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Chang Zheng 4B

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Chang Zheng 4B
Part of CZ Family
Chinese orbital launch vehicle. The CZ-4B introduced in 1999 was an improved model of the CZ-4B with an enhanced third stage and fairing. It measured 44.1 meters in length with a first stage thrust of 300 metric tons.

AKA: Chang Zheng-4B; CZ-4B; Long March 4B. Status: Active. First Launch: 1999-05-10. Last Launch: 2015-11-08. Number: 26 . Payload: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Thrust: 2,960.00 kN (665,430 lbf). Gross mass: 249,200 kg (549,300 lb). Height: 45.80 m (150.20 ft). Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

3 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x CZ-4 stage 1 + 1 x CZ-4 stage 2 + 1 x CZ-4B stage 3

LEO Payload: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Payload: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb) to a 900 km SSO. Launch Price $: 35.000 million in 1999 dollars.

Family: orbital launch vehicle. Country: China. Spacecraft: JB-3, CAST2000, CAST968, Phoenix Eye, Tiantuo, Tianxun, Toronto GNB, Vesselsat, SJ, FY-1, SACI, ZY, HY-1, CX-1, SJ-6, JB-8, JB-10, JB-11. Launch Sites: Taiyuan LC9, Taiyuan, Taiyuan LC1, Taiyuan LC2. Stages: CZ-4A-1, CZ-4B-2, CZ-4B-3. Agency: CALT. More at: 8225.



1999 May 10 - . 01:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • FY-1C - . Payload: Feng Yun 1C. Mass: 900 kg (1,980 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CASC. Manufacturer: Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: FY-1. Spacecraft: FY-1. USAF Sat Cat: 25730 . COSPAR: 1999-025A. Apogee: 880 km (540 mi). Perigee: 846 km (525 mi). Inclination: 98.8000 deg. Period: 102.20 min. Operational weather satellite. First launch of stretched CZ-4B booster. After retirement the satellite was destroyed in the first test of the Chinese ASAT weapon on 11 January 2007..
  • SJ-5 - . Payload: Shi Jian 5. Mass: 500 kg (1,100 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CASC. Manufacturer: Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 25731 . COSPAR: 1999-025B. Apogee: 865 km (537 mi). Perigee: 841 km (522 mi). Inclination: 98.9000 deg. Period: 102.00 min. Research satellite carried as a secondary payload to study the radiation belts..

1999 October 14 - . 03:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • CBERS-1 ZY-1 FM1 - . Payload: Zi Yuan 1. Mass: 1,450 kg (3,190 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Manufacturer: CAST, INP. Class: Earth. Type: Earth resources satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. USAF Sat Cat: 25940 . COSPAR: 1999-057A. Apogee: 780 km (480 mi). Perigee: 773 km (480 mi). Inclination: 98.2000 deg. Period: 100.40 min.

    China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite. China's first earth resources satellite, known as ZY-1, weighed 1,540 kilograms. Chief designer was Chen Yiyuan. The satellite, a joint project of China and Brazil, was designed to gather information on the environment, agriculture and urban planning through remote sensing images and data transmitted to China, Brazil and other countries. Planned lifetime was two years. The satellite circled the Earth 14 times a day and the groundtrack repeated after 26 days. By 23 February 2000 it had taken more than 20,000 high quality images. It was formally handed over for operational use on March 2 2000. The High Resolution CCD Camera had a resolution of 20 meters in the visible spectrum. The camera could point up to 32 degrees to either side of vertical, imaging the earth's surface stereoscopically. After 177 days the Wide Field Imager failed in early May 2000. Other devices, including the high resolution CCD camera, continue to work normally.

  • SACI 1 - . Nation: Brazil. Agency: SISE. Manufacturer: INPE. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SACI. Spacecraft: SACI. USAF Sat Cat: 25941 . COSPAR: 1999-057B. Apogee: 731 km (454 mi). Perigee: 719 km (446 mi). Inclination: 98.7000 deg. Period: 99.30 min. INPE experimental scientific satellite with a magnetometer, particle detectors and an atmospheric experiment. INPE reportedly lost contact with the satellite in mid-October..

