Yaogan 12

Yaogan 12 (JB-10 2)

China (PR)

Spacecraft nº:

Chinese spacecraft nº: 170

Also called: Yaogan Weixing 12 (Remote Sensing Satellite 12)

Launch data:

Designation	37875 / 11066B
Launch date	09 Nov 2011 - 03:21:05 UT
Launch site	Taiyuan, LC-9
Launch vehicle	CZ-4B (Y21)
Mission	Military: Remote sensing
Sun-synchronous LEO Earth orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	484 x 491 km
Eccentricity	5,10E-04
Inclination	97.4 deg
Period	94.35 min

Launched together with Tianxun-1 (TX-1)

Spacecraft data:

Prime manufacturer	Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST)
Platform	Phoenix-2 bus
Operator	People's Liberation Army (C41)
Mass at launch	kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape
Dimension (m)
Equipment
Solar array	2 deployable solar arrays
Stabilization
Propulsion
DC power
Design lifetime	Still active

Description:

Remote sensing; help with crop estimates and diasaster alert/remedy; believed to actually be a military radar satellite.

Mission details:

The Yaogan Weixing 12 satellite was launched on Nov 9, 2011. The YW satellites are Earth observing satellites, at least some of which probably have a military role. The YW-12 launch also carried the small Tianxun-1 technology satellite.
The satellites are in a 480 x 490 km x 97.4 deg orbit.

Ref.: #7(JR650), #14, #226 - update: 08.02.12