Identifying China's fleet of 113 satellites

Martian

Senior Member
World's largest satellite fleets

1. United States: 371 satellites
2. China: 113 satellites
3. Russia: 111 satellites

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"Russia Produces 'More Space Debris Than Any Other Country'
29 November 2013 | Issue 5266
The Moscow Times

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The position of every known piece of space debris orbiting Earth. (Michael Najjar / Amazing Maps / Twitter)

Russia has fewer satellites in space than the U.S. or China, but it is the undisputed leader in terms of the amount of debris it has left floating about the Earth's orbit, according to figures released Friday.

The U.S. accounts for one-third of the world's spacecraft, with 371 U.S. satellites orbiting the Earth, followed by China with 113 satellites, and Russia with 111, a report by the Central Research Institute for Engineering said, Interfax reported.

The three top satellite operators also lead the world in terms of the amount of space debris they produce. Russia is the worst offender with 6,125 pieces of space trash in orbit, followed by the U.S. with 4,627, and China with 3,672.

By Oct. 31, the total number of objects in the Earth's orbit had reached 16,886, including 1,153 spacecraft and 15,733 inactive "space objects."

Some 80 percent of all space debris is concentrated in low Earth orbit, causing concern to grow among research scientists and space officials in recent years.

Russia has also been blamed for environmental damage caused by one of its Proton-M rockets exploding near the Baikonur Cosmodrome this summer. Kazakhstan has asked Russia to pay $89.5 million in compensation for the damage inflicted by poisonous chemicals released in the explosion."
 

Martian

Senior Member
16 Beidou GPS, 19 Yaogan military, 2 ZY-1 imaging, and 3 Tianlian data-relay satellites

That's about 40 Chinese satellites off the top of my head. I could hunt the others down, but you get the idea. Among the 113 Chinese satellites, I don't know if they are counting the five Shiyang experimental satellites.

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"Sixteen Beidou satellites are now in orbit, with the network scheduled to expand to 30 when fully deployed by 2020."

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19 Yaogan satellites are in orbit. I'm not sure if the earliest Chinese NOSS trio is still functional.

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"Nov 20, 2013 - Another “secret” Chinese launch took place on Wednesday, when a Long March 4C orbited the Yaogan Weixing-19 satellite. Launch took ..."

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"Mar 20, 2012 - Data from China's two new “ZY-1” digital imaging spacecraft indicate the People's Liberation Army (PLA) now has access to color high ..."

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"Long March Rocket Lofts Chinese Data-relay Satellite
By Peter B. de Selding | Jul. 26, 2012

PARIS — A Chinese Long March 3C rocket on July 25 successfully placed the Tianlian-03 data-relay satellite into geostationary transfer orbit, where it will join two other data-relay spacecraft, the China Great Wall Industry Corp. announced July 26."

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Add 3 FY-3 weather and one HY-2A oceanographic satellites
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"China launches FY-3C weather satellite
24 September 2013
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The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has successfully launched the Fengyun (FY) III 03 satellite, FY-3C, aboard the carrier rocket Chinese Long March 4C from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Shanxi province.

The FY-3C orbital satellite joins its predecessors FY-3A and FY-3B, which were launched in 2008 and 2010 respectively.
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Designed and developed by the Shanghai Aerospace Administration, the FY-3 series satellites represent the second generation of Chinese polar-orbiting meteorological satellites."

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"China’s surge continues with HaiYang-2A launch via Long March 4B
August 15, 2011 by Rui C. Barbosa

China has launched the first of a news series of oceanographic satellites, with the HaiYang-2A (HY-2A) launched at 22:57UTC on August 15."
 

Martian

Senior Member
China's Gaofen-1 satellite has 2m resolution. Next three ZY-1 satellites will have 1m resolution.

Current list of Chinese satellites.

16 Beidou GPS satellites
19 Yaogan military satellites
2 ZY-1 imaging satellites
3 Tianlian data-relay satellites
3 FY-3 weather satellites
1 FY-2A oceanographic satellite
1 Gaofen-1 HD observation satellite
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Total: 45 satellites (50 if you include five Shiyang experimental satellites)


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"China's HD observation satellite opens its eyes
Xinhua | 2013-12-30 22:47:06
By Agencies

China's high-definition Earth observation satellite, the Gaofen-1, has been formally put into service, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) announced Monday.

The satellite has undergone eighth months of in-orbit tests since it blasted off on April 26. It has met requirements and even performed better than expected by sending back high quality photos, according to SASTIND.

The satellite will help in geographic and resources surveys, environment and climate change monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster relief and city planning.

Its major users will be the Land and Resources, Environmental Protection and Agriculture Ministries.

Gaofen-1 means China's is self-sufficient in more high-resolution Earth observation data, and China's use of remote-sensing satellite has entered a new phase, said Xu Dazhe, head of the SASTIND.

Gaofen-1 provided data on the Lushan earthquake in Sichuan; floods in northeast China; and the smog in north and east China during the test period. It also provided Pakistan with image data after the Sept. 24 earthquake.

Gaofen-1 was the first of five or six satellites to be launched for high-definition Earth observation before 2016. It is also the first low-orbit remote-sensing satellite designed to be in use for longer than five years.

It carries two 2m panchromatic/8m multispectral high-definition cameras, and four 16m resolution wide-angle cameras, which means it can capture images of a car or even a bicycle on the Earth.

Wang Chengwen, deputy head of the Gaofen projects, said that Gaofen-1's efficiency of Earth observation is much higher compared to other remote-sensing satellites.

