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#40
by
SmallKing
on 29 Sep, 2017 04:58
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Our familiar insider implies a successful launch
And official confirmed. Yaogan-30 01
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#41
by
input~2
on 29 Sep, 2017 05:02
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#42
by
SmallKing
on 29 Sep, 2017 05:06
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#43
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 29 Sep, 2017 05:08
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#44
by
SmallKing
on 29 Sep, 2017 05:17
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#45
by
input~2
on 29 Sep, 2017 05:47
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#46
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 29 Sep, 2017 08:07
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Official photos from Xinhua:
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#47
by
input~2
on 29 Sep, 2017 09:30
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#48
by
Phillip Clark
on 29 Sep, 2017 10:07
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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.....
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?
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#49
by
starbase
on 29 Sep, 2017 10:09
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The animation from the CCTV13 video shows the probable triplet seperating.
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#50
by
Skyrocket
on 29 Sep, 2017 10:20
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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.....
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.
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#51
by
input~2
on 29 Sep, 2017 12:02
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#52
by
Nordren
on 29 Sep, 2017 12:21
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Youtube clip of CCTV launch footage, separation, etc
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#53
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 29 Sep, 2017 15:14
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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?
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#54
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 29 Sep, 2017 15:29
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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.....
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.
Yeah the announcement of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Small Satellite Center as the contractor of the satellites and the emphasis on "electromagnetic environment research" points further away from linkage with YG-30 (the latter was built by CAST/DFH and was announced to be for "land survey/disaster relief" usage).
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#55
by
Satori
on 29 Sep, 2017 16:25
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Exact launch time 04:21:05(?).31?UTC
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#56
by
gosnold
on 29 Sep, 2017 18:58
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#57
by
zubenelgenubi
on 29 Sep, 2017 21:34
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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?
High-revisit ship tracking over the Pacific:
What functionality does this possibility provide that the Chinese "NOSS-triplet" constellation analogue does not?
(JB-8 satellite series = Yaogan 9, 16, 17, 20, and 25)
EDIT for clarity and spelling
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#58
by
Phillip Clark
on 30 Sep, 2017 12:42
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If these were imaging satellites then the obvious answer would be "ground resolution".
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#59
by
Star One
on 02 Oct, 2017 16:18
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Janes Defence article on this launch.
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.
http://www.janes.com/article/74547/china-launches-three-more-yaogan-satellites
, but what kind of satellites would use a 600 km, 35 deg. incl. orbit? 
