Our familiar insider implies a successful launch
Official annoucement of launch success for Yaogan-30 group 01 "for electromagnetic detection and related technical tests"http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2017-09/29/c_1121745112.htm [/font][/size]
Note that there is already a YG-30 launched in May 2016. It could be merely a muddling water designation, but it could also show some kind of relationship with that one.Will be interesting to see what orbit do they end up with.....
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 09/29/2017 05:08 amNote that there is already a YG-30 launched in May 2016. It could be merely a muddling water designation, but it could also show some kind of relationship with that one.Will be interesting to see what orbit do they end up with.....Maybe the Chinese screwed up with the numbering system or mis-translated it into western numbers, and it should be Yaogan Weixing 31A, B and C?
Quote from: Phillip Clark on 09/29/2017 10:07 amQuote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 09/29/2017 05:08 amNote that there is already a YG-30 launched in May 2016. It could be merely a muddling water designation, but it could also show some kind of relationship with that one.Will be interesting to see what orbit do they end up with.....Maybe the Chinese screwed up with the numbering system or mis-translated it into western numbers, and it should be Yaogan Weixing 31A, B and C?I think this might be likely. I am not sure, if the triplet is on this single launch vehicle or if there will be three launches for three satellites. Lets see, how many objects will be tracked.
Orbit data from NORAD:42945/2017-058A: 592 x 601 km x 35.01 deg.42946/2017-058B: 593 x 601 km x 35.00 deg.42947/2017-058C: 593 x 601 km x 35.00 deg.42948/2017-058D: 583 x 678 km x 34.93 deg. (rocket 2nd stage)Had the orbit been 100 km lower I would have checked if the satellites are following the X-37B , but what kind of satellites would use a 600 km, 35 deg. incl. orbit?
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 09/29/2017 03:14 pmOrbit data from NORAD:42945/2017-058A: 592 x 601 km x 35.01 deg.42946/2017-058B: 593 x 601 km x 35.00 deg.42947/2017-058C: 593 x 601 km x 35.00 deg.42948/2017-058D: 583 x 678 km x 34.93 deg. (rocket 2nd stage)Had the orbit been 100 km lower I would have checked if the satellites are following the X-37B , but what kind of satellites would use a 600 km, 35 deg. incl. orbit? High-revisit ship tracking over the Pacific:
While official statements following Chinese satellite launches usually ascribe functions such as scientific research, land resource surveys, crop yield studies, and disaster relief, the Yaogan satellite series is assessed to include high-resolution optical imaging sensors, synthetic aperture radars, and electronic intelligence (ELINT) sensors for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).The latest satellites appear to have been deployed as a triplet group, which is similar to the Yaogan 16, 17, 20, and 25 satellites, which were also deployed as triplets (for example Yaogan 16A, 16B, and 16C).Their function is assessed to be for ELINT in support of maritime surveillance, not only in terms of detecting transmissions from a ship's radars but also for providing geolocation of the emitter by measuring the time difference in arrival of the intercepted signals at each of the satellites.