China has achieved a significant milestone by successfully launching a state-of-the-art satellite designed to test cutting-edge internet technologies. The launch took place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China
According to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the nation’s leading space contractor, three experimental satellites were launched on Saturday morning as part of the Space-based Internet Technology Demonstrator series.
The satellites were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing and were launched into their predetermined orbit by a Long March 2C carrier rocket. The rocket lifted off at 8:13 a.m. from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. This mission marked the fourth orbital deployment of satellites in the Space-based Internet Technology Demonstrator series, following previous launches in July, November, and December.
The Long March 2C rocket, a product of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing, is 43 meters long, 3.35 meters wide, and has a liftoff weight of 242.5 metric tons. It is primarily used for deploying satellites to low-Earth and sun-synchronous orbits.
Both the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology are subsidiaries of the state-owned conglomerate, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. This mission is reported to have fulfilled China’s annual space launch plan for 2023.
In 2023, China conducted a total of 67 rocket launches, with 47 of them executed by the Long March rocket family, the primary launch vehicle fleet in the country. This launch marked the 48th successful flight mission in 2023 for rockets developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which has deployed over 130 spacecraft into scheduled orbits during the year.
Notably, 12 rockets built by private Chinese companies were used to launch satellites in 2023, indicating the increasing role of private entities in China’s space sector.