TJSW = Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing
From 2015 through 2021 there have been 7 Chinese GEO sats named in the “TJSW” series, all of which per public info are doing “comms test” in name only. No. 1 & 4 are believe to be signals/comms intelligence sats like the US counterparts w/ huge antennae. No. 3 was identified as a pair of GEO belt “inspector sats” which floated around for a long time. Nos. 2, 5 & 6 on the other hand looked like missile early warning sats a la the US SBIRS series. These are apparently built by SAST using the same bus as the FY-4 GEO weather sats.
Brian Harvey suggested in 2019 that the Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing (TJSW - "communications engineering test satellite”) may be a military intelligence program, although with different functions – TJSW 1 for eavesdropping and TJSW 2 for early warning.
Dean Cheng noted in 2009 that "Space systems, by virtue of their location, provide unrivaled early detection and tracking of ballistic missiles throughout their flight. At a minimum, then, they can provide prompt warning of enemy ballistic missile attacks. With sufficient refinement, they can also assist missile defense forces by predicting both missile flight paths and impact points. At this time, however, according to available open source data, there is no evidence of a Chinese missile early warning satellite..."
Mark A. Stokes and Dean Cheng wrote in April 2012 that "No firm evidence exists that China has deployed a space-based ballistic missile early warning capability. However, a technical foundation exists: for example, with infrared sensors associated with the FY weather satellite program. The SJ-7 satellite, designed and developed by SAST’s 509 Research Institute and launched on a SAST-manufactured LM-2D from Jiuquan on July 6, 2005, has been cited as an experimental platform to test pushbroom and mercury-cadmium-telluride (HgCdTe) infrared sensor arrays. Also equipped with a star sensor for precise attitude control, the SJ-7 took only 33 months to design and develop from its initiation in August 2002. The CAS Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics is said to have developed the infrared sensors."
At 23:42 on September 12, with a deafening roar from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, the Long March 3B carrier rocket lifted off the super-secretive Communications Engineering Test Satellite -1 (TXJSSY-1) smoothly. The satellite launched this time is the first satellite of a series of satellites in China's communication technology test series, which is mainly used to carry out the Ka-band broadband communication technology test. It is reported that the communication technology test satellite No. 1 and the Long March No. 3B carrier rockets launched this time were developed by the Fifth Academy and the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation respectively. Launch of the spacecraft took place at 15:42 UTC using a Long March-3B (Chang Zheng-3B) rocket. There was very little information regarding the satellite, with an announcement only provided to the Chinese media – controlled by the Chinese government.
Rumors initially suggested that this launch involved the first Great Wall (Changcheng) satellite – a new series of Chinese satellites dedicated to early warning similar to the American Space Based Infra-Red Sensor satellites. Xinhua reported that the satellite will be "used to perform tests on the Ka frequency band in broadband communications". It is difficult to separate rumors with some foundations from wild allegations and conspiracy theories.
Japan’s Kyodo News reported that China was building a missile defense system to detect a ballistic missile attack. The Kyodo News report was based on Chinese military documents that referred the development of an experimental early warning satellite program. Additionally the report pointed out that China had started the development of an X-band radar system as part of a ground-based interceptor system.
The Communication Technology Test Satellite II was developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a new generation of large-capacity communication and broadcast test satellites in China. It is mainly used for "satellite communications, radio and television, data transmission and other services".
At 0:53 on December 25, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, with a "fire" and a huge roar, the Long March 3C carrier rocket rushed into the sky, sending the communication technology test satellite 3 into the scheduled orbit and launching A complete success. The communication technology test satellite No. 3 was developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Ltd. and was used to "carry out relevant technical verifications".
A secretive TJSW 2 satellite was launched at China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center using a Long March-3C/G2 launch vehicle from the LC3 launch complex on January 5, 2017. Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing 2 was the first geosynchronous orbit satellite to be manufactured by SAST (thus indicating that it was not a repeat of the CAST Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing 1 satellite). The lack of information and the nature of the launch preparations, with only marginal references to the payload, point to the secretive nature of the satellite, designated Huoyan-1 (variously translated as “fire eyes”, “steely eyes” and “fire cam”).
