China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 6ALaunch Complex 9A, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
SatNet LEO Group 21
Launched
April 8, 2026 · 19:38 UTC
Image: CCTV
Summary
SatNet LEO Group 21 launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 6A from Launch Complex 9A, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on April 8, 2026 at 19:38 UTC. The launch window ran from 19:30 to 19:46 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 584th launch, 14th this year and humanity's 7,254th orbital launch attempt. It was the 22nd Long March 6A flight and the 3rd this year. The payload was bound for Polar Orbit (PO). WHDW 21-01, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 955 × 966 km orbit inclined 86.5°. 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, 5 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Polar Orbit (PO)
- Milestone
- 22nd Long March 6A flight · 3rd this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 584th launch14th this yearhumanity's 7,254th orbital launch attempt81st orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
WHDW 21-01 · NORAD 68656 · 2026-076 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2026-076A
- Epoch
- 2026-04-09 00:15:50 UTC
- Mean motion
- 13.82874549 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0007693
- Inclination
- 86.4954°
- Ascending node
- 68.334°
- Arg. of perigee
- 206.3021°
- Mean anomaly
- 153.7756°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 3
- B*
- 0.000019895
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: PO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
6 catalogued: 5 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 6 still in orbit
- WHDW 21-01 · NORAD 68656 · in orbit
- WHDW 21-02 · NORAD 68657 · in orbit
- WHDW 21-03 · NORAD 68658 · in orbit
- WHDW 21-04 · NORAD 68659 · in orbit
- WHDW 21-05 · NORAD 68660 · in orbit
CZ-6A Y17 Stage 2 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
A batch of 5 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
Launch Complex 9A, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
23rd launch from Launch Complex 9A, 3rd this year · 153rd from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Local pad time at liftoff: Apr 9, 3:38 AM GMT+8, at night
29 launches from this pad · 162 from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
24 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Taiyuan 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 uncertain.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/2/2026 · source
Questions
When did SatNet LEO Group 21 launch?
SatNet LEO Group 21 launched on April 8, 2026 at 19:38 UTC. The launch window ran from 19:30 to 19:46 UTC.
Where can I watch SatNet LEO Group 21?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched SatNet LEO Group 21?
Long March 6A, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 6A spec sheet
Where did SatNet LEO Group 21 launch from?
Launch Complex 9A, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was Apr 9, 3:38 AM GMT+8 local time at the pad.
What orbit did SatNet LEO Group 21 reach?
WHDW 21-01, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 955 × 966 km orbit inclined 86.5°.
How many satellites did SatNet LEO Group 21 launch?
5 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 5 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).