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Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Destination: Sun synchronous orbit. Nation: China. Manufacturer: SAST.

Chinese synthetic radar military surveillance satellite.

The satellites were placed in sun-synchronous orbits at 600 km altitude. The first was launched in 2006, followed by the second a year later.

Typical orbit: 600 km circular, 98 deg inclinaton. Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb).


Yaogan Chronology
  • 2006 April 26 - Yaogan 1 - Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: CZ. Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Perigee: 627 km (389 mi). Apogee: 630 km (390 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. Period: 97.30 min.
    Remote sensing satellite built by the Shanghai SAST Group. In reality it was the first Chinese synthetic aperture radar military surveillance satellite.

  • 2007 May 25 - Yaogan 2 - Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: CZ. Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Perigee: 631 km (392 mi). Apogee: 655 km (406 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. Period: 97.60 min.
    Second Chinese synthetic aperture radar military surveillance satellite.

  • 2007 November 11 - Yaogan 3 - Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: CZ. Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Perigee: 628 km (390 mi). Apogee: 629 km (390 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. Period: 97.30 min.
    The military launch used a new version of the CZ-4 booster. The CZ-4C includes a restart capability in the upper stage and a new interstage adapter between the first and second stages.


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