Shiyan (SY, ) is a Chinese experimental satellite program consisting of a variety of test satellites. Given the classified nature of the satellites, Chinese government statements regarding the missions of Shiyan satellites follow the common refrain of agricultural monitoring and space environment observation — the same offered for other classified programs such as the Tongxin Jishu Shiyan, Yaogan, and Shijian programs. Alternatively named Tansuo satellites, Shiyan satellites occupy varying orbits including low Earth, polar Sun-synchronous, geosynchronous, and highly-elliptical orbits and are believed to accomplish a diverse set of missions from rendezvous proximity operations (RPO) to earth imaging. Though similarly named, the Shiyan satellite program is not to be confused with the separate Shijian satellite program.

Notable satellites

Shiyan 7 Shiyan 7 was launched from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) on 19 July 2013 aboard a Launch March 4C rocket into low Earth, Sun-synchronous orbit, accompanied by the Shijian 15 (of unknown mission) and Chuangxin 3. Three weeks after launch, from 6–9 August 2013, Shiyan 7 performed rendezvous operations with its companion payload, Chuangxin-3, supporting speculations of a robotic arm-wielding satellite tasked with rendezvous proximity operations (RPO). Later, Shiyan 7 shifted to rendezvous with Shijian 7 (of unknown mission) with whom it maintained proximity from 19 to 20 August 2013 until it maneuvered into a 5 km lower orbit. Drawing further suspicion, around 19 October 2013, Shiyan 7 maneuvered to a 1 km higher orbit and released a previously untracked object, designated which many believe to be a subsatellite to RPO experiments. Such operations, which the Chinese government does not comment on, has sparked debate around the nature of Chinese experimental satellites.

Satellites +NameLaunchOrbitOrbital apsisInclinationSCNCOSPAR IDLaunch siteLauncherStatusShiyan 118 April 2004SSO559.8 km × 572.9 km98.0°28220 XSLCLong March 2COperationalShiyan 218 November 2004SSO678.9 km × 702.5 km98.1°28479XSLCLong March 2COperationalShiyan 35 November 2008SSO788.6 km × 809.7 km98.7°33433JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 420 November 2011SSO781.6 km × 816.2 km98.7°37931 JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 525 November 2013SSO747.5 km × 770.0 km98.2°39455 JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 6-0119 November 2018SSO448.8 km × 541.0 km97.4°43711 JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 6-024 July 2020SSO609.0 km × 799.1 km98.2°45859JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 6-038 April 2021SSO1,001.4 km × 1,126.5 km99.5°48157 TSLCLong March 4BOperationalShiyan 7A19 July 2013SSO665.3 k × 679.0 km98.0°39208TSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 7B (subsat)19 July 2013SSO670 km × 660 km98.0°39357TSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 911 March 2021GTO35,738.5 km × 35,852 km19.4°47851 WSLCLong March 7AOperationalShiyan 1027 September 2021Molniya1,422.3 km × 38,950.6 km63.7°49258 XSLCLong March 3BPartially operationalShiyan 10-0229 December 2022GTO(Not yet announced)(Not yet announced)54878XSLCLong March 3BOperationalShiyan 1124 November 2021SSO488.9 km × 502.0 km97.5°49501 JSLCKuaizhou 1AOperationalShiyan 12-0123 December 2021GEO35,751.6 km × 35,758.8 km0.2°50321WSLCLong March 7AOperationalShiyan 12-0223 December 2021GEO35,749.1 km × 35,773.1 km0.2°50322WSLCLong March 7AOperationalShiyan 1317 January 2022SSO371.3 km × 1,272.0 km98.6°51102TSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 1424 September 2022SSO492.1 km × 514.7 km97.5°53884TSLCKuaizhou 1AOperationalShiyan 1524 September 2022SSO491.8 km × 510.5 km97.5°53885TSLCKuaizhou 1AOperationalShiyan 16A26 September 2022SSO509.1 km × 528.0 km97.5°53948TSLCLong March 6OperationalShiyan 16B26 September 2022SSO509.6 km × 526.8 km97.5°53949TSLCLong March 6OperationalShiyan 1726 September 2022SSO508.1 km × 527.0 km97.5°53950TSLCLong March 6OperationalShiyan 1915 March 2023SSO500.1 km × 520.9 km97.5°55861JSLCLong March 11OperationalShiyan 20A12 December 2022LEO800.3 km × 806.6 km60.0°54699JSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 20B12 December 2022LEO798.5 km × 808.1 km60.0°54700JSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 20C29 October 2022LEO799.5 km x 816.0 km60.0°54214JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 2116 December 2022LEO480.8 km × 498.5 km36.0°54752XSLCLong March 11OperationalShiyan 22A13 January 2023LEO504.3 km × 521.9 km43.2°55242JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 22B13 January 2023LEO510.6 km × 526.3 km43.2°55243JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 2311 May 2024SSO624.6 km × 633.8 km97.8°59728JSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 24A7 June 2023SSOJSLCKinetica 1OperationalShiyan 24B7 June 2023SSOJSLCKinetica 1OperationalShiyan 24C-0125 December 2023SSO583.9 km × 589.3 km97.3°58650Bo Run Jiu Zhou platform, South China SeaLong March 11OperationalShiyan 24C-0225 December 2023SSO584.4 km × 588.5 km97.3°58651Bo Run Jiu Zhou platform, South China SeaLong March 11OperationalShiyan 24C-0325 December 2023SSO584.7 km × 587.9 km97.3°58652Bo Run Jiu Zhou platform, South China SeaLong March 11OperationalShiyan 2520 June 2023SSO272.5 km × 288.2 km96.5°57047TSLCLong March 6OperationalShiyan 26A11 November 2024SSOJSLCKinetica 1OperationalShiyan 26B11 November 2024SSOJSLCKinetica 1OperationalShiyan 26C11 November 2024SSOJSLCKinetica 1OperationalShiyan 27A18 April 2025SSO1,052.1 km × 1,053.6 km99.7°63599TSLCLong March 6AOperationalShiyan 27B18 April 2025SSO1,052.2 km × 1,053.5 km99.7°63600TSLCLong March 6AOperationalShiyan 27C18 April 2025SSO1,052.0 km × 1,053.7 km99.7°63601TSLCLong March 6AOperationalShiyan 27D18 April 2025SSO1,052.1 km × 1,053.6 km99.7°63602TSLCLong March 6AOperationalShiyan 27E18 April 2025SSO1,052.1 km × 1,053.6 km99.7°63603TSLCLong March 6AOperationalShiyan 27F18 April 2025SSO1,052.0 km × 1,053.7 km99.7°63604TSLCLong March 6AOperationalShiyan 28B-01 3 July 2025LEO798.9 km × 802.9 km11.0°64753XSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 28B-0217 August 2025LEO790.9 km × 796.4 km11.0°65226XSLCLong March 4COperationalShiyan 295 September 2025GEOXSLCLong March 3C/E / YZ-1OperationalShiyan 30A29 September 2025LEO XSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 30B29 September 2025LEO XSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 30C12 March 2026LEO XSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 30D12 March 2026LEO XSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 3113 October 2025LEO JSLCLong March 2DOperationalShiyan 32-018 November 2025SSOBo Run Jiu Zhou platform, South China SeaLong March 11OperationalShiyan 32-028 November 2025SSOBo Run Jiu Zhou platform, South China SeaLong March 11OperationalShiyan 32-038 November 2025SSOBo Run Jiu Zhou platform, South China SeaLong March 11OperationalSources: NASA, US Space Force, CelesTrak

See also

Yaogan (YG) Shijian (SJ) Tongxin Jishu Shiyan (TJS)

References