Chinese Shiyan – 10 Satellite reappears back in New Molniya’s orbit after the months of its launch; for more information, read the full article.
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Information about the Chinese Shiyan – 10 Satellite
After six months of its launch, this Chinese satellite was tracked in a specialized orbit. After its launch, this satellite lost its connection and is now found in orbit and has started sending data.
According to the U.S space force 18th Space control Squadron, this satellite is currently found in the orbits of Molniya.
This satellite is found above 38881 km above sea level and is highly elliptical by around 1880, having and has an inclination degree of 63.6 degrees. This shows that the satellite launched spacecraft did not do the work correctly; it made a mistake by alternating the satellite earlier in orbit.
The spacecraft that launched this mission spent around 12 hours in orbital period visibility from the northern hemisphere.
This satellite was set as a target for communication, remote sensing, early warning system, climate, weathering system, remote sensing, missile early sensing, and other purposes of work related to intelligence.
Molniya orbits are alternating with highly elliptical for high latitudes, and Soviet scientists in the 1960s stated this theory. This satellite is flying around geosynchronous orbit that are used to provide communications to lower latitude regions and equatorial.
China has not yet released the Shiyan – 10 Satellite main uses, but this series of rockets are used and classified to test new technologies and test payloads for the Chinese space station.
Molniya orbits are used by other countries like the U.S, Russia, and the U.K, but china launched its first mission to this orbit.
What happened to the plan, and why did the mission fail?
Shiyan – 10 Satellite was launched on September 27, 2021, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and this mission came under the Long March 3B mission.
As per the Chinese media, the launch of the spacecraft was regular, but there was a problem with the operating condition of the satellite.
The main problem arose when the main engine didn’t fire well and likely entered the geostationary orbit. Till geostationary rotation, the launch seemed successful, but then it didn’t fire well to reach its real target.
However, by the time of mid – October, the satellite had raised its perigee, that was the time it was closest to the earth’s orbit, and that indicated that the satellite was alive; the good news at the point was there small and backed up engines were working well and gave information too.
To enter Geo, this satellite has to use a high elliptical orbit and should be fixed to the earth’s rotation.
After October, this satellite lost its connection with China, and by February 2022, it performed a fuel-intensive maneuver, and this was its main route to enter the Molniya orbit.
The information about the reappearing was tweeted by the satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. It was also mentioned by the Harvard -Smithsonian Center that showed small movements of the satellite in late February 2022. This satellite was seen movable at 51.1 degrees in space.
This satellite will spend much time, like 12 hours of orbit over the northern hemisphere. This is the reason that this Chinese satellite is called the highly elliptical orbit.
This satellite will start moving slowly when it’s near the apogee over the northern hemisphere. This part will make the orbit useful by providing communications between two satellite sites in the northern hemisphere or monitoring for early morning.
They have planned greatly for the satellite that it will provide three satellites in molniya orbit, and each satellite will provide links and information at different times of the day.
China operates this mission from the China Remote Satellite North Polar Ground Station located in Kiruna, a place in the northern hemisphere.
Future of the mission
China’s space agencies and activities have reached a good height in the past, and this country is planning to launch more satellites than 50 times its count today by 2022 and even aims to complete a three-module space station.
Within the last 18 months, China has completed the mission of landing a Zhurong rover on Mars and is even successful in collecting the samples from the moon.
They are even successful in checking and classifying new space planes and other systems.
Hence, the missions and aims of China are growing, and they are looking not to make the mistake they made this time with the mission.
Also, the great news is that the Shiyan – 10 Satellite is back in the business with its service, helping china with the aims and objectives they set earlier.