2000 September 1 - . 03:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • ZY-2C - . Payload: Zi Yuan 2. Mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Manufacturer: CAST. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-3. USAF Sat Cat: 26481 . COSPAR: 2000-050A. Apogee: 501 km (311 mi). Perigee: 489 km (303 mi). Inclination: 97.4000 deg. Period: 94.43 min.

    The ZY-2 (Ziyuan-2 ('Resource-2'), while disguised as a civilian earth monitoring system, was actually code-named Jianbing-3 and was China's first high-resolution military imaging satellite. The cover story of the official Xinhua news agency was that the civilian remote sensing system would be used primarily in territorial surveying, city planning, crop yield assessment, disaster monitoring and space science experimentation. However the satellite was placed at a much lower altitude than the ZY-1 satellite and US intelligence sources indicated that it was a photo-reconnaissance satellite for exclusively military purposes, such as targeting missiles at US and Taiwanese forces. The new satellite was believed to employ digital-imaging technology and to have a resolution of 2 m or less. The satellite was designed and built by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology and was developed indigenously. It was said to be more advanced than earlier sensing satellites and was expected to have an orbital life of two years. The camera provided more than three times the resolution of the ZY-1 earth resources satellite. The Zi Yuan 2 satellite may have used the CBERS Sino-Brazilian bus of the earlier ZY-1. However it was also said to be of new design and demonstrated the capability to maneuver in orbit, adjusting its orbit after launch. In October 2000 Chinese scientists denied that the ZY-2 satellite had a military mission. It was said to be a remote-sensing satellite equipped with CCD cameras and an infrared multispectral scanner that could only identify objects on the ground with a resolution of several dozen meters to 1 km.


2002 May 15 - . 01:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • HY-1A - . Payload: Haiyang 1. Mass: 367 kg (809 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CASC. Class: Earth. Type: Earth resources satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST968. Spacecraft: CAST968. USAF Sat Cat: 27430 . COSPAR: 2002-024A. Apogee: 799 km (496 mi). Perigee: 785 km (487 mi). Inclination: 98.4000 deg. Period: 100.70 min.

    The HY-1 (Haiyang-1) marine observation satellite separated shortly after the FY-1D. The 360 kg HY-1 was based on the SJ-5 bus and carried an IR radiometer and CCD imager for oceanographic studies. Between May 21 and May 26, HY-1 lowered its orbit to 793 x 799 km using on-board propulsion.

  • FY-1D - . Mass: 960 kg (2,110 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CASC. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: FY-1. Spacecraft: FY-1. USAF Sat Cat: 27431 . COSPAR: 2002-024B. Apogee: 873 km (542 mi). Perigee: 850 km (520 mi). Inclination: 98.7000 deg. Period: 102.20 min.

    The second stage separated six minutes after launch, putting the stack on a suborbital trajectory. After a brief coast up to 860 km the third stage fired at around 0200 UTC to circularize the orbit. FY-1D, a 950 kg weather satellite with a 10-channel radiometer, separated from the stack followed by a small adapter. The final stage was left in a slightly lower 812 x 883 km orbit.


2002 October 27 - . 03:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • ZY-2B - . Payload: Zi Yuan 2-2. Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CAST. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-3. Decay Date: 2015-01-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 27550 . COSPAR: 2002-049A. Apogee: 483 km (300 mi). Perigee: 470 km (290 mi). Inclination: 97.4000 deg. Period: 94.10 min.

