Geostationary
TJS-5
Military Communications (Assessed) · CNSA / PLA (Assessed)
Right now
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The fifth TJS satellite, part of China's rapidly expanding classified GEO military presence. TJS-5's orbital position provides coverage complementary to earlier TJS satellites, suggesting the series is building a global military communications network rather than merely conducting isolated technology experiments. China's pace of GEO military satellite launches has accelerated significantly since 2018, reflecting the growing strategic importance China places on the space domain.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Geostationaryappears to hang motionless over one spot on the equator
- Altitude
- 22,223–22,262 mi (35,764–35,827 km)
- Inclination
- 0.2°
- One orbit
- 23.9 hoursabout one orbit a day
- NORAD ID
- 44978
- Int’l designator
- 2020-002A
- Launched
- 2020
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 20 Sep 2026.
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