyle

To be more specific, Google Maps/Earth has unmasked the infamous self-
censored "gray box" that previously hovered just south of the XiChang
launch pads. The box appears to have covered a massive construction
project for either a new rail line or a new, low-gradient heavy-duty
roadway, complete with at least one long tunnel. The line appears to
stop in the mountains south of the Long March pads.

"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=28.207344+N,
101.975398+E&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=13&ll=28.212449,101.9 97242&spn=0.067617,0.173035&t=k&iwloc=addr"

In addition, there appears to be a new flat pad located near the
older, conventional Long March pads. This looks a lot like some of the
Russian mobile transporter/erector/launcher pads I've seen in photos.

"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=28.249064+N,
102.023613+E&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=28.249263,102.02386& spn=0.002074,0.005364&t=k&om=0&iwloc=addr"

Could this be the ASAT launch pad?

- Ed Kyle