Chinese Satellites Found in Medium Earth Orbit in Major Boost for Beijing’s Surveillance Capabilities

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:37 JST, April 5, 2026

China, which is believed to use satellites for reconnaissance, has begun operating satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO), where it had none before, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

A former senior member of the Air-Self-Defense Force said China is operating a group of satellites in multiple layers and has significantly enhanced its surveillance capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Yomiuri Shimbun analyzed the movement of China’s Yaogan satellites in cooperation with space engineering experts and private companies, using public data from Space-Track, a satellite-tracking website run by the U.S. Space Force.

Yaogan 45 and Yaogan 46, launched in September and November last year, were found between 7,000 and 8,000 kilometers in altitude. Their orbits range from 20 degrees north latitude to 20 degrees south latitude, meaning the satellites can cover not only Hawaii and Guam, where U.S. military bases are located, but also the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and northern Australia.

MEO encompasses the region of space between low Earth orbit (LEO), or up to 2,000 kilometers in altitude, and geostationary orbit (GEO), or about 36,000 kilometers in altitude. MEO is mainly used by satellites for the global positioning system.

“Even the United States is not believed to have launched a reconnaissance satellite into an orbit between 7,000 and 8,000 kilometers in altitude. This is extremely rare,” one expert said.

MEO satellites require more advanced technology for durability than those lower in altitude, as they may be exposed to more radiation.

Of the roughly 80 Yaogan satellites, most are in LEO, which allows for high-resolution surveillance. However, Yaogan 41, which was launched in December 2023, orbits in GEO, allowing it to continuously monitor the same spot, since it orbits the Earth in tandem with the planet’s revolution on its axis. The satellite hovers above the equator around Indonesia, the same longitude as Taiwan and areas around the South China Sea. It seems to be used to monitor Taiwan and the Nansei Islands around the clock.

Experts say the two newly identified MEO satellites can take higher-resolution images and capture smaller targets as they are closer to the ground than GEO satellites. While LEO satellites can only monitor a specific point for a few minutes in a single orbit, the two MEO satellites are believed to be able to monitor a spot for about 80 minutes.

“After MEO satellites determine a general location, LEO satellites can pinpoint the exact location with greater precision,” said a former senior member of the Air Self-Defense Force. “This will enable continuous surveillance of U.S. aircraft carriers and other targets in the Pacific.”

“China is apparently aiming to secure an advantage over the U.S. military by using medium Earth orbit, which is not currently used by reconnaissance satellites,” he added.