First Chinese Satellite For Space-Based Broadband Project Launched

On Saturday, the first Chinese satellite for communication was launched for the mission of offering broadband internet services globally. Obviously, the country is trying to compete with Google as well as other international companies.

It is known that the JSCL (Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center) introduced a carrier rocket named Long March 11 to launch this satellite in the area of Northwestern China. It is also the first satellite to be launched in the project named Hongyun, which China Aerospace & Industry Corporation (CASIC) planned.

With the purpose to set up a communication network in space, a project called Hongyun has been carried out since September 2016. This project is expected to offer the connectivity of broadband Internet to global users, especially people who live in areas where fewer services and commodities are available.

According to the report by China Daily, the spacecraft will verify Hongyun satellite's basic designs as well as demonstrate the technologies of broadband communications in the low orbit.

Hongyun satellite

The chief designer of the Hongyun project at CASIC Space Engineering Development Limited Company, Xiang Kaiheng, said that the satellite whose weight is about 247 kilograms will operate a sun-synchronous orbit which is around 1,100 kilometers from the Earth's surface. The satellite will run on solar arrays and it's designed to operate for one year but expected to last longer.

Xiang revealed that four Hongyun satellites in mass production will be launched by CASIC before the end of 2020 after this satellite complete a year of technological demonstration. CASIC aims to set up a network for the trial run of Hongyun.

In addition, CASIC also plans to set up over 150 satellites on orbits which are in the distance of over 1,000 kilometers from the ground in 2023. The network of Hongyun’s satellites is expected to be expanded more and more to meet the demands of the market.

Industry participants across the world have been focused on developing a satellite network that is cheaper and more efficient to offer space-based Internet and communications services.

Many foreign giants in technology like OneWeb, Google, Telesat, and SpaceX have already carried out their plans to offer free access to the Internet through satellites.

In particular, last month, the Space X from the U.S. conducted an experiment on two satellites to test a project named Starlink’s technologies. Accordingly, Elon Musk submits proposals to have almost 12,000 satellites put into orbit in the period of mid-2020s.

SpaceX to launch its satellite

With the same move, the U.S’s OneWeb intends to launch 648 microsatellites to low-Earth orbit by late 2019 although there have been few developments.