China Successfully Launches Shiyan-31 Test Satellite for Optical Imaging Research

Successful Launch from Jiuquan

China successfully launched the Shiyan-31 test satellite into space on Monday, October 13, 2025, at approximately 6:00 p.m. Beijing Time. The launch utilized a Long March-2D carrier rocket, which lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The satellite successfully entered its preset orbit, according to official reports.

Shiyan-31: Advancing Optical Imaging

The primary mission of the Shiyan-31 test satellite is to verify new optical imaging technologies. This mission underscores China's ongoing efforts in space-based technological development and research. Both the Shiyan-31 satellite and the Long March-2D rocket were designed and built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), a subsidiary of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC).

The Long March-2D Carrier Rocket

The Long March-2D (CZ-2D) is a reliable two-stage orbital carrier rocket manufactured by SAST. It is primarily used for launching satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) and sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Key specifications of the rocket include:

• Height: 40.6 meters
• Diameter: 3.35 meters
• Liftoff Weight: 251 metric tons
• Propellants: Hypergolic, using unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) as an oxidizer
• Payload Capacity: Capable of sending a 1.3-ton spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers, or satellites with a combined weight of 4 tons to a low-Earth orbit.

This launch marked the 599th flight mission of the entire Long March carrier rocket series, highlighting the extensive operational history and reliability of China's primary launch vehicle family.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

The launch originated from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), China's oldest rocket launch facility. Established in 1958, the center is located in the Gobi Desert in northwest China, spanning an expansive 2,800 square kilometers. JSLC has been pivotal in China's space endeavors, having been the site for the launch of China's first satellite in 1970 and its inaugural crewed space mission in 2003. It is particularly suited for launching vehicles into lower and medium orbits with large orbital inclination angles.