The Gaofen-2 satellite is scheduled to be launched early in 2014."

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"China’s New Digital Imaging Satellites Boost PLA Recon
By Craig Covault
March 20th, 2012

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China’s first high resolution ZY-1 type digital imaging spacecraft is readied for launch December 22 at Taiyuan launch site. Photo Credit: China National Space Agency (CNSA)

Data from China’s two new “ZY-1” digital imaging spacecraft indicate the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) now has access to color high resolution electro optical satellite imagery.

The first of the new civil/military dual use spacecraft designated ZY-1-02 was launched last Dec. 22, 2011, while the second satellite ZY-1-03 was launched on Jan. 9 this year. There was no ZY-1-01 spacecraft.

It is possible that Chinese secret military spacecraft have even higher resolution. But images taken by the new ZY spacecraft show that the new satellites are capable of showing aircraft details, military vehicles and the weapons systems on U. S., Indian, South Korean and other potential adversary warships, especially if enlarged by experienced image interpreters....

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First ZY-1 spacecraft has 7.7 ft. resolution good enough to capture extensive detail at this Chinese port and on the ships using it. Note large ship undergoing work in dry-dock at center. Message in Chinese characters on building roof can be read from spacecraft’s 480 mi. altitude. Photo Credit: CRESDA

Although the Chinese stress how the ZY spacecraft are focused on crop monitoring and land use, the images released are of a large sea port with ships, a major airport with differing aircraft and an urban scene where vehicles are clearly visible. The Chinese message is unmistakable. That message is: “If you oppose China militarily from the sea, land or air, we can see what you are doing.”
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China intends to launch three additional electro optical spacecraft into polar orbit with up to 1 meter (3.3 ft.) resolution.
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"REMOTE SENSING TERMS

• Panchromatic - Black and white imagery based on the visible light spectrum.
• Multispectral -Color images, can incorporate data from the visible spectrum, or from many parts of the visible, infrared and ultraviolet spectrum.
• Hyperspectral - produces a color image containing data from a very large number of spectral wavelengths.
• Radar - an active scanning procedure that transmits microwave radiation to image its target. Satellites operating at these wavelengths can 'see' through cloud cover and darkness.
• Sun-synchronous - a polar orbit timed so the satellite crosses the equator at the same time each day.
• Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) - A technique where the forward motion of the radar antenna is used to simulate or synthesize a much larger antenna, providing greater resolution along the direction of travel

Source: Canada Center for Remote Sensing"
 

Martian

Senior Member
Majority List of Chinese satellites

Current list of Chinese satellites.

16 Beidou GPS satellites
18 Yaogan military satellites (Yaogan 1 is out of service and removed from the satellite count)
2 ZY-1 imaging satellites
3 Tianlian data-relay satellites
3 FY-3 weather satellites
1 FY-2A oceanographic satellite
1 Gaofen-1 HD observation satellite
5 Shiyan experimental satellites
3 Shentong strategic communications satellites
3 Fenghuo tactical communications satellites
4 Shijian-6 dual electronic/signals intelligence satellites
1 Shijian-16 electronic/signals intelligence satellite
4 Shijian-11 infrared surveillance satellites
2 Tianhui earth mapping satellites
3 HJ-1 environmental satellites (see details in "additional references" below)
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Total: 69 satellites

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"As with the previous Shijian-11 satellites, the true mission of Shijian 11-05 was not revealed by the Chinese authorities. However, some observers noted that the Shijian-11 series could be related with a constellation of operational early warning satellites.

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Image above: The position of the 4 ballistic early-warning satellites in space to detect missiles coming from North America, Europe, Indian Ocean, and West Pacific."


Additional References:

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"HJ-1 environmental satellite C, China’s first independently developed civil synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, returns the first S-band synthetic aperture radar images on December 9, 2012."

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"HJ-1 A&B launched in 2008 are outfitted with optical payloads while HJ-1C is the first SAR satellite of the constellation & the first civilian SAR satellite used by China."
 

Martian

Senior Member
List of over 70 Chinese satellites in orbit, includes ChinaSat communication satellites

Current list of Chinese satellites.

16 Beidou GPS satellites
18 Yaogan military satellites (Yaogan 1 is out of service and removed from the satellite count)
2 ZY-1 imaging satellites
3 Tianlian data-relay satellites
3 FY-3 weather satellites
1 FY-2A oceanographic satellite
1 Gaofen-1 HD observation satellite
5 Shiyan experimental satellites
3 Shentong strategic communication satellites
3 Fenghuo tactical communication satellites
4 Shijian-6 dual electronic/signals intelligence satellites
1 Shijian-16 electronic/signals intelligence satellite
4 Shijian-11 infrared surveillance satellites
2 Tianhui earth mapping satellites
3 HJ-1 environmental satellites
4 ChinaSat civilian communication satellites (e.g. ChinaSat 5C, ChinaSat 6A, ChinaSat 10, and ChinaSat 11)
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Total: 73 satellites


China Academy of Space Technology built the following communication satellites.

ChinaSat 5C (DFH-3 bus)
ChinaSat 6A (DFH-4 bus)
ChinaSat 10 (DFH-4 bus)
ChinaSat 11 (DFH-4 bus)

[Note: "Bus" means general architecture.]

ChinaSat M (also built by China Academy of Space Technology) is scheduled for launch sometime in 2014.

References:

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China's DFH-4 satellite platform/bus. See China Great Wall Industry Corporation's website.

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DFH-3 and DFH-4 "bus" specifications.

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