16 Sep 2025: China launched a Long March-2C with a Yuanzheng-1S upper stage carrying 4 test satellites for the Guowang constellation (65617-65620) from Jiuquan. Jonathan McDowell has labeled the satellites Hulianwang Jishu Shiyan-8 A-D (HJS-8) which is what I’m going with. According to official sources, all 4 HJS-8 satellites successfully reached the preset orbits. In an official announcement Chinese officials disclosed that the “StarNet (Guowang) system has successfully launched a total of ?102 satellites, including 18 test ? (all in low orbit), 3 high-orbit ?, and 81 low-orbit.” These numbers match what I have in my catalog (hallelujah) and also confirm the 3 GEO satellites China launched in 2024 (59069, 60327 & 61503) are somehow associated with the Guowang effort. Launch Video.
– The 4 HJS-8 satellites are in low earth orbit, at 809 x 812km with an inclination of 50.0°.
– The launch appears similar to the 30 Dec 2023 launch of 3 Guowang test satellites (Hulianwang Jishu Shiyan (HJS-4A/B/C) (58691, 58692, 58693).
- The HJS-4 launch was also a LM-2C from Jiuquan but only carried 3 satellites to their 50.0° inclined orbit.
- Likely due to the reduced mass of having only 3 satellites, the LM-2C delivered all 3 HJS-4 satellites to an orbit of ~940km (about 130km greater than the HJS-8 launch).
- The HJS-4 satellites required several months to reach their operational altitude of 1,104km. The first 3 months appear to be operational check out followed by a ~150km orbit raise which required nearly 2 months. All 3 were at their operational altitude by mid-May 2024. (see graphic)
- However, one press release announced: “Three of the four satellites on this mission utilized Yidong Aerospace’s independently developed high-power krypton-gas working fluid Hall effect electric propulsion system.”
- “Key operating parameters include: total system power of 1100-1350W, thrust of 48.5-63.5mN, and specific impulse of 1770-1830s. All three high-power electric propulsion systems have completed their first in-orbit ignitions and are now operational for subsequent satellite orbit maneuvers.”
- An improved propulsion system could reduce the time required to raise the orbits for these satellites.
- Other releases noted the satellite:
- “is equipped with the world’s first fully flexible rollable solar panel, boasting exceptional features such as lightest weight, smallest stowed volume, highest power generation efficiency, and simplest deployment mechanism.”
- Contains “China’s first Ka-band 8-beam, integrated transceiver and spaceborne phased array antenna, significantly optimizing its size, weight, and power consumption.”
- “Utilizes China’s first integrated flat-panel satellite structure with integrated heat pipes, significantly simplifying the satellite assembly process while significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.”
LM-2C lift off with HJS-8 A-D (nasaspaceflight.com).
Mission patch for the HJS-8 A-D launch (nasaspaceflight.com).
Comparison between the HJS-8 and HJS-4 orbits (spaceaware.io).
Visualization of all 18 Guowang test-satellite orbits (spaceaware.io).
30 Dec 2023 - 27 Sep 2025 orbit history for HJS-4A: the satellite maintained about 940 km altitude before raising its SMA to an operational altitude of 1,104 km (celestrak.org).
HJS-8 satellites on orbit (@s2a_systems via X).
HJS-8 launch-success board (nasaspaceflight.com).
Big red board showing renderings of four HJS-8 satellites (nasaspaceflight.com).
Demonstration model of a Galaxyspace direct-to-cell experimental satellite (nasaspaceflight.com).
Rollable solar panels in production (nasaspaceflight.com).
