At morning 10th December 2024 Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration, the Long March 5B Yao-6 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China., On the morning of December 10, 2024 Beijing time, the “Long March 5B” Yao-6 carrier rocket and satellite assembly were vertically transferred from the vertical assembly and test plant to the launch tower on a mobile launch platform, and the launch mission preparations entered the final stage
Long March 5B Yao-6 launch vehicle
The Long March 5B/Long March 5B (CZ-5B) is a large cryogenic liquid carrier rocket developed for China’s manned space station project, used to launch the main module of the space station. The rocket adopts a one-and-a-half-stage series-parallel configuration, consisting of a core stage and four boosters. It is China’s first one-and-a-half-stage configuration rocket.
Schematic diagram of Long March 5B
The Long March 5B rocket is 53.657 meters long, with a core stage diameter of 5 meters and a booster diameter of 3.35 meters. It is equipped with a large fairing with a diameter of 5.2 meters and a length of 20.5 meters. Its takeoff mass is about 849 tons, its takeoff thrust is about 1,078 tons, and its low-Earth orbit (LEO) capacity reaches 25 tons. In Asia, the Long March 5B is the rocket with the strongest low-Earth transport capacity in service.
Long March 5B Yao-6 launch vehicle
Long March 5B Yao-6 launch vehicle
The envelope diameter of the Long March 5B rocket fairing reaches 4.5 meters, and the volume exceeds 345 cubic meters. This is the fairing with the largest diameter, longest length, and largest envelope space in China’s current service, and one of the fairings with the largest envelope space in the world. With large carrying capacity and a “large cargo compartment”, the Long March 5B rocket can also be used with the Yuanzheng 2 upper stage to carry out large-scale multi-satellite launches, supporting China’s giant satellite constellation network. Once launched, the Long March 5B rocket will become the world’s most powerful carrier rocket for giant constellation network launches
It is expected that on the evening of December 15th to 16th, at the 101 launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in China, the Long March 5B Yao-6 carrier rocket/Expedition 2 Yao-2 upper stage will carry out a large-scale multi-satellite launch mission, planning to send the satellites on board into low-Earth orbit.
The payload of this mission comes from the China Star Network Project, which is the China Star Network Low Orbit 01 Group Satellite. China Star Network (SatNet) is a giant satellite constellation in China, including low-orbit and high-orbit satellites, and plans to launch 12,992 satellites. The main body of the China Star Network Low Orbit 01 Group Satellite adopts a trapezoidal design, and its appearance is similar to that of the “One Network” constellation satellite. The constellation satellite using this design needs to be launched using a side-mounted launch based on a central load-bearing cylinder.
Long March 5B Yao-6 launch vehicle
This launch mission will be the fifth launch of the Long March 5B carrier rocket and the 13th launch of the Long March 5 series of rockets. At the same time, this launch will also be the first time that the rocket has carried out an unmanned space launch mission, which will provide a very scarce large carrying capacity for constellation networking.
时空道宇科技 Space Time Daoyu Technology – Zhejiang Spacetime Daoyu Technology Co., Ltd. Zhejiang Spacetime Daoyu Technology Co., Ltd. Geely GeeSpace is Located 10th Floor, Building 1, Xinglian Technology Park, No. 1535 Hongmei Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai Ultra Mega City, China, People’s Republic of China. .. Is a technology innovation enterprise strategically invested by Geely. Founded in 2018, it is committed to becoming a global leading AICT infrastructure and application solution provider. SpaceSpace is a technology innovation company under Geely Holding Group. It was founded in 2018 and is committed to becoming a global leading provider of aerospace information and communication infrastructure and application solutions. SpaceSpace is committed to promoting the commercialization and upgrading of China’s satellite industry chain and the commercialization and application of China’s aerospace technology.
