China has successfully demonstrated its on-orbit refueling capabilities by bringing two spacecraft together 22,236 miles above Earth. The Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites, developed by China’s Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, made a brief first encounter in geosynchronous orbit on June 13 and 14.
According to observations from the space situational awareness firm s2a systems, the two spacecraft were virtually unresolvable from each other at times, suggesting that they may have performed a docking and undocking test. This marks an important step forward for China’s space program, as it aims to improve the sustainability of space operations.
The test is part of a demonstration mission to show on-orbit refueling and mission extension capabilities. Shijian-25 was launched in January to demonstrate these capabilities, while Shijian-21 was launched in 2021 and successfully towed a dead satellite out of geosynchronous orbit.
China’s achievement comes as the country continues to advance its space sector, with companies like Northrop Grumman and Astroscale already testing life-extension services for satellites. The US and Japan have also been actively involved in space refueling tests, with their respective Mission Extension Vehicle-1 and 2 spacecraft, as well as Astroscale’s plans for next year.
This successful demonstration marks a significant milestone for China’s space program, demonstrating its capabilities to extend the lifespan of satellites and improve the sustainability of space operations.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/2-chinese-spacecraft-just-met-up-22-000-miles-above-earth-what-were-they-doing