Shijian 7 (SJ-7)

Launch data: Designation  28737 / 05024A Launch date  05 Jul 2005 - 22:40 UT Launch site  Jiuquan Launch vehicle  CZ-2D (#F06) Mission  Science Earth orbit on July 30 - 13:55 UT: Perigee / Apogee  558 x 570 km Inclination  97.58° Period  95.94 min

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• Satellite (Shijian means "practice") announced as being scientific, but no details of the satellite's appearance, instrumentation or aresearch programme have been provided: the shijian 1-5 satellites were science and technology demonstrators, while the dual Shijian 6 payload launched in September 2004 (04035A & B) have not had a science mission announced.
• Shiyan 7, after maneuvering close to Chuangxin-3 on Aug 6 and Aug 9, 2013 has completed an unexpected rendezvous in a 564 x 610 km x 97.7 deg orbit with the ShiJian 7 (SJ-7) satellite (launched in 2005) during the periode Aug 19 to 20, and then manuevered away to a 560 x 604 km orbit.
• The mission of target satellite SJ-7 is mysterious; it undergoes occasional orbital manuevers, lasting a few days, of up to 10 km in height, interspersed with long periods of quiescent decay. After launch to a 546 x 571 km orbit, minor orbit maneuvering occured on 2005 Jul 29-30, 2005 Nov 22, 2005 Dec 3, 2006 Jan 18, 2006 Mar 16, and 2006 Jul 13. On 2006 Jul 28-30 the apogee was raised by 14 km. After a two year pause, on 2008 Apr 21 the perigee was tweaked up, and on May 3 down again, followed by further manuevers on 2008 Aug 22-Oct 21 and orbit lowering on 2009 Jan 6-13, leaving it in a 519 x 543 km orbit until 2012 Apr 21, when a week of maneuvers raised the orbit to 533 x 593 km.
  Further orbit raising on 2012 Dec 10-13 and 2013 Jan 11-13 raised the orbit further to 565 x 611 km, the highest to date in its mission.