Science
SHIYAN-1 (SY-1)
Technology Demonstrator · CNSA
Right now
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China's Shiyan-1 ('Experiment-1') tested space-qualified components for future Chinese missions. Technology pathfinder satellites form an essential but invisible part of any nation's space program — you need somewhere to qualify hardware before it flies on a billion-dollar mission. Shiyan-1 was China's proving ground.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 283–287 mi (455–461 km)
- Inclination
- 97.9°
- One orbit
- 93.6 minutes15.4 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 28220
- Int’l designator
- 2004-012A
- Launched
- 2004
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 7 Nov 2026.
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