Chinese Shenzhou 7 “Companion Satellite” (BX-1)

The BX-1 is a small, maneuverable companion satellite released by the Shenzhou 7 mission to test rendezvous and formation flying capabilities. Analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists suggests that because the satellite relies on ground-based guidance and lacks high-accuracy distance-determination sensors, it is unlikely to be capable of close-range maneuvering around non-cooperative foreign satellites.

• The BX-1 companion satellite is a cubical device approximately 0.4 meters on a side with a mass of less than 40 kg, featuring solar panels on its sides and a camera weighing less than 10 kg capable of taking color images from distances between four meters and two kilometers.
• The primary goals of the BX-1 mission were to test small satellite technology, demonstrate the ability to transmit high-resolution color images, and practice processes relevant to docking for the future Shenzhou 8 mission.
• The satellite's guidance is managed from the ground rather than on-board; the BX-1 sends GPS data to a ground station, which then calculates the relative distance and transmits movement commands back to the satellite.
• Analysis indicates the BX-1 cannot maneuver at close range around foreign satellites because it lacks the ability to determine distance with high accuracy, which is why it was programmed to stay at least 4 km away from the Shenzhou orbital module.
• The Shenzhou 7 orbital module served as a 'client terminal' for the Tianlian 1 data relay satellite, aiming to increase the duration of communication between manned spacecraft and ground control.

APA

Wright, D., & Kulacki, G. (2008). Chinese Shenzhou 7 “Companion Satellite” (BX-1). Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/UCS-Shenzhou7-CompanionSat.pdf

Chicago

Wright, David, and Gregory Kulacki. Chinese Shenzhou 7 “Companion Satellite” (BX-1). Union of Concerned Scientists, 2008. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/UCS-Shenzhou7-CompanionSat.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wright |first1=David |last2=Kulacki |first2=Gregory |title=Chinese Shenzhou 7 “Companion Satellite” (BX-1) |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=21 October 2008 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/UCS-Shenzhou7-CompanionSat.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wright2008chinese, author = {Wright, David and Kulacki, Gregory}, title = {{Chinese Shenzhou 7 “Companion Satellite” (BX-1)}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2008}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/UCS-Shenzhou7-CompanionSat.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }