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JSSW - Technical Test Satellites


Tyneside, UK
2025 Apr 28
Monday, Day 118

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The table lists all launches by China in the 1970s under the name JSSW that translates to english as Technical Test Satellite. All launches used the Feng Bao 1 rocket.

The purpose of the launches is obscure with speculation around photo-reconnaissance and ELINT missions. There is similarity between the orbits used by JSSW and the orbit of the Shijian 2 ionospheric research mission of 1981.

1973-F07 - failed to reach orbit
Feng Bao 1
Jiuquan Space Centre
1973 Sep 18, 12:12
Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing (Technical Test Satellite, JSSW)
Possible space technology demonstrator. Lost when launch vehicle failed. Launch time from Jonathan McDowell.


1974-F05 - failed to reach orbit
Feng Bao 1
Jiuquan Space Centre
1974 Jul 14, 13:55
Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing (Technical Test Satellite, JSSW)
Possible space technology demonstrator. Lost when launch vehicle stabilisation system failed. Launch time from Jonathan McDowell.


1975-070
Feng Bao 1
Jiuquan Space Centre
1975 Jul 26, 13:28
Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing 1 (Technical Test Satellite 1, JSSW 1)
1975-070A
8053
Re-entered - 1975 Sep 14
Life 50 days
Possible space technology demonstrator.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )

eccentricity
perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1975 Jul 28, 07:2666980.0208    18146090.9369.02146


1975-119
Feng Bao 1
Jiuquan Space Centre
1975 Dec 16, 09:19
Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing 2 (Technical Test Satellite 2, JSSW 2)
1975-119A
8488
Re-entered - 1976 Jan 27
Life 42 days
Possible space technology demonstrator.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )

eccentricity
perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1975 Dec 19, 00:0166640.0150    18638590.2369.00141


1976-087
Feng Bao 1
Jiuquan Space Centre
1976 Aug 30, 11:45
Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing 3 (Technical Test Satellite 3, JSSW 3)
1976-087A
9394
Re-entered - 1978 Nov 25
Life 817 days
Possible space technology demonstrator.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )

eccentricity
perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1976 Sep 3, 13:0675500.1290    1982145108.8169.15135


1976-F03 - failed to reach orbit
Feng Bao 1
Jiuquan Space Centre
1976 Nov 10, 09:05
Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing (Technical Test Satellite, JSSW)
Possible space technology demonstrator. Lost when launch vehicle failed. Launch time from Jonathan McDowell.




Page date: 2012 May 10
Orbits updated: 2025 Mar 11

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