Issue 68

01 Flash Archive · Members Only

China Launches Tianhui-6 A/B

China launched the Tianhui-6 A/B mapping satellites on 9 March 2023 into a much higher orbit than earlier Tianhui spacecraft.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

9 Mar 2023: China launched a Long March 4C rocket from Taiyuan carrying the Tianhui-6 A/B satellites. The twin satellites will be used for geographic mapping, land-resource surveys, scientific experiments and other applications. The issue notes that some Western observers believe these functions can also support Chinese military requirements. Launch Video.

– Tianhui translates to “sky-drawing” and is a series of unclassified cartography satellites operated by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

– The two satellites entered an approximately 888 × 880km orbit at 99° inclination, significantly higher than earlier Tianhui spacecraft.

– Tianhui-1 satellites operate near 485–496km apogee and carry three Earth-observation cameras: a 5m panchromatic camera, a 2m panchromatic CCD camera and a 10m multispectral imager.

– Tianhui-2 satellites operate around 513km and are China’s first microwave-surveying satellite system based on synthetic-aperture radar, using X-band radar with approximately 3m resolution.

– Tianhui-1 satellites operate independently in separate planes, while Tianhui-2 satellites operate in two-satellite formations.

– Tianhui-6 A/B appear to follow the Tianhui-2 formation pattern and may also be SAR-capable, although an altitude near 900km is unusual for this type of mission.

The issue compares Tianhui-2 with Germany’s TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X concept: paired radar satellites can produce stereo data needed for 3D mapping, while optical Tianhui-1 spacecraft provide complementary spectral information for vegetation, agriculture, land use and natural resources.

Tianhui-6 mission patch celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.

Tianhui-6 A/B on orbit.

Tianhui constellation - now 10 satellites.

02 Flash Archive · Members Only

Gone West: China TJS-7 Over W Hemisphere

TJS-7 relocated from 146.5°E to roughly 99.6°W, making it the only known Chinese geostationary satellite positioned over the Western Hemisphere.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

11 Mar 2023: While a Chinese high-altitude balloon crossing the northern United States drew extensive attention, another Chinese object had been positioned over the geographic centerline of the United States and Canada since early November. TJS-7 was parked near 99.6°W longitude and was the only Chinese GEO satellite over the Western Hemisphere.

– TJS-7 launched on 24 Aug 2021 aboard a Long March 3B from Xichang and transitioned from GTO to GEO around 9 Sep 2021.

– It initially settled near 146.5°E north of Papua New Guinea and remained there for more than a year.

– In late Oct 2022, TJS-7 decreased its semi-major axis by about 332.3km and began an eastward drift, rejoining the GEO belt around 26 Nov 2022.

– The relocation from 146.5°E to 99.6°W corresponds to about 113.9° of longitude, roughly 84,000km along the GEO belt.

– The new position may support one of the SIGINT or missile-warning missions suspected for other TJS spacecraft, although the issue stresses that TJS-7’s actual mission is unknown.

– Open-source reporting had suggested a possible docking experiment between TJS-7 and TJS-6, but TJS-6 remained roughly 82° away near 178.4°E.

– TJS-2, -5, -6 and -7 were built by SAST and are believed by some analysts to be associated with China’s Huoyan missile-warning constellation. TJS-1, -4 and -9 were built by CAST and are assessed by some observers as SIGINT satellites. These mission attributions remain unconfirmed.

– Because TJS-7 is far outside the line of sight of Chinese mainland ground stations, the issue suggests its data may pass through a Tianlian-2 relay satellite or possibly a Chinese-built ground station in South America.

TJS-7 positioned near 99.6°W over North America.

Path of the Chinese high-altitude balloon shown for comparison.

TJS-7 relocation from 146.5°E to 99.6°W.

Chinese-associated ground-station locations in South America.

TJS-7 semi-major-axis maneuver and GEO re-entry.

03 Flash Archive · Members Only

Update on Yaogan-35/36 Altitude & Formation Changes

All 27 Yaogan-35 and Yaogan-36 spacecraft continued lowering altitude in early 2023 while several three-satellite formations changed geometry.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

10 Mar 2023: Following the previous Final Frontier Flash edition, all 27 Yaogan-35 and Yaogan-36 satellites appeared to continue reducing their altitudes. The Yaogan-35-2 formation was the most abnormal, with its three satellites increasingly spread apart. Yaogan-36-01 also changed from the typical one-lead, two-trail arrangement to two satellites leading and one trailing.

