Space Brief 1 Dec 2025
Today's brief covers China's latest classified satellite launch, breakups in orbital refueling experiments, exciting advancements in microsatellites, and SpaceX's remarkable strides in spaceflight.
HAIYANG-2B (43655)
COSPAR: 2018-081A | Alt Name: Hai Yang 2-02
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
October 24, 2018
Launch Site
TAISC
Launch Pad
LC9
Launch Vehicle
Chang Zheng 4B
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
43655
International Designator
2018-081A
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 06:46:16 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
99.33°
Right Ascension
193.78°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
161.32°
Period
104.40 min
Mean Motion
13.79 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
HAIYANG-2B
Alternative Name
Hai Yang 2-02
Type
Payload
Status
Operational
Owner
GYZ/CASC
Country
China
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 43655U 18081A 26185.28214057 .00000108 00000-0 14844-3 0 9995
2 43655 99.3282 193.7804 0000404 161.3241 198.7925 13.79309320387282
Source: Celestrak
Summary
The HAIYANG-2B satellite, also known as Hai Yang 2-02, was launched on October 24, 2018, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center using a Chang Zheng 4B launch vehicle. It is an oceanographic satellite with dimensions of 1 meter in length and diameter, with a span of 4 meters due to its deployable solar array and batteries for power supply. The spacecraft has a dry mass and launch mass both weighing 1500 kilograms and was manufactured by SISE on behalf of GYZ/CASC. It is equipped with an altimeter operating at Ku and C-bands, a scatterometer, and a microwave imager to support its oceanography mission. Its shape can be described as a box with two panels extended for functionality.
Physical Characteristics
Length
1
Diameter
1
Span
4
Dry Mass
1500
Launch Mass
1500
Shape
Box + 2 Pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Hai Yang 2 hao 02 xing
Purpose
Oceanography
Mission
Oceanography
Manufacturer
SISE
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
CAST-968
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
dual-frequency altimeter (Ku and C-bands), scatterometer, microwave imager
Power System
Deployable solar array, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
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