Overview

• Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 are closing in on a planned rendezvous in geostationary orbit, with docking expected on June 11.
• Shijian-25 was launched in January 2025 by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology to conduct on-orbit refueling and mission-extension tests.
• Shijian-21 previously docked with the defunct Beidou-2 G2 navigation satellite after its October 2021 launch, towing it to a graveyard orbit.
• U.S. Space Force surveillance satellites USA 270 and USA 271 flank the Chinese spacecraft to monitor the upcoming operations.
• China’s military is developing on-orbit servicing capabilities for both civilian satellite sustainability and potential wartime applications.