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China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 2DLaunch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
4 x SatNet test satellites
Launched
April 24, 2026 · 06:35 UTC
Summary
4 x SatNet test satellites launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 2D from Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on April 24, 2026 at 06:35 UTC. The launch window ran from 06:25 to 06:46 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 586th launch, 16th this year and humanity's 7,269th orbital launch attempt. It was the 99th Long March 2D flight and the 3rd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Xingwang Jishu SW 09-01, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 509 × 520 km orbit inclined 55.0°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, all of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 99th Long March 2D flight · 3rd this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 586th launch16th this yearhumanity's 7,269th orbital launch attempt96th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Xingwang Jishu SW 09-01 · NORAD 68831 · 2026-091 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2026-091A
- Epoch
- 2026-04-24 10:46:43 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.19510132 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0008488
- Inclination
- 55.0009°
- Ascending node
- 256.5112°
- Arg. of perigee
- 276.7853°
- Mean anomaly
- 83.22°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 3
- B*
- 0.000044562
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 4 payloads; 4 still in orbit
- Xingwang Jishu SW 09-01 · NORAD 68831 · in orbit
- Xingwang Jishu SW 09-02 · NORAD 68832 · in orbit
- Xingwang Jishu SW 09-03 · NORAD 68833 · in orbit
- Xingwang Jishu SW 09-04 · NORAD 68834 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Officially described as "Satellite-Internet Technology Demonstration Satellites". Probably 4 test satellites for the Chinese state-owned LEO communication satellite constellation SatNet.
Pad
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
107th launch from Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1), 2nd this year · 239th from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Local pad time at liftoff: Apr 24, 2:35 PM GMT+8, in daylight
108 launches from this pad · 242 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
42 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success.
Show 1 earlier update
Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload and launch vehicle identities highly uncertain.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/20/2026 · source
Questions
When did 4 x SatNet test satellites launch?
4 x SatNet test satellites launched on April 24, 2026 at 06:35 UTC. The launch window ran from 06:25 to 06:46 UTC.
Where can I watch 4 x SatNet test satellites?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched 4 x SatNet test satellites?
Long March 2D, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 2D spec sheet
Where did 4 x SatNet test satellites launch from?
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was Apr 24, 2:35 PM GMT+8 local time at the pad.
What orbit did 4 x SatNet test satellites reach?
Xingwang Jishu SW 09-01, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 509 × 520 km orbit inclined 55.0°.
How many satellites did 4 x SatNet test satellites launch?
4 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 4 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).