China has made two new orbital launches over 12 and 13 May, By replenishing two classified satellite series - TJS and Yaogan. Both devices are designed to perform technological experiments and, probably, have a military purpose.
On Sunday, 12 May, The Long March 3C rocket started from Sican Space Space (Sichuan province) about 18:09 UTC. Вантажем місії став супутник Tongxin Jishu Shiyan-19 (TJS-19), який виведено на геоперехідну орбіту. За офіційною версією, It is designed to test large -scale technologies of high -speed satellite communication.
But, As in cases with other TJS series apparatus, Chinese official sources have not released the technical characteristics or images of satellite. Analysts in the West assume, that these missions can perform signaling intelligence tasks, раннього виявлення запусків ракет та інспекції супутників на геостаціонарній орбіті.
Це вже 17-й супутник серії TJS, причому TJS-8 офіційно ніколи не запускали, а номер TJS-18 було пропущено. The unique missions of the series include, in particular, TJS-3 (2018 year), which after deleting into orbit released a separate object, performed by independent maneuvers, TJS-13 (December 2024), which was in high elliptical orbit of the type of lacquer.
13 May, less than a day after starting TJS-19, LONG MARCH 6A rocket launch, which launched the satellites of the Yaogan-40 satellites (02). According to official information, They are designed to study the electromagnetic environment and carry out technical experiments. Probably, apparatus is brought out in a nearpolar orbit, Similarly to the preliminary launch of Yaogan-40 (01) In September 2023 year.
Yaogan series is considered purely military: супутники можуть бути оснащені оптичними сенсорами, радарами з синтезованою апертурою (SAR) та електронною розвідкою (ELINT). Although officially missions are often described as directed at agrarian monitoring, Ecological control or prevention of natural disasters, Western experts attribute them to the strategic reconnaissance infrastructure of the PRC.
TJS-19 and Yaogan-40 launches (02) became the 24th and 25th orbital starts of China in 2025 year. Expected, that a few more launches will take place this week, including Long March 2D and Zhuque-2 from Juzuan Space, as well as the marine launch of the Ceres-1 rocket.
The focus is also Tianwen-2 mission, which should start at the end of May. It involves the return of samples from the Earth asteroid and the study of the comet of the main zone.
Source: https://spacenews.com/china-adds-to-classified-tjs-yaogan-satellite-series-with-two-launches/