Yaogan (in full Yaogan Weixing (遥感卫星), "Remote Sensing Satellite"; sometimes written YaoGan) refers to a series of Chinese reconnaissance satellites launched in the early 21st century.
Chinese media describe the satellites as intended for "scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment, and disaster monitoring". Western analysts suspect that they are also used for military purposes. Analysts believe that each satellite employs either optical or synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors and that the SAR satellites are of the Jian Bing-5 series.
The SAR satellite was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology(SAST). The electro-optical digital imaging satellite was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). It is carried into space atop a Chang Zheng (Long March) rocket.
Yaogan satellites have been launched from both the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China's northern Shanxi province and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northwestern Gansu province.
Launches
Three satellites of Yaogan 9A, Yaogan 9B, and Yaogan 9C were launched together with a Long March 4C from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, on March 5, 2010.
Yaogan 11 was launched with Long March 2D from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, on September 22, 2010.
Yaogan 1 is believed to have broken up around February 4, 2010 almost four years after it was launched. Because of the small number of pieces and low orbital speeds, it was likely due to an internal explosion, not a high-speed collision.