    JB-3 2 was nominally a Chinese (PRC) remote sensing satellite, although US intelligence sources indicated it had primarily an intelligence imaging mission. JB-3 2 was the name adopted by the USSPACECOM. Most news reports from China and elsewhere use different names: ZY-2B (acronym for ZiYuan-2B, translated as Resource-2B), and Zhong Guo Zi Yuan Er Hao, translated as China Resource 2. No information was available on the instruments onboard the JB-3 2, but officially it was intended 'for territorial survey, environment monitoring and protection, urban planning, crop yield assessment, disaster monitoring, and space scientific experiments'. The initial orbital parameters of this sun-synchronous satellite were period 94.1 min, apogee 483 km, perigee 470 km, and inclination 97.4�.


2003 October 21 - . 03:16 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • CBERS-2 ZY-1 FM2 - . Payload: Zi Yuan 1B. Mass: 1,450 kg (3,190 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CAS. Class: Earth. Type: Earth resources satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. USAF Sat Cat: 28057 . COSPAR: 2003-049A. Apogee: 750 km (460 mi). Perigee: 731 km (454 mi). Inclination: 98.5000 deg. Period: 99.60 min. Delayed from late 2001, September 3 2002, March 14 and September 2003. Second China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS 2)..
  • Chuangxin-1 - . Payload: Chuang Xin 1. Mass: 90 kg (198 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CAS. Class: Technology. Type: Communications technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CX-1. Spacecraft: CX-1. USAF Sat Cat: 28058 . COSPAR: 2003-049B. Apogee: 759 km (471 mi). Perigee: 686 km (426 mi). Inclination: 98.5000 deg. Period: 99.20 min.

    Chuangxin-1 (or Innovation-1) was China's first experimental small satellite for store-and-forward short message data communications in low Earth orbit. With a mass less than 100 kg, the Chuangxin-1 was developed in light of national strategic demands. Starting from 1999 with support of the national Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the project was carried out jointly by researchers from the CAS Shanghai Institute of Microsystem Information Technology and the CAS Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics. The satellite used spread spectrum communication and subsystems included a communication transponder, onboard computer, attitude control, energy source, thermal control, and structure. The mission was to demonstrate data communications for such sectors as traffic and transportation, environment protection, oil and gas transportation, flood and drought control, detection of forest fire and earthquake monitoring.


2004 September 8 - . 23:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • SJ-6-01A SJ-6A - . Payload: Shi Jian 6B. Mass: 800 kg (1,760 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SJ-6. Spacecraft: SJ-6. USAF Sat Cat: 28413 . COSPAR: 2004-035A. Apogee: 593 km (368 mi). Perigee: 578 km (359 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.40 min.

    It was announced that the two satellites had a design life of at least two years, and would be used to probe the space environment, radiation and its effects, record space physical environment parameters, and conduct other related space experiments. The two satellites were built by the Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology and Dongfanghong Satellite Company under subcontract to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The scientific instruments aboard the satellites were mainly manufactured by the China Electronics Technology Corporation. Some Western observors believed the mission of the satellites included electronic intelligence technology tests.

  • SJ-6-01B SJ-6B - . Payload: Shi Jian 6B. Mass: 800 kg (1,760 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 28414 . COSPAR: 2004-035B. Apogee: 602 km (374 mi). Perigee: 593 km (368 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.60 min. CAST968 platform. Released one minute after SJ-6A..

2004 November 6 - . 03:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • ZY-2C - . Mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Earth. Type: Earth resources satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-3. USAF Sat Cat: 28470 . COSPAR: 2004-044A. Apogee: 504 km (313 mi). Perigee: 479 km (297 mi). Inclination: 97.3000 deg. Period: 94.40 min. Zi Yuan 2-3 was a low earth orbit digital imaging spacecraft used by the Chinese government, probably for both civilian and military reconnaissance purposes..

2006 October 23 - . 23:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • SJ-6-02A SJ-6C - . Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval signals intelligence satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SJ-6. Spacecraft: SJ-6. USAF Sat Cat: 29505 . COSPAR: 2006-046A. Apogee: 598 km (371 mi). Perigee: 594 km (369 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.60 min. Replaced the SJ-6 Group 1 satellites A and B. Official purpose was to measure the space environment, but foreign analysts suspected a SIGINT role..
  • SJ-6-02B SJ-6D - . Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval signals intelligence satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 29506 . COSPAR: 2006-046B. Apogee: 599 km (372 mi). Perigee: 598 km (371 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.70 min.

