Official name SJ-10
Alternative name Shi Jian 10 RV
Cospar ID 2016-023A
Norad ID 41448
Launch date 2016-04-05
Launch site JSC
Launch vehicle CZ-2D (2)
Country/Organization China
Type application Micro-gravity
RCS size LARGE
Decay date 2016-04-18
Shape Rounded Cone
Mass (kg) 850
Height (m) 1.7
Width (m) 1.7
Depth (m) 1.7
Span (m^2) 1.7
Lifetime 15 days
Contractors CAST
Propulsion FG-23A retro motor ?
Power Batteries

SJ 10 (Shijian 10) is a recoverable satellite based on the FSW type reentry vehicle, which is used to expose 215 kilograms of seeds of plants and fungus to the space environment. It is planned to be recovered after several weeks.

SJ 10 is an improved version of the SJ 8 satellite. It is designed for space experiment research of microgravity science and space life science.

The major scientific objectives of Shijian-10 are to get innovative achievements in kinetic properties of matter and rhythm of life by carrying out various scientific experiments in space. The mass of the satellite is 3600 kg. Scientific purpose of the program is to promote the scientific research in the space microgravity environment by operation of recoverable satellite at low Earth orbit for 2 weeks. There are 6 experiments of fluid physics, 3 of combustion and 8 of materials science in the field of physical science, 3 experiments of radiation biology, 3 of gravitational biology and 4 of biotechnology in the field of life science. The experiments were selected from more than 200 applications.

The satellite was launched by the CZ-2D (2) rocket. The orbit inclination is 42.89°, the perigee altitude is 220 km, the apogee altitude is 268 km, and the operating lifetime is 15 days.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
SJ-10 2016-023A 2016-04-05 JSC CZ-2D (2)