– On average, Yaogan-35 satellites had reduced their semi-major axes by about 7.3km, while Yaogan-36 satellites had reduced theirs by about 7.0km.

– The altitude reductions appeared to begin around 17–27 Jan 2023.

– All formations continued reducing altitude, although five trios briefly increased their semi-major axes before resuming the controlled descent.

– The patterns suggested a planned constellation-wide semi-major-axis adjustment, with Yaogan-35-02 potentially representing an exception.

The issue assesses that China may be adjusting the Yaogan-35/36 constellation and developing new tactics, techniques and procedures to maximize the effectiveness of each spacecraft and the combined utility of three-satellite formations.

– As of 12 Mar 2023, all satellites were still decreasing semi-major axis.

Yaogan-35-02 formation with the lead satellite much further ahead.

Yaogan-35-02 A/B/C formation.

Yaogan-36-01 formation showing two lead and one trailing satellite.

Yaogan-35A semi-major-axis history.

Yaogan-36-01A semi-major-axis history.

Yaogan-35-05A semi-major-axis history.

Yaogan-36-01A semi-major-axis history / maneuver detail.

Yaogan-35-04A semi-major-axis history.

Yaogan-36-04A semi-major-axis history.

Typical Yaogan-35-04 A/B/C formation.

Yaogan-36-01 A/B/C formation.

Typical Yaogan-36-03 A/B/C formation.

Typical Yaogan-35-03 A/B/C formation.

04 Flash Archive · Members Only

China Plans for a Starlink Rival

China was assembling the industrial base, factories and state organizations needed to begin large-scale deployment of a Starlink-like LEO broadband constellation.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

27 Feb 2023: The issue reviewed reporting on China’s efforts to develop a proliferated low-Earth-orbit communications constellation intended to counterbalance SpaceX Starlink. Watch the referenced overview video.

– The rise of Starlink demonstrated the strategic importance of LEO broadband constellations and encouraged other countries to consider similar infrastructure.

– China had expressed high-level support for broadband constellations, but tangible deployment remained limited. The issue argues that several pieces of the industrial puzzle were beginning to come together in 2023.

– China’s National Development and Reform Commission added satellite internet to its list of “New Infrastructures” in Apr 2020, shortly after Starlink deployment began accelerating.

– Galaxy Space later raised funding while promoting plans for a “Chinese version of Starlink,” and Commsat received investment from the state-owned China Internet Investment Fund.

– On 29 Apr 2021, the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission announced China Satellite Networks Group Limited, commonly referred to as China SatNet.

– Earlier ITU filings and later reporting suggested a constellation of up to roughly 12,992 satellites, although the final size and architecture remained unclear.

– At least seven Chinese companies were building satellite factories with planned capacities of roughly 100–300 satellites per year in the approximately 100kg class.

The issue expected additional small batches of Chinese LEO communications satellites during 2023, serving as technology demonstrations and potential precursors to accelerated China SatNet deployment.

Chinese satellite manufacturers aiming for batch production of LEO satellites.

Chinese satellite manufacturing / assembly facility.

China SatNet headquarters building, August 2022.

Galaxy Space satellite "Super Factory".

05 Flash Archive · Members Only

Space Traffic Management: 5 Fears from US Leadership

U.S. space-commerce leadership identified five major challenges for civil space traffic management, from SSA quality to regulation and operator responsibility.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

27 Feb 2023: Richard DalBello, director of the U.S. Office of Space Commerce, told the National Space Council’s User Advisory Group that his office faced five key space-traffic-management challenges. Source article.

1. Space Situational Awareness shortfalls: The Commerce Department’s planned takeover of civil SSA responsibilities from the Pentagon requires warnings and tracking data with a level of confidence comparable to air-traffic control.

2. International challenges: China is a major space actor but does not participate fully in global SSA dialogue or information sharing. The issue quotes DalBello describing current communication mechanisms as insufficient.

3. Avoid economic harm: A commercial SSA industry has grown because existing government services do not meet every need. Commerce must enter the market without crowding out or destabilizing private providers.

4. Regulatory gaps: New activities such as on-orbit refueling, in-space manufacturing, commercial LEO stations and lunar resource activity do not fit neatly inside existing regulatory frameworks.

