Issue 143

02 Launch Analysis · China · LEO

China Launches 8 Gaofen-7 Imagery Satellites

Author Greg Gillinger Published April 20, 2026

14 Apr 2026: China launched a Lijian-1 with 8 Jilin-1 (Gaofen-7) satellites (68691-68698) from Jiuquan. According to CAS Space all satellites were successfully placed into the desired orbits. The satellites are owned and operated by Changguang Satellite Technology Co Ltd (CGSTL). A report published by the China Space Monitor alleged CGSTL sold two of its on-orbit Jilin-1 GF03D series satellites to the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group back in 2022. In 2025 The U.S. State Department accused Chinese firm CGSTL of directly supporting Iran-backed Houthi terrorist attacks on U.S. interests. According to the State Department the company supplied high-resolution satellite imagery, enabling Houthi rebels to target U.S. warships and international shipping in the Red Sea. Adding imagery capacity to the Jilin constellation will improve revisit rates and coverage areas should CGSTL assist Iran in the current conflict with the US/Israel. Launch Video.

– All 8 satellites are in sun-synchronous orbit with an average altitude (SMA) of 540km and inclination of 97.7°. Expect CGSTL to gradually space the 8 spacecraft across the orbit plane in the coming weeks.

– CGSTL launched 3 Jilin Gaofen 07 satellites in December 2025. The April 2026 launch appears to be into a 10km lower orbit and a nearly identical inclination. There is a RAAN offset of only 0.8° between the 2 sets of satellites.

– Per China in Space:

the satellites “have a resolution of about 0.5 meters alongside onboard AI-assisted processing. That enables them to provide a wide variety of images to customers…including non-Earth target imaging.”
“CGSTL’s Jilin-1 constellation had non-Earth imaging tested in September 2025…before beginning development of relevant hardware a month later.”

– CGSTL launched the Jilin Gaofen 07 satellites into an orbital plane near Jilin Kuanfu 01 (45016) (2020.)

Per Gunther’s: “Jilin-1 Kuanfu-01…features a high resolution and wide-field-of-view (WFOV) telephoto range imager. The push-broom imager with a multi-spectral resolution better than 4 m and a swath width greater than 136 km features high-speed storage and high-speed digital transmission systems.”

Editor’s Comment: This orbital relationship enables tip-cue from the WFOV satellite and the higher resolution Jilin Gaofen 07 satellites. Using a Wide-Field-of-View (WFOV) sensor to cue higher resolution sensors is useful for positively identifying potential targets. We do not know if CGSTL is actively providing imagery support to Iran, however they have assisted other anti-US forces in the past.

Lijian-1 Heading To Orbit with 8x Jilin Goafen 07 Satellites
(nasaspaceflight.com)

Visualization of Jilin Constellation with Jilin Gaofen 07 (Green)(saberastro.com)

CGSTL Has Placed Jilin Goafen-07 Satellites into Orbital Planes within 1° of Its Wide Field of View Jilin Kuanfu 01 Satellite. Orbital relationship would support tip/cue from WFOV imager to higher resolution sensors. Useful arrangement for targeting support.

(saberastro.com)