SpaceTime Aerospace focuses on constellation business, satellite manufacturing, and satellite application fields, providing highly competitive, safe and reliable products and services. In the field of satellite manufacturing, through self-developed general-purpose satellite platforms of various scales, as well as low-cost, highly reliable satellites and supply chain products, one-stop in-orbit delivery from satellite development to satellite mass production AIT is achieved. In the field of satellite applications, SpaceTime Aerospace provides global medium- and low-speed satellite communication services, satellite-based high-precision positioning services, and satellite remote sensing AI services through future travel constellations and its own ground systems. It deeply integrates aerospace technology with automobile manufacturing, future travel, and artificial intelligence, and cooperates with ecological partners in an open manner to continuously create value for customers and build a new generation of aerospace digital economy.
Through the construction of the future travel constellation, Spacetime Daoyu will create a “future travel” ecosystem with full coverage, combining multi-dimensional carriers such as automobiles and consumer electronics products to empower smart travel, unmanned systems, smart cities and other fields, and create a future travel technology ecosystem.
Host: Mr. Wang, this satellite on the screen is your target, right?
Wang Yang: Yes. What we are doing is to send satellites into space and build a global low-orbit communication constellation. We are currently launching 72 satellites into a 600-kilometer low-altitude orbit. After these 72 satellites are deployed, they can provide satellite network signal coverage anywhere in the world except the North and South Poles.
Host: What is the difference between this low-orbit satellite and an ordinary satellite?
Wang Yang: For example, the live broadcast signals of the current Paris Olympics are generally transmitted via high-orbit satellites. From the surface of the earth, there is a geosynchronous orbit about 36,000 kilometers above the earth, and three high-orbit satellites can cover the entire surface of the earth. However, with the development of technology, we have found that satellites can play a greater role in the low-orbit area of 300 to more than 1,000 kilometers. For example, it may take 240 milliseconds of delay to communicate with a high-orbit satellite, but it only takes 20 milliseconds to communicate with a low-orbit satellite. The overall transmission efficiency and delay of a low-orbit satellite are even better than those of ground optical fibers. At the same time, it can cover places that our ground base stations cannot cover.
Host: Mr. Wang, you just said that three high-orbit satellites can cover the world, so is it necessary for us to build 72 (low-orbit satellites)?
Wang Yang: It is precisely because the cost of high-orbit satellites is too high. We need at least 1 billion RMB to build a high-orbit satellite, and its launch cost is also very expensive. If it is a low-orbit satellite, its price will drop by one or two orders of magnitude, and it is safer. The failure of any satellite will not affect the reliability of the entire communication. The capacity of low-orbit satellites will be larger and the speed will be faster. One of the problems we often encountered before is that the human ground network is so perfect, with optical fiber, base stations, and core networks. The ground network it has established can even provide network signals at the base camp in the Himalayas. But the real situation is that 94% of the world has no signal coverage. In the world, our understanding of the blue planet is still far from enough.
Host: Is it worth it for us to spend money to provide radio signals to places where there are not many people?
Wang Yang: This should be an inevitable trend. Humans will continue to expand the boundaries of space, such as conquering uninhabited areas, and even going beyond the Earth to travel to the stars. With satellites, whether our friends are in the desert, on the island farthest from the mainland, or even traveling in the future, our mobile phones, cars, and aircraft can all be connected to data everywhere.
Host: When will we be able to achieve the goal of launching 72 satellites?
Wang Yang: We should be able to complete the deployment of 72 satellites in about 12 months. (After the deployment of the third-orbit satellite is completed) we will provide commercial services to the world. In fact, we have reached a stage where applications are being put into practice.
Host: (Compared to the long cycle of other future industries) Yours only takes one year?
Wang Yang: Actually not. We have experienced 10 years of continuous entrepreneurship, and most of our team members have accumulated nearly 20 years of experience in the entire aerospace field.
Host: Do you have any longer-term goals?
