China launches twin Shijian-29 satellites to test space-target detection tech

by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 31, 2025
China has launched a pair of Shijian-29 satellites on a Long March 7A rocket, adding new technology-demonstration assets to its growing space-based surveillance and tracking capabilities. The mission lifted off from the coastal Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island at 6:40 a.m. Beijing Time on Wednesday, placing the two spacecraft into their planned orbit and marking the 623rd flight of the Long March launch vehicle family.

Designated Shijian-29A and Shijian-29B, the satellites are described by Chinese authorities as platforms for "related new technology verification for space target detection," a term typically associated with on-orbit sensing, tracking and characterization of objects in space. While detailed technical specifications have not been released, the dual-satellite configuration suggests experiments that may involve coordinated observations, relative navigation or formation-flying techniques to improve space object surveillance performance.

The Shijian ("Practice") series is one of China's longest-running experimental satellite lines, used to validate new sensors, propulsion systems, data links and space-environment technologies before they transition into fully operational programs. Earlier Shijian and related Shiyan missions have carried payloads for space debris detection, space environment monitoring and proximity operations, illustrating how China uses technology-test spacecraft to incrementally build a more capable space situational awareness infrastructure.

Space-target detection technologies can include optical imaging, infrared sensors and radar or laser ranging systems designed to locate and characterize satellites and debris across a range of orbits. Data from such missions can feed collision-avoidance systems, improve catalog accuracy and, in some cases, support national security applications that require detailed knowledge of foreign space assets.

The Long March 7A launcher used for the flight is a three-stage, medium-to-heavy class rocket tailored for high-energy orbits, including geostationary transfer and other demanding trajectories. Its use from Wenchang, China's newest coastal spaceport, allows higher-performance flight paths over open ocean and reflects an ongoing shift of China's most advanced missions to the Hainan site.

With the successful arrival of Shijian-29A and 29B in their target orbit, China closes out 2025 by reinforcing its emphasis on technology verification missions that underpin long-term plans for a more resilient, better-informed presence in space. As with many of the country's experimental satellites, further details about the payload suite, orbital behavior and specific objectives are expected to emerge gradually through tracking data and official releases over the coming months.