China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 8ACommercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
SatNet LEO Group 18
Launched
January 13, 2026 · 15:25 UTC
Image: CASC
Summary
SatNet LEO Group 18 launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 8A from Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China on January 13, 2026 at 15:25 UTC. The launch window ran from 15:17 to 15:42 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 572nd launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 7,181st orbital launch attempt. It was the 7th Long March 8A flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). WHDW 18-01, one of 10 catalogued objects, reached a 920 × 933 km orbit inclined 50.0°. 10 objects from this launch are catalogued, 9 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 7th Long March 8A flight · 1st this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 572nd launch2nd this yearhumanity's 7,181st orbital launch attempt8th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
WHDW 18-01 · NORAD 67435 · 2026-007 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 10 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OBJECT A
- Object ID
- 2026-007A
- Epoch
- 2026-01-14 01:07:54 UTC
- Mean motion
- 13.92612775 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0008512
- Inclination
- 50.015°
- Ascending node
- 292.8601°
- Arg. of perigee
- 274.9717°
- Mean anomaly
- 85.0211°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 6
- B*
- 0.000014297
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
10 catalogued: 9 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 10 still in orbit
- WHDW 18-01 · NORAD 67435 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-02 · NORAD 67436 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-03 · NORAD 67437 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-04 · NORAD 67438 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-05 · NORAD 67439 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-06 · NORAD 67440 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-07 · NORAD 67441 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-08 · NORAD 67442 · in orbit
- WHDW 18-09 · NORAD 67443 · in orbit
CZ-8A Y7 Stage 2 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. The constellation will eventually consists of 13000 satellites.
Pad
Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
7th launch from Commercial LC-1, 1st this year · 56th from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
Local pad time at liftoff: Jan 13, 11:25 PM GMT+8, at night
14 launches from this pad · 75 from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
18 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Updates
Questions
When did SatNet LEO Group 18 launch?
SatNet LEO Group 18 launched on January 13, 2026 at 15:25 UTC. The launch window ran from 15:17 to 15:42 UTC.
Where can I watch SatNet LEO Group 18?
Coverage: Watch Long March 8A Launch SatNet LEO Group 18 from Wenchang, LIVE!! (Official TSDG Broadcast). Watch the replay
What rocket launched SatNet LEO Group 18?
Long March 8A, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 8A spec sheet
Where did SatNet LEO Group 18 launch from?
Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was Jan 13, 11:25 PM GMT+8 local time at the pad.
What orbit did SatNet LEO Group 18 reach?
WHDW 18-01, one of 10 catalogued objects, reached a 920 × 933 km orbit inclined 50.0°.
How many satellites did SatNet LEO Group 18 launch?
9 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 9 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).