Wang Yang: In the second phase, we will focus on the establishment of a low-orbit communication constellation of 300 satellites. The low-orbit space is already very crowded, with more than 6,000 Starlink satellites operating at 300 to 500 kilometers, so it is urgent to occupy the frequency and orbit positions in the entire space.
Host: We have the impression that artificial satellite technology is relatively mature. Are there any scientific shortcomings in your field that need to be addressed?
Wang Yang: In fact, aerospace itself is a system engineering, not a theoretical study. For example, the theoretical system of all the aircraft designs we are involved in now was very complete 100 years ago, and the current engineering cycle is just different.
Host: If you want to widen the gap with your peers, do you need to build a moat in certain areas?
Wang Yang: This is indeed necessary. We have established our own moat in the layout of the industrial chain of commercial aerospace and the commercialization of the landing. The landing of large-scale commercial applications has always been a difficulty in the development of commercial aerospace companies. We have taken the lead in achieving breakthroughs in this regard. I brought a self-developed satellite communication chip, which uses the industry-leading 22nm process. This chip is actually used in our current mobile phones. We have launched a constellation of low-orbit communication satellites for satellite communications. How do we use it on the ground and how do we demodulate our signals? We will implant this 4mm chip into existing mobile phones, and use the mobile phone antenna to transmit satellite data.
Host: It sounds like our goals are very ambitious. Can other industries or other supporting facilities keep up? Are they too advanced?
Wang Yang: I think what we are doing now is actually achievable based on China’s entire industrial foundation. Our team used to have many people from the national team, as well as some experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At the beginning of the business, we repeatedly reminded ourselves that the probability of scientists dying in entrepreneurship is extremely high, and it may even be a disaster to some extent. Therefore, when we consider the entire business rhythm, it must be consistent with the underlying logic of commercialization.
Back to the information and communication industry, it is actually very clear. Since the beginning of 2000, the 3G era has come, and at that time we had mobile Internet. In the last decade, the 4G era came, and we have the current digital economy era. So what is this decade? We see China’s 5G and the United States’ Starlink. The information and communication industry will definitely be able to achieve full coverage from 5G to 6G, meeting all our human travel requirements from the surface to low altitude and then to space. Of course, I think 8G should be the era of interstellar immigration. We will have network signals all the way from here to Mars, and it will become a reality.
Moderator: Capital participation requires a valuation and calculation. Can you give us a calculation for the field you are engaged in? How much money do you think it will cost based on the future development potential and the technology we have invested in?
Wang Yang: We have invested billions in research and development in the past six years. In our industry, whether it is a rocket company, a satellite company, or now a more advanced constellation networking company, its valuation will definitely exceed 10 billion.
Host: Regarding policies, what kind of policy soil is needed to plan for future industries?
Wang Yang: Considering the characteristics of low-orbit communication constellations in commercial aerospace, I think we should encourage the globalization of China’s commercial aerospace in the foreign trade sector, that is, the “going global” of the entire technology products and services. We look forward to the introduction of some national standards in this regard. We used to study some Western industry-university-research behaviors. In China’s system, from districts, cities, provinces to the country, the entire industrial policy support and innovation encouragement for each industry are very complete, but in fact, the real technology will eventually fall on commercial realization. This should be the government holding the baton, and then through the market economy, that is, the role of leading enterprises, to drive the innovation of engineering and original technology. This is actually a logical cycle. If we only mention one end, this matter will definitely be biased.
Host: What will our lives be like when this field develops to a mature stage?
Wang Yang: Let me make a creative summary. I believe that humans will always have the need to communicate with the outside world in the social system, so the implementation of all technologies and engineering around human communication will continue to develop iteratively. Like what we are doing in aerospace now, no matter where humans are now or where humans will explore in the future, we will ensure that there is network connection and communication methods. This is my wish.