On January 7, a CZ-3B / G2 (Y64) rocket with a military satellite on board departed from Xichang base. The takeoff, at 15:20 UTC, served to place a spacecraft of unknown exact functions in orbit. Called TJSW (Communications Engineering Test Satellites), they are placed in a geostationary orbit, but their mission is not clear. In any case, the secrecy that surrounds them suggests that they will have military duties.
Built by the SAST organization, the new vehicle could be dedicated to detecting signals from missile launches, so that it could be classified as an immediate alert satellite. Although they have flown with the same name, their predecessors would have different functions, such as the detection of signals for intelligence, secure communications or the aforementioned immediate alert.
China launched TJSW-5, with official reports which used almost exact wording to describe it as TJSW-2 launched 3 years ealier, including that SAST built it. SAST never built GEO comsats (only GEO weather sats including the latest FY-4 series).
China's 31st launch: A Long March 3B lifted off from Xichang, SW China at 15:41 UTC carrying Communications technology test satellite No. 7 At 23:41 on August 24, 2021, Beijing time, China used the Long March 3B carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to successfully launch the communication technology test satellite No. 7 into the air. The satellite successfully entered the scheduled orbit and the launch mission was a complete success. The satellite is likely either a Qianshao SIGINT sat or a Huoyang infrared missile warning sat. This mission is the 386th flight of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
The golden monkey has a pair of fiery eyes, which can identify friend and foe. The strategic support force established in the new wave of reform of China's military is a new type of combat force for safeguarding national security and an important growth point for our military's new combat capabilities. Among them, remote sensing technology is an important component of the soft power of the strategic support force.
Remote sensing satellites were first developed for military applications, and later some have gradually expanded from military-specific technologies to civilian applications. Judging from the available data, in the remote sensing technology used by satellites, the current military satellites still maintain an absolute technological advantage compared with civilian satellites. The military applications of aerospace remote sensing technology mainly include military reconnaissance, missile early warning, weapon guidance, and military surveying and mapping.
After more than 30 years of development, remote sensing technology has widely penetrated into various fields of our national economy and national defense construction. China's existing military remote sensing satellites include the "Pioneer" series of reconnaissance satellites and the "Outpost" series of infrared early warning satellites.
| #r | Satellite | COSPAR ID | catalog number | Launch time ( UTC+8 ) | Other names | Purpose | orbit | institutions | Launch site | Rocket |
| 1 | TJSW I | 2015-046A | 40892 | 2015-09-12 23:42 | Outpost | SIGINT ? | GTO | China Academy of Space Technology | Xichang | CZ-3B Y32 |
| 2 | TJSW II | 2017-001A | 41911 | 2017-01-05 23:18 | Fire eye | missile warning | GTO | Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute | Xichang | CZ-3B Y39 |
| 3 | TJSW III | 2018-110A | 43874 | 2018-12-25 00:53 | Fire eye | missile warning | GTO | Shanghai Institute of Aerospace Technology | Xichang | CZ-3 C Y17 |
| 4 | TJSW IV | 2019-070A | 44637 | 2019-10-17 23:21 | Outpost | SIGINT ? | GTO | China Academy of Space Technology | Xichang | CZ-3B Y57 |
| 5 | TJSW No. 5 | 2020-002A | 44978 | 2020-01-07 23:20 | Fire eye | missile warning | GTO | Shanghai Institute of Aerospace Technology | Xichang | CZ-3B Y62 |
| 6 | TJSW No. 6 | 2021-010A | 47613 | 2021-02-04 23:36:04.286 | Fire eye | missile warning | GTO | Shanghai Institute of Aerospace Technology | Xichang | CZ-3B Y77 |
| 7 | TJSW No. 7 | 2021-077A? | 4908? | 2021-08-24 23:41 | Fire eye | missile warning | GTO | Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute | Xichang | CZ-3B Y78 |
| 8 | TJSW No. 8 | 2021-0? | ? | 2021-12-24 16:53 | Fire eye | missile warning | GTO | Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute | Xichang | CZ-3C |
| 9 | TJSW No. 9 | 2021-0? | ? | 2021-12-30 00:43 | Outpost | SIGINT ? | GTO | Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute | Xichang | CZ-3B |
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