HELSINKI — China has launched its first Yaogan-42 (Yaogan-42, ‘di remote sensing’) vehicle, thereby augmenting its military satellite reconnaissance capabilities.

The Changzheng-2D (Long March 2D) rocket was successfully launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre on 2 April at 18:56 Eastern North American Time (22:56 World Coordinated Time). The Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation/CASC announced the success of the launch an hour later, and named the payload, the first satellite, Yaogan-42.

Subsequently, the satellite was monitored by the United States Space Force’s 18th Space Defense Squadron/18 SDS, which observed its orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km and inclination of 35°.
The Yaogan-42 and Changzheng-2D satellites were developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), a division of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST).

Neither the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST) nor the Chinese state media provided any details about the classified satellite. Their statements lacked the usual general description of the Yaogan series satellites.

Official reports describe the Yaogan satellites as designed for a variety of purposes, including topographic surveying, crop yield assessment, environmental management, meteorological warnings and weather forecasting, and integrated disaster prevention and mitigation. The use of others includes electromagnetic analyses and related technical testing.
It is estimated by external observers that the Yaogan satellites are intended for both military and civilian purposes.
The Yaogan series is understood to include optical imaging satellites, synthetic aperture radar/SAR and electronic intelligence/ELINT satellites. This combination provides high-resolution imaging, all-weather, 24-hour imaging, and the collection of electronic signals from radars, communications systems and other electronic devices, covering both land and sea.

The majority of the Yaogan satellites operate in various low-Earth and sun-synchronous orbits. Some groups, such as Yaogan-31, may be analogous to triplets of satellites of the US Department of Defence’s Naval Ocean Surveillance System/NOSS.

Other satellites, in 35° orbits, 60° or 120° apart, provide near-constant surveillance of national security zones near China’s borders.

In December 2023, China delivered the Yaogan-41 satellite 53 into geosynchronous orbit on its largest rocket, the Changzheng-5. At that time, a new elongated fairing, measuring 18.5 metres in length and 5.2 metres in diameter, was employed.

This was China’s 15th orbital mission in 2024. The country plans to carry out approximately 100 launches in 2024, 70 of which will be conducted by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the remaining 30 by commercial launch providers.
Among the commercial launches is the debut of the Tianlong-3 (Tianlong-3, Sky Dragon-3) by Space Pioneer (full name Beijing Tianbing Technology). The 71-metre-long rocket is capable of launching 17 tonnes of payload into low-Earth orbit or 14 tonnes into a 500-kilometre sun-synchronous orbit. The Tianlong-3 is anticipated to become the second most powerful rocket in China, following the Changzheng-5. It is expected that the first stage will become reusable in the future.
SAST has announced plans to launch a new 3.8-metre-diameter Changzheng-12 rocket, formerly designated XLV⁵⁶ in 2024.

Author: Andrew Jones
https://spacenews.com/china-launches-first-of-a-new-series-of-yaogan-reconnaissance-satellites/