HELSINKI — China sent an undisclosed variety of satellites into orbit Thursday to check satellite web technologies.
A Long March 2D rocket using a Yuanzheng-3 upper stage lifted off at 5:00 a.m. Eastern (1000 UTC) Nov. 23 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., (CASC), only announced the character of the payload when it declared the launch successful.
No details of the launch payloads were revealed. Xinhua tersely described the launch as carrying a single “experiment satellite for satellite web technologies.”
A launch statement from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) nonetheless suggests that separate satellites were developed by SAST and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites (IAMCAS) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) respectively.
Space object tracking from the U.S. Space Force’s space domain awareness teams will later reveal the variety of objects related to the launch which have been cataloged in orbit.
A pair of satellites under the identical name launched from Jiuquan spaceport July 9. That launch used a Long March 2C rocket with a YZ-1S upper stage. Xinhua again characterised the launch as a single satellite, yet two entered orbit.
The most definitely application for the satellites is testing for China’s national satellite web megaconstellation project, named Guowang.
The project envisions placing 13,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, partly in response to Starlink and other planned LEO megaconstellations. SpaceX has launched 5,000 Starlink satellites since 2019 and is searching for international approvals which could see it expand to 40,000 Starlinks in orbit.
IAMCAS and the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), one other major subsidiary of CASC, were previously understood to be two entities contracted to fabricate satellites for Guowang.
CASC had stated earlier within the yr that it intended to start launching batches of satellites for Guowang. This may potentially be using a Long March 5B rocket modified to make use of a Yuanzheng-2 upper stage. The Long March 8 can be being considered for high-density launches of satellites for Guowang. Chinese industrial launch actors say also they are vying for contracts related to the project.
A communications megaconstellation wouldn’t only provide telecommunications and web coverage domestically, but in addition potentially position China as a provider of world public goods, a industrial competitor to other systems, and, amongst other things, provide military and government communications that will be hard to degrade.
China can be taking a look at constructing an area infrastructure system that will integrate communications with navigation and positioning and distant sensing.
Meanwhile the federal government of Shanghai has expressed backing for one more broadband megaconstellation. That project would consist of an initial 1,296 satellites.
Thursday’s launch was China’s 54th of 2023. CASC stated early within the yr it could aim to launch greater than 60 times. It has to this point accomplished 40 launches. Industrial actors have accounted for the opposite 14 orbital launches to this point this yr.