# Chinasat 5A
**Wikidata**: [Q9390881](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9390881)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/chinasat-5a

## Summary
Chinasat 5A is a communications satellite launched on May 30, 1998. Also known by the aliases Zhongwei 1 and China Star 1, it was deployed into orbit using a Long March 3B rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** May 30, 1998
- **Launch Vehicle:** Long March 3B
- **Launch Site:** Xichang Satellite Launch Center
- **COSPAR ID:** 1998-033A
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 25354
- **Instance of:** Communications satellite
- **Aliases:** Zhongwei 1, China Star 1, ChinaStar 1
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/121pqdg5

## FAQs
### Q: When was Chinasat 5A launched?
A: Chinasat 5A was launched on May 30, 1998.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Chinasat 5A?
A: The satellite was launched aboard a Long March 3B orbital carrier rocket.

### Q: What are the other names for Chinasat 5A?
A: The satellite is also known as Zhongwei 1, China Star 1, and ChinaStar 1.

## Why It Matters
Chinasat 5A serves as a specific instance of a communications satellite developed for telecommunications purposes. As an artificial satellite, it represents a component of space infrastructure designed to relay signals across geographic areas. Its launch aboard the Long March 3B—a Chinese orbital carrier rocket—highlights its origin within the Chinese space program and its deployment from the strategic Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The existence of multiple aliases (Zhongwei 1, China Star 1) suggests it may have been known by different designations across various contexts or operators, which is common in the satellite industry but is specifically documented here through its identifiers.

## Notable For
- **Multiple Identities:** The satellite is distinctly recognized under several names, including Zhongwei 1 and China Star 1.
- **Specific Launch Configuration:** It was lifted into orbit by the Long March 3B rocket, a heavy-lift launch vehicle.
- **Documented Origins:** Its launch event is precisely recorded with a COSPAR ID (1998-033A) and Satellite Catalog Number (25354).
- **Launch Location:** The mission originated from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a major Chinese spaceport.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
Chinasat 5A is formally classified as a **communications satellite**, defined as an artificial satellite designed for telecommunications. It is tracked under the international designation **COSPAR ID 1998-033A** and the Satellite Catalog Number **25354**. The entity is multilingual in its documentation, appearing in Polish and Portuguese Wikipedia entries, and is identified in the Google Knowledge Graph with the ID `/g/121pqdg5`.

### Launch Event
The satellite's deployment is recorded as a significant event classified as a **rocket launch**. This event took place on **May 30, 1998**. The launch utilized the **Long March 3B** as the delivery system.

### Launch Site
The **start point** for the mission was the **Xichang Satellite Launch Center**. This facility served as the ground infrastructure for the rocket launch event.

### Nomenclature
The entity is associated with multiple labels, indicating different naming conventions or aliases used throughout its history. These include:
*   China Star 1
*   ChinaStar 1
*   Zhongwei 1
*   Chinasat 5A

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report