Zhongxing 18

retired

中星18号

CommunicationsHEOCOSPAR 2019-053ALaunched 8/19/2019

Admin Edit

Mission & Launch

Launch Mission: Zhongxing-18
Launch Vehicle: Long March 3B G2
Launch Date: 8/19/2019
Last Contact: 8/19/2019

Orbit & Mass

Orbit Class: HEO
Altitude: 17,995.5 km
Inclination: 28.49 deg
Dry Mass: 2,500 kg
Total Mass: 5,250 kg

Payload Classification

Mission Type: Communications
Payload Category: COM
Payload Class: C

Organizations

Operator: Military Aerospace Force
Manufacturer: China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)

Constellation

Name: Zhongxing / ChinaSat GEO fleet
Active Satellites: 13

Registry

COSPAR ID: 2019-053A
UN Registration: ST/SG/SER.E/948

Track

Mentions

6

All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.

ChinaSat-18 (Zhongxing-18) remains in geosynchronous transfer orbit after an issue suffered following its August 2019 launch.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.6Sep 27, 2021Classified satellite declared lost after China launches twice in 2 hours

Zhongxing-18 launched in August 2019 on a Long March 3B but suffered unspecified anomalies and remains in geosynchronous transfer orbit with a perigee of 147 km.

CapabilityPlanGeneralValue 4.2Sep 9, 2021China launches ChinaSat-9B broadcast satellite

The DFH-4E-based Zhongxing-18 (ChinaSat-18) suffered a mission failure in August 2019 when attempts to communicate with the satellite did not succeed despite a successful launch.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.5Jun 30, 2020Final Beidou-3 satellite reaches operational orbit, China’s launch sites gear up for July missions

Zhongxing-18 is equipped with 30 Ku-band transponders, 9 Ka-band transponders, and 2 Ka BSS-band transponders.

CapabilityValue 4.0Aug 20, 2019Chinese telecommunications satellite hit by anomalies after launch

Zhongxing-18 is based on the DFH-4E satellite platform and is the first satellite of that platform type launched.

CapabilityValue 3.5Aug 20, 2019Chinese telecommunications satellite hit by anomalies after launch

Zhongxing-18 (ChinaSat-18) is a civilian telecommunications satellite intended to provide broadcasting and communications services to China.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0Aug 20, 2019Chinese telecommunications satellite hit by anomalies after launch