24 Nov: China launched a Long March-2C with the SuperView Neo 2-03 and SuperView Neo 2-04 (62079 & 62080) remote sensing satellites from Jiuquan. It appears the two satellites will work cooperatively to collect high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery of the Earth. Launch Video.
– The satellite catalog is currently showing 3 objects on orbit from this launch (2024-218). The satellites themselves have not been individually identified by name.
- 62079 and 62080 seem to be the Superview NEO 2 satellites and are orbiting at ~515.5×491.5km with an inclination of 97.5° (sun synchronous orbit).
- 62078 is likely the LM-2C upperstage.
– China described the pair as high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites equipped with phased-array radar payloads and providing a resolution of 0.5 m.
– Superview Neo-2 03 and 04 will fly in formation and are part of China Siwei’s planned 28-satellite SuperView Neo remote sensing constellation. (see following article for more constellation details).
– According to Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology’s (SAST) public launch announcement the Superview NEO satellites “will be the first time in the world that a commercial satellite can achieve a 100-meter-level autonomous strict return orbit and sub-meter-level fly-around formation coordinated control.”
– Superview NEO-2 03/04 are co-planar with one satellite leading the other by ~5 seconds.
– China launched the first 2 Superview NEO-2 satellites (53128 & 53130) in 2022. Those two satellites remain co-planar but are not operating within proximity of one another. In fact they operate on opposite sides of the Earth (as one passes the North Pole the other is over the South Pole). See graphic right.
SuperView Neo-2 03 and 04 ready for launch (nasaspaceflight.com).
Separation of SuperView Neo-2 01 and 02; the two co-planar satellites operate on opposite sides of Earth (spaceaware.io).
