Orbital Focus - International Spaceflight Facts and Figures
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Launches and Orbital Operations


Tyneside, UK
2025 Feb 11
Tuesday, Day 42

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Yaogan 30 Group 9

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Background

Yaogan 30 satellites are launched as sets of three. Individual satellites then perform a set of orbital manoeuvres to get them into formation, permanently spaced at 120° intervals around the orbit plane.


The Latest Group

The ninth launch of a Yaogan 30 triplet took place 2021 June 18 at 18:30 UTC. Launch was from the Xichang Space Centre and used a CZ 2C rocket, as did the previous eight missions.


Manouvres

The standard pattern is for one satellite to raise itself about 9 km above the initial orbit and start dropping back from its companions. At the same time, one of the other satellites drops by about 9 kilometres and starts to move ahead. The third satellite stays close to the initial orbit height of about 600 kilometres.

Ten days later, a set of terminal manoeuvres brings the three satellites to their operational height, separated from each other by the required 120°.

The plot at the top of the page follows Group 9 as the constellation develops. It updates in real time when new orbit data becomes available. The satellites are identified by their Catalogue Numbers. The full entry for the launch can be found in the launch table for 2010.


Group 8

The plot below is the complete sequence of manoeuvres by the satellites from the previous launch - shown for comparison and to illustrate how events unfold.

group 8 plot


Page Date - 2021 Jun 21
Main plot updated in real time

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