Space: China Expands

Archives

September 29, 2011:  China recently launched a military communications satellite, the 5.7 ton Chinasat 1A. This bird follows an elliptical orbit (ranging from 35,500 kilometers to 192 kilometers). This is the tenth satellite launch for China this year, and nine of them were successful. China is steadily building up its network of military communications and reconnaissance satellites. While still small by American, or even Russian, standards, the Chinese birds keep getting launched, to replace worn out satellites and to expand what is already up there. China has launched seven reconnaissance satellites in the last five years. That's more than China launched in the three previous decades. There is a similar pattern with the even larger network of communications satellites in orbit.

 

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contribute. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   contribute   Close