China’s Secret Satellite Shijian 23 Releases Small Object into Orbit

BEIJING – Secret satellite China’s Shijian 23 has been observed releasing an object into orbit next to it, and is thought to be conducting certain technology verification tests. China launched the Shijian 23 satellite using the Long March 7A rocket on January 8, 2023.

The Shijian 23 satellite was placed into a geostationary orbit (GEO), approximately 35,786 kilometers above Earth. Data released by the US Space Force’s Space Defense Squadron (18 SDS), which focuses on space domain awareness, shows that Shijian 23 reached a geosynchronous orbit around January 15, 2023.

The Shijian satellite drifts towards the desired position in the GEO orbit belt. Cataloging by 18 SDS further reveals that Shijian 23 released the object on January 16, 2023.

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18 The SDS lists the object as an “AKM” or apogee kick motor, which is used in some launches to help the satellite reach its destination orbit. However, it is possible that the object is a sub-satellite, likely to be used in conjunction with the parent satellite for in-orbit testing.

Quoted from the Space page, Tuesday (24/1/2023), China’s Shijian 21 satellite, which was launched in 2021, also reached GEO and released the satellite, which was then used for testing. Shijian 21 then proceeded to dock with the defunct Beidou-2 G2 navigation and positioning satellite and towed it into orbit out of the path of the active spacecraft in GEO.

The geostationary belt is very useful for a variety of applications, as satellites orbiting there move in sync with the Earth’s rotation, making it appear to be fixed in the sky above the planet. This orbit is very useful for providing constant communications, meteorological data, and surveillance in selected areas.

Removing dead satellites and debris from this belt will help keep the orbits available for use. However, what China has planned for Shijian 23 has yet to be revealed.

Also read; China Launches Mysterious Earth Observation Satellite

The satellite has been described by Chinese state media as being used for scientific experiments and technical verification. Ongoing tracking can provide clues about satellite activity.

Complicating matters further is the fact that initial post-launch reports from China’s main space contractor and state media Xinhua listed two additional satellites, Shiyan 22A and 22B, as payloads on board the launch. An updated story from Xinhua a day later omitted any reference to the last pair of satellites.

(wib)