US media attention: Two Chinese satellites docked at a distance of 35,000 kilometers from Earth!
What are they doing?
An article was published on June 19 by Space News.
The Chinese Shijian-21 satellite appears to have rendezvoused with another Chinese satellite at high altitude above Earth.
According to a space situational awareness company, China conducted a refueling demonstration mission, bringing two spacecraft together.
The Chinese Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites approached each other in geosynchronous orbit, approximately 35,786 kilometers above the equator. Ground observations indicate that this pair of satellites seems to have had a brief initial encounter.
Optical tracking by the space situational awareness company S2A Systems shows that there was a close approach between the two satellites on June 14, and sometimes these two satellites were almost indistinguishable.
This indicates that at least one test nature close encounter occurred between Shijian-20 and Shijian-25, and may have even undergone docking and undocking tests.
The test aims to demonstrate on-orbit refueling and mission extension capabilities, helping to enhance the sustainability of space operations.
According to Space News, two US surveillance satellites, USA 270 and USA 271, also maneuvered east and west of the two Chinese spacecraft and may have observed this activity.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835309941512584/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's viewpoint.