Shiyan 1 (SY 1, Experiment 1)

China (PR)

Spacecraft nº:

China spacecraft nº: 84

Also called: Tansuo 1 (TS 1)

Launch data:

Designation	28220 / 04012A
Launch date	18 Apr 2004 - 15:59 UT
Launch site	Xichang
Launch vehicle	CZ-2C (S/N: CZ2C-23)
Mission	Imaging
Earth orbit on Apr 19, 2004:
Perigee / Apogee	600 / 615 km (polar orbit)
Inclination	97,71°
Period	96,84 min

Shiyan 1 is China's first digital imaging system capable of stereo Earth-terrain mapping. Although a civilian remote-sensing satellite, the digital imaging capability will be important to prove technology for a new generation of Chinese military reconnaissance spacecraft also under development. The spacecraft designation also indicates that a series of such 'Experiment Satellites' may be in the works.

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor	CAST
Customer
Platform
Mass at launch	204 kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape
Dimension
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime

Location:

Begin	End	Position

Mission details:

Shiyan 1 ('Experiment') is a microsatellite, operated and manufactured by the Harbin Institude of Technology. It carries a stereo imaging system for mapping land resources. This was the first polar launch to be conducted from Xichang (the site is normaly used for launches to geosynchronous transfer orbit), the first flight of the two-stage CZ-2C from this site and the first time that the Chinese had launched a satellite in a northerly direction; launches from all sites have previously been to the south east or (for Sun-synchronous orbits) to the south-west.

Ref.: #3(SD382), #7(JR523), #14, #97 - update: 15.01.05