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LKW-3, 43146

Orbit data source: Space-Track

LKW-3, 43146 is a Chinese payload satellite in SSO that was launched on Sat, 13 Jan 2018 UTC via a CHANG ZHENG 2D launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China (JSC). Payload-class satellites include a variety of spacecraft equipped with specific instruments for various scientific and technological missions. These include communications satellites like Starlink; space stations such as the ISS; scientific satellites like the Hubble; Earth observation satellites from companies like Planet Labs, Umbra, and HawkEye 360; GPS; miniature CubeSats for education and research; and military/defense satellites.

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<iframe src="https://www.satcat.com/sats-embedded/43146?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" title="Kayhan Space Satcat Satellite Viewer"></iframe>

Iframe URL

https://www.satcat.com/sats-embedded/43146?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false

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Identifier

43146, 2018-006A

Orbit

SSO

Country

CN / PRC

Related business

Strategic Support Troops (CN)

Manufacturer

CAST?

Mission

Operational Defense Imaging

Bus & Motor

LKW, Unknown motor

Mass

~2,000 kg wet, ~2,000 kg dry

Launch date (UTC)

2018-01-13 (8 years ago)

Launch vehicle

CHANG ZHENG 2D

Launch site

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China (JSC)

Object type

Payload

Rocket body

Debris

Shape & HBR

Hex Cyl + 3 Pan, 5.0 m

Radar Cross Section

8.135 m², Large (>1 m²)

Expand to show TLE details & history
Last TLE update: 4 hours ago

TLE from 4 hours ago

0 LKW-3
1 43146U 18006A   26133.17517078  .00003947  00000-0  12049-3 0  9996
2 43146  97.6576 292.4096 0004155  78.0382 282.1325 15.34545456463340

Epoch: 2026-05-13T04:12Z

TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2026-05-13T04:12:14.755Z)

Latitude

-0.00011°

Longitude

-1.59083°

Altitude

464.777 km

Speed

7.634 km/s

True Right ascension

19h 29m 38s

True Declination

0° 00' 00"

Sunlit

Object was in full shadow at epoch

Visualization orbit readout

Latitude

Unknown

Longitude

Unknown

Altitude

Unknown

Speed

Unknown

Apparent Right ascension

Unknown

Apparent Declination

Unknown

Sunlit

N/A

Visualization observer readout

Local Sidereal Time

16:14:58

Azimuth

Unknown

Elevation

Unknown

Doppler factor

Unknown

Orbital elements

Apogee altitude

462.069 km

Perigee altitude

456.388 km

Semi-major axis

6,837.365 km

Eccentricity

0.00042

Inclination

97.6576°

RAAN

292.4096°

Arg. of periapsis

78.0382°

True anomaly

282.08595°

Mean anomaly

282.1325°

Eccentric anomaly

282.10922°

Mean motion

3.83893 °/min

Orbital period

93.78 mins

BSTAR

0.00012049

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Other satellites on launch #6 in the year 2018 (2018-01-13 UTC)

CZ-2D DEB, 43149 (Decayed)

CZ-2D DEB, 43150 (Decayed)

CZ-2D DEB, 43147 (Decayed)

CZ-2D DEB, 43148 (Decayed)

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You can import UDL-sourced sensor .json files into the Sandbox to generate a visibility chart that accounts for multi-vendor sensor geometry.

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LKW-3 Visibility forecast

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Span	Click to sort rows by Start time (UTC) header in descending order	Start Az.	Max El. time (UTC)	Max El. Az.	Max El.	End time (UTC)	End Az.
6 mins	2026-05-13 10:35:05.915Z	164.441° S	2026-05-13 10:38:05.915Z	143.349° SSE	43.908°	2026-05-13 10:41:05.915Z	349.615° N
5 mins	2026-05-13 23:33:05.915Z	9.147° NNE	2026-05-13 23:35:05.915Z	344.285° N	43.678°	2026-05-13 23:38:05.915Z	196.796° SSW

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Co-orbital & Co-planar RSOs

Thresholds — Semi-major Axis: ±100 km, RAAN: ±3°, Inclination: ±5°
TCA is derived from TLE conjunctions

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CAUTION: Conjunctions in this section are generated from low-fidelity TLE screenings

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Check out LKW-3, 43146 on other resources

View LKW-3, 43146 on NASA - NSSDCA Website

View LKW-3, 43146 on Heavens-Above

View LKW-3, 43146 on Keep Track

View LKW-3, 43146 on Celestrak

View LKW-3, 43146 on Gunter's Space Page

Satcat and Kayhan Space are not affiliated with NASA, Celestrak, Heavens-Above, Keep Track, or Gunter's Space Page.

LKW-3, 43146

Orbit data source: Space-Track

Expand to show TLE details & historyLast TLE update: 4 hours ago

TLE from 4 hours ago

TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2026-05-13T04:12:14.755Z)

Visualization orbit readout

Visualization observer readout

Orbital elements

Other satellites on launch #6 in the year 2018 (2018-01-13 UTC)

LKW-3 Visibility forecast

Co-orbital & Co-planar RSOs

Check out LKW-3, 43146 on other resources

Documentation

Expand to show TLE details & history
Last TLE update: 4 hours ago