Overview

• A Long March 6A lifted off from Taiyuan on Sept. 6 carrying the Yaogan-40 (03) group, with SAST declaring the mission a complete success.
• Officials described the satellites as performing electromagnetic environment detection and related technical tests, consistent with past opaque briefings for the series.
• DFH Satellite Co., under CAST, said it developed the spacecraft but released no additional specifications.
• Navigation warnings pointed to a near‑polar trajectory, and prior Yaogan‑40 trios operate in equilateral‑triangle formations assessed to enable radio‑frequency monitoring and geolocation.
• U.S. trackers had not cataloged the new objects at the time of reporting, as China’s launch tally reached 52 this year, keeping pace to surpass its 2024 record.