On the 1st August 2024 schedule to launch CNSA _China National Space Administration -China – People’s Republic of China 2114 Hours Hong Kong –Beijing Time China- People’s Republic of China…. at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province….. at the No. 2 site of the Xichang Launch Center in China, the “Long March 3B” carrier rocket carrying the Satellite Internet High-orbit Satellite 02 was ignited and launched, and the satellite was sent to the geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
The “passenger” of this mission, Satellite Internet High-orbit Satellite 02, was developed by the 5th Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and is the successor to Satellite Internet High-orbit Satellite 01.
The Long March 3B is a medium-sized liquid carrier rocket developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, with a three-and-a-half-stage configuration. At present, the Long March 3B is in use in the enhanced version (CZ-3B/E), of which the modified version (CZ-3B/G2) is the most powerful model. The modified version 2 rocket is 56.326 meters long, with a maximum core stage diameter of 3.35 meters, a takeoff mass of 458.97 tons, and a maximum capacity of 5.55 tons for a standard geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). This launch mission was launched during the rainy season in Xichang. Based on the various waterproof designs of the rocket, the model team made full use of multiple protections such as anti-condensation air conditioning and moisture-proof sand, and took waterproof and moisture-proof measures.
This mission is the 97th launch of the Long March 3B rocket. Since the successful launch of the Long March 3B Yao 68 (68th) on June 23, 2020, the rocket has achieved 30 consecutive victories. In 2024, the Long March 3A series of rockets will once again enter a high-density launch period. So far this year, the Long March 3B has carried out 4 launch missions.
This launch is the 10th launch from the Xichang Launch Center in 2024, the 34th launch in China and the 138th launch in the world. At the same time, this launch is also the 529th launch of the “Long March” series of rockets.
[APSTAR6E Aptema Satellite 6E successfully positioned at 134° east longitude]
On the 10 July 2024 Wednesday Asia-Pacific Satellite News; the Asia-Pacific 6E satellite was successfully positioned at 134° east longitude and is ready for business. The satellite will co-orbit with the Asia-Pacific 6C and Asia-Pacific 6D satellites.
The Asia-Pacific 6E satellite is a geostationary orbit satellite built on the DFH-3E platform. It was purchased by Asia-Pacific Satellite Corporation’s joint venture Asia-Pacific Starlink Satellite Co., Ltd., and Asia-Pacific Satellite Corporation provides operational technical support. The satellite was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on January 13, 2023. After launch, it completed the orbit change of the assembly to the intermediate orbit, and then relied on the satellite’s ion and Hall electric propulsion systems to carry out orbit raising operations and finally reach the synchronous orbit
Asia-Pacific 6E is my country’s first fully electric propulsion communications satellite, equipped with 25 Ku user beams and 3 Ka gateway beams, with a communication capacity of approximately 30 Gbps.
On the 13TH January 2023 in CNSA _China National Space Administration -China – People’s Republic of China At 0210 hours Hong Kong –Beijing Time China- People’s Republic of China launch the Chang Zheng – Long march 2C Carrier Rocket launching from station form Xichang Satellite Launch Center Sichuan Province…..Deploying the Asia Pacific 6E – APSTAR 6E Communications Satellite ..
The Asia Pacific 6E – APSTAR 6E Satellite this is the first time that China, People’s Republic of China has launched an all-electric high-throughput communication satellite. First, the carrier rocket sends the combination of the satellite and the propulsion module into low-earth orbit, and then the satellite controls the DFH-3E propulsion module to send the satellite to the designated orbit. Then separate from the satellite. In the follow-up, the satellite will rely on its own LIPS-200 electric propulsion system, and after 10 months of orbital ascension, it will finally enter the GEO fixed point….implement the Asia-Pacific 6E communication satellite launch mission at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at around 2:11 am on January 13 (the first star of the Dongfanghong-3 E platform APSTAR 6E satellite will provide high-speed and convenient high-throughput broadband communication services for Southeast Asia, effectively filling the gap in the broadband communication market in Southeast Asia. The rockets and satellites used in this launch were all developed by China Airlines. This is the 460th launch of the Long March series of launch vehicle
The first communication satellite launched by the Chang Zheng Long March 2C, with a launch weight of 4.3 tons The Asia Pacific 6E launch mission is the first time that the Chang Zheng Long March 2C Carrier rocket is used to launch a communication satellite, and the total weight of the launched payload reaches an unprecedented 4.3 tons (satellite + propulsion module)! This is the heaviest satellite ever launched into orbit by the Chang Zheng-Long March 2C rocket.