2007 September 19 - . 03:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • CBERS-2B ZY-1 FM2B - . Mass: 1,452 kg (3,201 lb). Nation: Brazil, China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Civilian surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. USAF Sat Cat: 32062 . COSPAR: 2007-042A. Apogee: 775 km (481 mi). Perigee: 773 km (480 mi). Inclination: 98.5000 deg. Period: 100.30 min.

    Third China-Brazil joint earth resources satellite. Much higher resolution optics and multispectral sensors expected to be useful for some military applications as well. The satellite raised its orbit to its operational altitude of 773 km two days after launch.


2008 October 25 - . 01:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • SJ-6-03A SJ-6E - . Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SJ-6. Spacecraft: SJ-6. USAF Sat Cat: 33408 . COSPAR: 2008-053A. Apogee: 603 km (374 mi). Perigee: 584 km (362 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.50 min. Third pair in China's SJ military surveillance constellation. It has been suggested that each pair consists of two differing satellites, a smaller minisatellite built by SAST Shanghai and a larger 300-kg CAST-968 bus satellite from DFH..
  • SJ-6-03B SJ-6F - . Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 33409 . COSPAR: 2008-053B. Apogee: 605 km (375 mi). Perigee: 582 km (361 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.50 min.

2008 December 15 - . 03:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Yaogan 5 - . Payload: Jianbing 8. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance radar satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-10. Decay Date: 2014-09-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 33456 . COSPAR: 2008-064A. Apogee: 496 km (308 mi). Perigee: 486 km (301 mi). Inclination: 97.4000 deg. Period: 94.40 min.

    One of the two different series of military surveillance satellites launched under the YW designation, although YW 5 was in a lower orbit similar to the ZY-2 satellites, lower than previous YW satellites. The launch vehicle was announced as a CZ-4B, but appeared to be a CZ-4B with the CZ-4C's restartable YF-40A upper stage under the larger CZ-4C nose fairing.


2010 October 6 - . 00:49 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • SJ-6-04A SJ-6G - . Payload: SJ-6/4A. Mass: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SJ-6. Spacecraft: SJ-6. USAF Sat Cat: 37179 . COSPAR: 2010-051A. Apogee: 606 km (376 mi). Perigee: 587 km (364 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.60 min. Fourth pair of SJ-6 military surveillance satellites..
  • SJ-6-04B SJ-6H - . Payload: SJ-6/4B. Mass: 200 kg (440 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 37180 . COSPAR: 2010-051B. Apogee: 604 km (375 mi). Perigee: 588 km (365 mi). Inclination: 97.7000 deg. Period: 96.60 min.

2011 August 15 - . 22:57 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC2. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • HY-2A - . Payload: Haiyang 2A. Mass: 443 kg (976 lb). Nation: China. Class: Earth. Type: Climate satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST968. Spacecraft: CAST968. USAF Sat Cat: 37781 . COSPAR: 2011-043A. Apogee: 967 km (600 mi). Perigee: 966 km (600 mi). Inclination: 99.4000 deg. Period: 104.40 min. Oceanographic satellite with a microwave radiometer, a radar altimeter and a radar scatterometer to monitor ocean conditions..

2011 November 9 - . 03:21 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Tianxun 1 - . Mass: 58 kg (127 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Tianxun. Spacecraft: Tianxun. USAF Sat Cat: 37874 . COSPAR: 2011-066A. Apogee: 489 km (303 mi). Perigee: 477 km (296 mi). Inclination: 97.4000 deg. Period: 94.30 min. Technology satellite built by the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a small Earth observing CCD camera..
  • Yaogan 12 - . Payload: Jianbing 8. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-10. USAF Sat Cat: 37875 . COSPAR: 2011-066B. Apogee: 497 km (308 mi). Perigee: 486 km (301 mi). Inclination: 97.4000 deg. Period: 94.40 min. Military optical surveillance satellite..

