Engineering:Jianbing 5
| Mission type | Reconnaissance |
|---|---|
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 2,700 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Rocket | Long March 4B |
| Launch site | Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) |
| Entered service | 27 April 2006 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Periapsis altitude | 601 km |
| Apoapsis altitude | 621 km |
| Inclination | 97.8° |
The Jianbing 5 (Chinese: 尖兵; simplified Chinese: 尖兵五号; traditional Chinese: 尖兵五號; pinyin: Jiānbīng wǔ hào; literally: 'Pioneer 5') series of reconnaissance satellites is the first generation of Chinese synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellites.[1]
The development and production of the Jianbing-5 series of satellites has been entirely funded by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).[1] The PLA sees great value in SAR capabilities to penetrate the seemingly constant cloud cover present southern provinces of Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan. In a future war, the PLA believes SAR collection capabilities will be vital to information dominance by mapping terrain, identifying targets through cloud cover, rain, fog, and dust, and potentially monitoring enemy submarines in shallow waters or targets in subterranean facilities.[2]
With two operational satellites, the constellation provides the PLA twice daily revisits at a viewing angle of 45°.[3]
History
Chinese SAR sensor development began in the late 1970s under the Electronic Research Institute of the China Academy of Sciences (CAS) resulting in the testing of the first airborne X-band mono-polarization SAR collection in 1981. By 1994, CAS had introduced its first operational, real-time airborne SAR system to monitor flooding and transmit collected data to ground stations.[2]
Preliminary research and development of China's first-generation, space-based SAR system began sometime in the 1980s with development beginning in full in 1991. High-resolution, space-based SAR collection has been ambitiously pursued by the PLA for its potential contributions to all-weather targeting of naval forces in the Taiwan Strait. By May 1995, the finalized designs were approved and development began in earnest with the approval of the State Science & Technology Committee (SSTC) and Commission for Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND).[2]
Development
The China Academy of Science (CAS) Institute of Electronics built the SAR instruments onboard Jianbing-5 satellites, the craft itself designed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) who also develops the Long March 4B launch vehicle. Other developers involved in the project are the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST or 5th Space Academy) 501st and 504th Institutes, the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC)'s Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technology (known also as the 14th Institute), the Southwest Institute of Electronic Equipment (SWIEE or 29th Institute), and the Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics (BUAA).[2] SAST is also the developer of the Feng Yun series of weather satellites.[2]
According to a CAS leaflet, the original Jianbing-5 prototype operates on the L-Band with two collection options: high-resolution option with 5 square meter target or low-resolution over a 20 square meter target.[2] Jianbing-5 series satellites feature an electronic motor-powered solar panel expanded or retracted by a control station.[1]
Yaogan 29, launched in November 2015 into a similar orbit appears to be the modernized successor to the Jianbing-5 series of SAR satellites.[1]
Launches
Jianbing 5 series satellites were launched from China's Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) in Shanxi Province.[1]
Yaogan 1, the first of the Jianbing-5 series launched in April 2006, exploded while in orbit at 6:49 UTC on 4 February 2010 short of four years of service life. Observers believe this is the result of an internal explosion.[1][4]
| Name | Military designation | Launch | SCN | COSPAR ID | Mass | Inclination | Period | Orbit | Rocket | Operational status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yaogan 1 | JB-5 1 | 26 April 2006 | 29092 | 2006-015A | 2,700 kg | 97.8° | 9.72 min | 624 km × 626 km | Long March 4B | Non-operational, exploded |
| Yaogan 3 | JB-5 2 | 11 November 2007 | 32289 | 2007-055A | 2,700 kg | 97.9° | 97.3 min | 628 km × 629 km | Long March 4C | |
| Yaogan 10 | JB-5 3 | 9 August 2010 | 36834 | 2010-038A | 2,700 kg | 97.8° | 97.3 min | 601 km × 621 km | Long March 4C |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Krebs, Gunter (11 December 2017). "Yaogan 1, 3, 10 (JB-5 1, 2, 3)". https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/yaogan-1.htm.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "JianBing 5 (YaoGan WeiXing 1/3) Synthetic Aperture Radar". 12 November 2007. http://www.sinodefence.com/strategic/spacecraft/jianbing5.asp.
- ↑ "The Chinese maritime surveillance system". 20 September 2016. https://satelliteobservation.net/2016/09/20/the-chinese-maritime-surveillance-system/.
- ↑ Forden, Geoff (11 February 2010). "Yaogan 1 Erupts". https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/302625/yaogan-1-erupts/.
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