The recent on-orbit behavior of China’s Shi Jian 6 (SJ-6) satellite series, together with newly acquired commercial non-Earth imagery (NEI), helps expand our existing knowledge of the satellite constellations’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). As of January 2025, China appears to have completed a nearly ten-month demonstration of rendezvous and proximity operations (RPOs) with mostly three, but at times four satellites, one of which was SJ-6I (49961, SJ-6 05A). In discussion of these RPOs, U.S. Vice Chief of Space Operations General Michael Guetlein stated that the [Chinese] satellites were “practicing tactics, techniques and procedures,” which is consistent with prior research.
This article will cover what we already know about the SJ-6 satellites, in terms of on-orbit behavior and payloads. This article will then present an argument that their recent engagement with the Shi Yan-24C (SY-24C) triplets shares important consistencies with past behavior. An examination across the SJ-6 series reveals similar trends in space environment detection payloads on the larger B satellites, and incrementally improving maneuverability of the smaller A satellites. In particular, SJ-6’s primary mission seems to be TTP development for tipping and queuing for maritime surveillance, based on patent filings and newly acquired NEI. The secondary mission continues to be support of RPO tests for satellites outside the series. These consistencies reveal an evolving challenge, rather than an immediate threat.
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