Military
NORAD ID: 38352
Int'l Code: 2012-028A
Perigee: 35,781.5 km
Apogee: 35,806.0 km
Inclination: 0.0 °
Period: 1,436.1 minutes
Semi major axis: 42164 km
Launch date: May 26, 2012
Source: People's Republic of China (PRC)
Comments: CHINASAT 2A is a chinese military communications satellite. The spacecraft will circularize its orbit about 22,300 miles (35,888 km) over the equator, where its speed will match the rate of Earth's rotation, making the satellite appear to hover over a fixed position. The Xinhua news agency reported the satellite was built by the China Academy of Space Technology. The craft is likely based on China's DFH-4 satellite platform, China's most powerful standardized platform for communications missions. According to Xinhua, the Chinasat 2A satellite "will be used to meet the demands for China's radio and TV broadcasting and broadband multimedia transmissions". But analysts believe the satellite will serve with Chinese military with on-the-move communications.
Two Line Element Set (TLE):
1 38352U 12028A 13144.27120534 -.00000295 00000-0 10000-3 0 2681
2 38352 000.0356 296.0090 0002906 099.6312 042.2979 01.00271898 3798
Source: AFSPC
NASA's NSSDC Master Catalog entry for CHINASAT 2A