5. Operator responsibility: Government and industry still need a deeper whole-of-government approach to safety, debris mitigation, sustainability and best-management practices for spacecraft operators.

Visualization of the space-object population.

Space-traffic / satellite-trail illustration.

Low-Earth Orbit illustration.

Space-traffic-management network illustration.

Orbital traffic illustration.

06 Flash Archive · Members Only

Annual Threat Assessment: Notable Space Topics

The 2023 U.S. Annual Threat Assessment highlighted Chinese and Russian military-space integration, counterspace systems and long-term strategic competition.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

9 Mar 2023: The U.S. Director of National Intelligence released the unclassified Annual Threat Assessment. The issue highlighted space-related passages concerning China and Russia. Read the assessment.

– The assessment stated that the PLA would continue integrating satellite reconnaissance, positioning, navigation, timing and communications into weapons and command-and-control systems.

– China had fielded ground-based counterspace systems including electronic warfare, directed-energy systems and ASAT missiles, while orbital technology demonstrations showed capabilities relevant to future space-based counterspace systems.

– The assessment judged China to be progressing toward world-class space leadership, potentially reaching world-class status in most technology areas by 2030 and seeking to match or surpass the United States by 2045.

– China’s commercial space sector was described as growing rapidly and potentially becoming a major global competitor by 2030.

– Russia was assessed as retaining important civil, commercial and military space capabilities but facing sanctions, export controls and domestic space-sector problems that could limit long-term ambitions.

– Russia was expected to prioritize communications, PNT, geolocation and ISR services important to national security while continuing development of destructive and nondestructive counterspace capabilities.

The issue also highlighted Russia’s warning at an Oct 2022 U.N. meeting that commercial space infrastructure used for military purposes could become a target for retaliation.

07 Flash Archive · Members Only

Japan: Investing in Space for National Defense

Japan planned major growth in military-space organizations, SDA, satellite constellations and spending beginning in FY2023.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

23 Feb 2023: The issue summarized an article by Yasuhito Fukushima describing Japan’s increasing efforts to acquire defense-related space capabilities. Read the article.

– Japan’s Self-Defense Forces had used space services such as weather forecasting and satellite communications for decades, but only began considering dedicated military-space capabilities after the 2008 Basic Space Law.

– Japan’s Ministry of Defense launched dedicated communications satellites in 2017 and 2018; while privately operated under a financing initiative, they were the first satellites owned by JMOD.

– In 2018, Japan formally positioned space as a new operational domain alongside cyber and the electromagnetic spectrum.

– In 2020, the Air Self-Defense Force created the Space Operations Squadron, followed by the Space Operations Group in 2022.

– The Space Operations Group was scheduled to begin operating a ground-based radar space-domain-awareness system for GEO surveillance in FY2023.

– Japan’s 2022 National Security Strategy called for capabilities to hinder an opponent’s space use and for construction of satellite constellations supporting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting.

– Japan planned to expand space-related organizations and programs and restructure the Air Self-Defense Force as the Air and Space Self-Defense Force.

JMOD planned approximately one trillion yen, roughly US$7.5 billion, in space-related spending over the five years beginning in FY2023, more than doubling its annual space budget.

Japanese defense-related space systems.

Japan Space Operations Squadron emblem.

Japan space-operations unit ceremony.

Japanese and U.S. personnel associated with space-domain-awareness cooperation.

08 Flash Archive · Members Only

Pics o’ the week!

Pics o' the week includes China's Tostar lunar mascot, Shenzhou-15, Japan's H-3 rocket, Ingenuity-era Mars imagery and an aurora photograph.

Author Minhas Published March 12, 2023

China’s lunar-program mascot: The official mascot rabbit is named “兔星星” (“Rabbit Star”), with the English name “Tostar,” inspired by the ancient Chinese Jade Rabbit myth.

Shenzhou-15 approaching the Tiangong Space Station.

Japan’s H-3 rocket prepares for launch. The launch later failed because of a second-stage malfunction.

Issue 68

China's lunar-program mascot Tostar.

Tostar / Rabbit Star mascot.

Shenzhou-15 approaching the Tiangong Space Station.

Japan's H-3 rocket prepares for launch.

Friendly reminder: there's a helicopter operating on Mars.

Perseverance's backshell photographed from the Mars helicopter.

Aurora / night-sky photograph from the issue's closing editorial page.