Saturday, September 12, China launched a satellite announcing it only later. It’s not the first time that something like that happened because the Chinese provide information on their space missions when their government decides it and typically in limited amount. Officially, the launch involved a test communications satellite called TXJSSY-1 of a new type called Communications Engineering Test Satellite. However, various rumors spread out about the real nature of the launch, partly because of growing tensions in the South China Sea.
According to information provided, especially by the Xinhua agency, obviously controlled by the state, the TXJSSY-1 satellite launched last Saturday serves several purposes including communications test in the Ka-band, which includes frequencies between 27 and 40 GHz. The authorities claim that the use of this satellite is for civilian purposes but after the launch rumors spread out claiming other theses.
The launch took place on Saturday in the Xichang center using a Long March 3B (Chang Zheng 3B) rocket, used to put into geostationary orbit civilian but also military satellites. Suspicions about the nature of the satellite launched arrived immediately from Japanese media, very attentive to Chinese activities, today more than ever because of the increasing tensions among the nations of the South China Sea area.
According to some Japanese media, China is building a defense satellite system to be paired to a radar system. It wouldn’t be the first nation to have an early warning systems of that type but recent territorial disputes with other nations increase all concerns. China is conducting various military activities that raised fears of a possible use of force to extend its sovereignty in the South China Sea.
As for space activities, there may be very soon the launch of a new satellite of the Yaogan 2 series. Officially, these satellites are used for civilian purposes but analysts claim those are reconnaissance satellites used for military purposes.
In these cases it’s difficult to separate rumors that have solid foundations from wild allegations and conspiracy theories. The Chinese secret attitude in the management of launches doesn’t help but above all the activities in the South China Sea suggest at least a cold war taking place in Asia. The involvement of Western nations is inevitable so it’s certainly a situation that has to be monitored and not only in orbit.
