China's Space Program Thread II

[CR400BF5033]

At Oct 23 22:30 Beijing Time, the TongxinJishuShiyan-20(通信技术试验卫星二十号, Communication Technology Experiment Satellite-20, TJS-20) has been successfully launched by a Long March 5 rocket from WSLC.

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My guess: another strategic early warning satellite for the Indian Ocean, considering the TJS series' tradition and the obvious meaning of the mission patch

 

[victoon]

At Oct 23 22:30 Beijing Time, the TongxinJishuShiyan-20(通信技术试验卫星二十号, Communication Technology Experiment Satellite-20, TJS-20) has been successfully launched by a Long March 5 rocket from WSLC.
View attachment 163107

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My guess: another strategic early warning satellite for the Indian Ocean, considering the TJS series' tradition and the obvious meaning of the mission patch

So...a space station module sized satellite...

 

[Daniel707]

At Oct 23 22:30 Beijing Time, the TongxinJishuShiyan-20(通信技术试验卫星二十号, Communication Technology Experiment Satellite-20, TJS-20) has been successfully launched by a Long March 5 rocket from WSLC.
View attachment 163107

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My guess: another strategic early warning satellite for the Indian Ocean, considering the TJS series' tradition and the obvious meaning of the mission patch

Launch successful, sending TJSW-20 Large Satellite to GTO by Long March Y9

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1981384397694677501

 

[huemens]

So...a space station module sized satellite...

No, they are using LM-5 because of the higher orbit. It's a GTO mission. For GTO missions heavier than 7t they have to use LM-5. If the satellite is using the DFH-5 bus, it's probably around 8t. LM-5 max to GTO is 14t. Space station modules are 23 tonnes. That kind of capacity is only for LEO.

 

[CR400BF5033]

No, they are using LM-5 because of the higher orbit. It's a GTO mission. For GTO missions heavier than 7t they have to use LM-5. It's probably using the DFH-5 bus, so should be around 8t. LM-5 max to GTO is 14t. Space station modules are 23 tonnes. That kind of capacity is only for LEO.

Considering the long payload fairing(not the usual 12m fairing of LM-5, but a ~20m fairing, which has been used in another confidential mission in 2023), the satellite will not be something small. And we don't know if it's using the DFH-5 bus(although this is the most possible possibility), maybe a bigger, havier customized version for some super confidential super advanced military purpose. Maybe we'll never know.

 

[iewgnem]

No, they are using LM-5 because of the higher orbit. It's a GTO mission. For GTO missions heavier than 7t they have to use LM-5. If the satellite is using the DFH-5 bus, it's probably around 8t. LM-5 max to GTO is 14t. Space station modules are 23 tonnes. That kind of capacity is only for LEO.

It actually is a space station module sized satellite as it uses the same 20m fairing as LM-5B space station missions.
Most likely it's an SIGINT / ELINT / GEO-SAR satellite with an absolutely massive aperture possibly 50m or bigger.