Shiyan 33

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese satellite reported to be for "space environment research" purposes. Actual usage not known.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • March 22, 2026, 5:59 p.m.

Changed tentative launch vehicle identification based on evidence of new drop zones.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 23, 2026, 11:44 p.m.

Change in possible launch vehicle identification based on possible information.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 26, 2026, 3:09 a.m.

Updated possible launch vehicle identity per newest information.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 27, 2026, 5:05 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 21, 2026, 8:25 p.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; Launch vehicle and payload identities highly uncertain.


Long March 2C/YZ-1S

Family:
Configuration: C/YZ-1S

The Long March 2C is a family of expendable launch vehicles made and operated by China. It is a two stage launch vehicle with storable propellants, consisting of Nitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    42.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Launch Mass
    233.0 T
  • Thrust
    2962.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 2C/YZ-1S
  • Family
    ―
  • Variant
    C/YZ-1S
  • Alias
    ―
  • Full Name
    Long March 2C/YZ-1S
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    ―
  • Low Earth Orbit
    3850.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    1250.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    ―
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    1400.0 kg

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 601 Failures: 16 Pending: 7

Agency Type:

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

INFO WIKI
NASASpaceflight

Launch Preview: Russia to debut Soyuz-5; Falcon 9 and Atlas V to launch internet satellites

The United States, Russia, China, New Zealand, and Norway are all set to host launches… The post Launch Preview: Russia to debut Soyuz-5; Falcon 9 and Atlas V to launch internet satellites appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603)


Starship
Go
2 days, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 31-1 (Starship Flight 14)
Orbital Launch Pad 2 - SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

14th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. 3rd flight of Starship V3 and the first Starship flight to deploy satellites (a group of S…


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 7 hours ago
USSF-385
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bu…


Electron
Success
4 days, 21 hours ago
Owlright, Owlright, Owlright (StriX Launch 13)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective.


Long March 6A
Success
6 days, 12 hours ago
Yaogan 40 Group 04
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

3 Chinese reconnaissance satellites of unknown purposes, officially reported as for "Electromagnetic environment probing".


Long March 8A
Success
1 week ago
SatNet LEO Group 26
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Kinetica 1
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
9 satellites
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Share-ride of 9 commercial Earth observation and technology demonstration satellites to SSO, details TBD.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 15-27
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
PIESAT-2 13-16
Launch Complex 9 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

4 X-band synthetic-aperture radar Earth observation satellites for the Chinese Earth observation satellite company PIESAT.


Electron
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Owl By The Dozen (StriX Launch 12)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective.


Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M
Success
1 week, 6 days ago
Glonass-K1 No. 20 (?)
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Satellite serial number and Cosmos designation not confirmed. Glonass-K are the third generation of satellite design for GLONASS satellite n…