Importance Score: 72 / 100 🔴
China has expanded its classified satellite constellations with the launch of new spacecraft for both the Tongxin Jishu Shiyan (TJS) and Yaogan series. These launches, conducted over a period of two days, underscore China’s increasing capabilities in satellite communication technology and electromagnetic environment detection. Both Yaogan satellites and TJS satellites are believed to have both civilian and military applications.
On May 12, at 2:09 p.m. Eastern (1809 UTC), a Long March 3C rocket ascended from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, propelling the communication technology experiment satellite-19, known as Tongxin Jishu Shiyan-19 (TJS-19), into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), a prominent division of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), confirmed the successful launch shortly thereafter.
While airspace closure notices hinted at the impending launch, the identity of the payload remained undisclosed until after its execution. The TJS-19 satellite is described as primarily serving to “carry out multi-band, high-speed satellite communication technology verification.” Neither imagery nor comprehensive technical specifications of the satellite have been released by SAST.
The TJS series, predominantly stationed in geostationary orbit (GEO), is speculated by Western analysts to potentially undertake classified operations, possibly including signals intelligence, early warning missions, and satellite inspection activities in support of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Currently, China maintains 17 primary TJS satellites in orbit, noting the absence of a TJS-8 satellite and the recent launches bypassing TJS-18.
A mission patch from SAST seemingly depicts the King of the South, one of the Four Heavenly Kings—Buddhist deities each overseeing a cardinal direction. Similarly, patches for the earlier launches of TJS-15, 16, and 17 in March and April also showcased these deities. These launches employed a combination of Long March 7A rockets from Wenchang, as well as Long March 3B and 3C rockets from Xichang. The 3C variant uses two side boosters, while the 3B utilizes four.
TJS-15 is located at 90.2 degrees East on the geostationary (GEO) belt, above a position off the western coast of Indonesia. TJS-16 and 17 are located at 152.5 and 152.8 degrees East respectively, around 200 kilometers apart, and above the offshore islands of Papua New Guinea.
China initiated its TJS satellite program in 2015 and has since launched nine such satellites within the last eighteen months. Notable missions include TJS-13, launched in December 2024, joining two other Chinese satellites, Shiyan-10 (01) and Shiyan-10 (02), in a highly elliptical, Molniya-like orbit, and TJS-3, launched in 2018, which released an object which carried out subsequent maneuvers.
Yaogan-40 (02) Launch Details
The launch of the Yaogan satellite occurred shortly after the TJS launch on May 11.
A Long March 6A rocket launched from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, located in North China, at 9:27 a.m. Eastern (1327 UTC), on May 11. CASC declared the launch successful approximately one hour later, identifying the payloads as the Yaogan-40 (02) group. The satellites were briefly described as being primarily purposed for electromagnetic environment detection and related technical research.
As of the report, the U.S. Space Force had not yet cataloged the objects from this launch. However, airspace closure notices suggest the spacecraft were placed into a near polar orbit, mirroring the launch of the Yaogan-40 (01) group in September 2023, which also entered near-polar orbits via a Long March 6A from Taiyuan.
It is believed that the Yaogan satellites, which translates to “remote sensing”, serve purposes like optical imaging, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and electronic intelligence (ELINT), for military and civilian customers.
Little specific information is available regarding these satellites. They are generally described as serving purposes, for example:
- Land surveying
- Crop yield estimation
- Environmental management
- Meteorological warning and forecasting
- Disaster prevention and mitigation
- “Electromagnetic environment detection and related tests”
Active Launch Schedule and Upcoming Tianwen-2 Mission
These missions represent China’s 24th and 25th orbital launch attempts in 2025. A series of additional launches are anticipated this week, including Long March 2D and Zhuque-2 launches from Jiuquan in northwest China, along with a sea launch of the Ceres-1 solid rocket.
The launch of the Tianwen-2 mission, focused on near-Earth asteroid sample return and exploring a main belt comet, is slated to occur from Xichang before the end of the month.