2011 December 22 - . 03:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • ZY-1 02C - . Mass: 2,100 kg (4,600 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. USAF Sat Cat: 38038 . COSPAR: 2011-079A. Apogee: 775 km (481 mi). Perigee: 773 km (480 mi). Inclination: 98.5000 deg. Period: 100.30 min. Military imaging payload with a resolution of 2.4 m..

2012 January 9 - . 03:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • ZY 3 - . Mass: 2,636 kg (5,811 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. USAF Sat Cat: 38046 . COSPAR: 2012-001A. Apogee: 508 km (315 mi). Perigee: 496 km (308 mi). Inclination: 97.5000 deg. Period: 94.70 min.

    First Chinese civil high-resolution stereoscopic Earth mapping satellite. The mission objective was to produce 1:50,000 scale maps and data for resource mapping, environmental surveying, disaster monitoring, city planning and national security needs. Project go-ahead was March 2008. For this mission the satellite had better positioning and attitude accuracy, multispectral capabilitym and high-data-rate data transmission to the ground - 2 x 450 Mbit/s. The satellite had a swath width of 51 km with a resolution of 2.1 m. The orbit provided a revisit period of 59 days.

  • Vesselsat 2 - . Mass: 23 kg (50 lb). Nation: Luxembourg. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Vesselsat. Spacecraft: Vesselsat. USAF Sat Cat: 38047 . COSPAR: 2012-001B. Apogee: 501 km (311 mi). Perigee: 489 km (303 mi). Inclination: 97.5000 deg. Period: 94.50 min. Built by LuxSpace for Orbcomm's AIS (maritime vessel tracking) system..

2012 May 10 - . 07:06 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Yaogan 14 - . Payload: Jianbing 11. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-11. USAF Sat Cat: 38257 . COSPAR: 2012-021A. Apogee: 479 km (297 mi). Perigee: 471 km (292 mi). Inclination: 97.2000 deg. Period: 94.10 min. Military remote sensing satellite..
  • Tiantuo 1 - . Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Tiantuo. Spacecraft: Tiantuo. Decay Date: 2014-11-03 . USAF Sat Cat: 38258 . COSPAR: 2012-021B. Apogee: 472 km (293 mi). Perigee: 466 km (289 mi). Inclination: 97.2000 deg. Period: 94.00 min. Technology satellite for the National University of Defense Technology; carried an imager, an atomic oxygen sensor, and an AIS (maritime tracking) receiver..

2013 October 25 - . 03:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch Pad: xxx. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • SJ-16 - . Payload: SJ-16. Mass: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SJ-6. Spacecraft: SJ-6. USAF Sat Cat: 39358 . COSPAR: 2013-057A. Apogee: 614 km (381 mi). Perigee: 599 km (372 mi). Inclination: 74.9800 deg. Period: 96.82 min. The mission of SJ-16 is unknown; the orbit represents a new profile for the series. The SJ ('practice') series satellites carry a mix of technology development and military payloads..

2013 December 9 - . 03:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Pad: xxx. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B. FAILURE: Failed to reach orbit; third stage shut down 11 seconds early..
  • CBERS-3 ZY-1 FM 3 - . Mass: 1,450 kg (3,190 lb). Nation: Brazil. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite. It was initially reported the launch was a success, but in fact the CZ-4B rocket failed to reach orbit..

