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YUNHAI-2 02A

Chinese GNSS Radio Occultation Weather Satellite (2nd Batch) · SAST / Chinese Military (Assessed)

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Lead satellite of China's second six-satellite Yunhai-2 batch, launched March 2024 to expand the GNSS radio occultation atmospheric sensing constellation established by the original 2018 Yunhai-2 sextet. This second batch follows the identical 50° inclination pattern of its predecessors, doubling China's radio occultation sampling density for weather prediction, ionospheric research, and — per Western assessment — PLA operational meteorological planning.

Its orbit

Orbit
Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
Altitude
496–506 mi (798–815 km)
Inclination
50.0°
One orbit
100.9 minutes14.3 orbits a day
NORAD ID
59280
Int’l designator
2024-052A
Launched
2024

Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.

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