Shijian 6A

China (PR)

Spacecraft nº:

Chinese spacecraft nº: 89

Also called: SJ-6A

Launch data:

Designation	28413 / 04035A
Launch date	08 Sep 2004 - 23:14 UT
Launch site	Taiyuan, LC1
Launch vehicle	CZ-4B2 (#7)
Mission	Scientific
Sun-synchronous Earth orbit on 20 Sep - ~0:14:
Perigee / Apogee	593 / 603 km
Inclination	97.74°
Period	96.64 min

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor	Shangai Academy of Space Flight Technology and Dongfanghong Satellite Co
Customer
Platform	CAST-968
Mass at launch	375 kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape
Dimension
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime	2 years

Decay:

Out of service:
Cause:
Descent date:
Lifetime:

Mission details:

Although the Chinese have indicated that the payloads are "scientific" and the "Shijan" (practice) name has previously been reserved for science payloads, it is believed that in this instance both payloads are primarily military in nature. A Chinese animation of the launch has suggested that one payload is based upon the CAST-968 platform, while the other is similar to the Fengyun-1 platform. Since Shijian 6A has manoeuvred (as did the CAST-968 platform used for the Haiyang-1 payload) and no Fengyun-1 satellite has performed orbital manoeuvres, it is assumed that Shijian 6A is the CAST-968 platform.
Shijian 6A reduced its orbital period which was initialy the same as that for Shijian 6B and then raised the orbit back to the Shijian 6B altitude, but by this time the satellites were about 110° apart around the orbit.

Ref.: #3(SD387), #7, #113 - update: 21.08.05