2014 August 19 - . 03:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Pad: LC9. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Gaofen 2 - . Mass: 800 kg (1,760 lb). Nation: China. Agency: CASC. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 40118 . COSPAR: 2014-049A. Apogee: 636 km (395 mi). Perigee: 620 km (380 mi). Inclination: 98.0200 deg. Period: 97.26 min. High resolution imaging satellite with a 0.80 m resolution with 48 km swath, in a 10:20 local time at descending node sun-synchronous orbit..
  • Brite-PL 2 - . Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Nation: Poland. Spacecraft Bus: Toronto GNB. Spacecraft: Toronto GNB. USAF Sat Cat: 40119 . COSPAR: 2014-049B. Apogee: 634 km (393 mi). Perigee: 609 km (378 mi). Inclination: 98.0200 deg. Period: 97.13 min. 'Heweliusz' (Hewelius) astronomy nanosatellite. The sixth and final member of the planned BRITE constellation carried an R-band photometer..

2014 September 8 - . 03:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Yaogan 21 - . Payload: Jianbing 8. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-10. USAF Sat Cat: 40143 . COSPAR: 2014-053A. Apogee: 498 km (309 mi). Perigee: 480 km (290 mi). Inclination: 97.3900 deg. Period: 94.39 min. Imaging satellite in a sun synchronous orbit with a 10:30 local time descending node. The mission continued a series begun with the Zi Yuan 2 satellites..
  • Tiantuo 2 - . Mass: 67 kg (147 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Tiantuo. Spacecraft: Tiantuo. USAF Sat Cat: 40144 . COSPAR: 2014-053B. Apogee: 485 km (301 mi). Perigee: 469 km (291 mi). Inclination: 97.3900 deg. Period: 94.15 min. Satellites built by the National University for Defense Technology; this one carried video imaging experiments..

2014 December 7 - . 03:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan LC9. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC9. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • CBERS-4 - . Mass: 2,100 kg (4,600 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Phoenix Eye. Spacecraft: Phoenix Eye. USAF Sat Cat: 40336 . COSPAR: 2014-079A. Apogee: 774 km (480 mi). Perigee: 773 km (480 mi). Inclination: 98.5100 deg. Period: 100.32 min. China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite 4. The uprated ZY-1 class satellite replaced CBERS 3 which was lost in a launch failure a year earlier. Sun synchronous orbit; 1030 GMT local time of the descending node..

2014 December 27 - . 03:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan LC9. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC9. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Yaogan 26 - . Payload: Jianbing 8. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-8. USAF Sat Cat: 40362 . COSPAR: 2014-088A. Apogee: 489 km (303 mi). Perigee: 484 km (300 mi). Inclination: 97.4100 deg. Period: 94.34 min. The profile was similar to the Yaogan 5 series of imaging satellites, but the rocket used a larger nose fairing, so this was likely an upgrade. Sun synchronous orbit; 1030 GMT local time of the descending node..

2015 June 26 - . 06:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Gaofen 8 - . Payload: OBJECT A. Mass: 800 kg (1,760 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: CAST2000. Spacecraft: CAST2000. USAF Sat Cat: 40701 . COSPAR: 2015-030A. Apogee: 490 km (300 mi). Perigee: 482 km (299 mi). Inclination: 97.3200 deg. Period: 94.33 min.

    High resolution imaging satellite. The previous two Gaofen satellites, 1 and 2, were civilian operated and extensively described before launch. GF-8 was said to be civilian as well, but was not discussed prior to the launch, indicating it was used for military imaging. Sun synchronous orbit; 1330 GMT local time of the descending node.


2015 November 8 - . 07:06 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 4B.
  • Yaogan 28 - . Payload: Jianbing 11. Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Jianbing. Spacecraft: JB-11. USAF Sat Cat: 41026 . COSPAR: 2015-064A. Apogee: 483 km (300 mi). Perigee: 459 km (285 mi). Inclination: 97.2500 deg. Period: 94.03 min. Thought to be the second Jianbing-11 imaging reconnaissance satellite with an 0.8 m resolution imager. Appeared to be a replacement for the first Jianbing-11, codenamed Yaogan 14. 04:14 local time longitude of descending node sun synchronous orbit..


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