X Report 4 Mar 2025
SpaceX faces a series of challenges with scrubbing the Starship Flight 8 launch and losing a Falcon 9 booster post-landing, while successfully deploying new Starlink satellites.
TIANWANG 1A (TW-1A) (40928)
COSPAR: 2015-051D | Alt Name: Shangkeda-2
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
September 25, 2015
Launch Site
JSC
Launch Pad
LC43/95
Launch Vehicle
Chang Zheng 11
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
40928
International Designator
2015-051D
Decay Date
12/30/2022
Basic Satellite Info
Name
TIANWANG 1A (TW-1A)
Alternative Name
Shangkeda-2
Type
Payload
Status
Decayed
Owner
SHANGT
Country
China
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
TIANWANG 1A (TW-1A), also known as Shangkeda-2, is a CubeSat (2U) technology satellite launched on September 25, 2015, from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center's LC43/95 using the Chang Zheng 11 launch vehicle. Manufactured by SHANGT/SECM and owned by SHANGT, it was designed for technology demonstration purposes. The satellite measures 0.239 meters in length with a diameter of 0.114 meters and spans 0.239 meters, weighing 1.7 kilograms both at launch and dry mass. It is powered by solar cells and batteries. The equipment details are unspecified, but it potentially uses cold gas as its motor type. The satellite's shape is box-like with a radar cross-section of 0.0579 square meters. No specific information on ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control System), transmitter frequencies, major events, material composition, constellation name, or related satellites are provided.
Physical Characteristics
Length
0.239
Diameter
0.114
Span
0.239
Dry Mass
1.7
Launch Mass
1.7
Shape
Box
Radar Cross Section
0.0579
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
TW-1A
Purpose
Technology
Mission
Technology
Manufacturer
SHANGT/SECM
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Cubesat 2U
Configuration
CubeSat (2U)
Motor
Cold gas ?
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
SpaceX Wins $4.16B Space Force Contract, X Report 3 Jun 2026
SpaceX wins a $4.16 billion Space Force satellite contract to track airborne threats worldwide, while dual-pad launches add 53 Starlink satellites.
Space Brief 16 Dec 2024
Today's briefing covers the ULA's military application for Vulcan's upper stage, FAA's efforts to expedite launch licensing, and a fascinating flyby of Mercury by BepiColombo.
GPS III SV10 | The Last of Its Kind, and the First of What Comes Next
On April 21, 2026, the tenth and final GPS Block III satellite reached medium Earth orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. Named for Hedy Lamarr, the actress whose 1942 frequency-hopping patent underpins modern GPS, SV10 closes a procurement that took eight years to deliver hardware and opens the optical-crosslink era that will define the constellation's next decade.
SpaceX Eyes $60B Cursor AI Acquisition Ahead of IPO | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX secured a $60B option to acquire Cursor AI while launching its 40th Falcon 9 mission of 2026, deploying 24 more Starlink satellites from Vandenberg.
X Report 10 Apr 2025
SpaceX gears up for multiple Falcon 9 launches, amidst challenges from Project Kuiper and environmental concerns.
X Report 12 Apr 2025
Key developments include the launch of Starshield satellites for the NRO and updates on Starlink launches and NASA access concerns involving Elon Musk's team.
Space Brief 3 Dec 2024
Today's Space Brief highlights the U.S. Air Force's $48 million investment in testing reentry capsules, a Pentagon-backed GPS alternative, and the Space Force's quest for funding autonomy.