In order to meet the mission requirements, the development team specially developed an integrated satellite adapter, which achieved a weight reduction of more than 20%, and further improved the rocket’s existing carrying capacity. ….. At the same time, in this mission, the development team carried out multi-dimensional special research: narrowed the range of the rocket wreckage landing area; improved the rocket attitude stability and control accuracy.
On the 9th May 2024 in CNSA _China National Space Administration -China – People’s Republic of China 0943 hours Hong Kong –Beijing Time China- People’s Republic of China launch the Chang Zheng Long March 3B carrier rocket successfully launched the “Smart Skynet-1” 01A and 01B double stars ignited and took off at the No. 2 station of the Xichang Launch Site, sending the double star combination to the medium-Earth transfer Orbital (MTO). Satellite at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center
Smart Skynet 1″ 01A and 01B satellites were developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute). They are my country’s first medium-orbit broadband communication satellite group, including the technology verification satellite A and the test satellite B. Star A is equipped with a multi-beam high-speed microwave link, an inter-satellite two-way laser link and an onboard digital processing and forwarding platform; Satellite B is equipped with an inter-satellite laser link trial load, and the dual satellites in orbit mainly carry out flexible exchange of satellite-ground and inter-satellite information. Core technology verification; carry out verification of key satellite platform technologies such as normal large heat flux density heat dissipation, high-stable continuous yaw manoeuvre attitude control, and low fuel consumption orbit position maintenance correction.
The “Smart Skynet” communication satellite constellation is a medium-orbit pan-synchronous orbit space-based network solution originally proposed by Tsinghua University. It is composed of 8 medium-orbit broadband communication network satellites and is deployed in a medium-earth orbit (MEO) with an altitude of 20,000 kilometers. ), forming a communication constellation covering the world, and can be expanded to 16 satellites (two groups), 32 satellites (four groups) and other coverage networks as needed. After the constellation is completed, it can jointly build a unified space-based 6G network with low-orbit satellite Internet and high-orbit satellite Internet.
“Smart Skynet” is a medium-orbit pan-synchronous orbit space-based network solution originally proposed by Tsinghua University. It takes 8 medium-orbit broadband communication network satellites as a group, deployed at 20,000 km altitude, forming a global communications constellation, and can be expanded to 16 satellite (two sets) and 32 satellite (four sets) as needed.
After the completion of the constellation, it will realize a personalized broadband network service without blind spot coverage worldwide, and can jointly build a unified space 6G network with low-orbit satellite Internet and high-orbit satellite Internet, realizing the access of all kinds of users in the whole scene and the whole area.
Smart Skynet No.1 01 satellite as China’s first medium-orbit broadband communication satellite, including A-star for technical verification and test B-satellite, was developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. Shanghai Institute of Space Technology. A-satellite is equipped with multi-beam high-speed microwave link, inter-star bi-directional laser link and on-board digital processing forwarding platform. B-satellite is equipped with inter-star laser link test load. In orbit, it mainly carries out the core technology verification of star-ground and inter-stellar information flexible interaction. It carries out key technology verification of satellite platforms such as normal large heat flow density heat dissipation, high stable continuous yaw motor posture control, and low fuel consumption track position maintenance correction.
After the launch of Smart Skynet 1 01 satellite, it will carry out dynamic beam hopping on-demand service, high-speed laser link, and secure network protocol through technological innovations such as dynamic beam hopping, high-speed laser link, and secure network protocol. It will meet users’ casual access, Internet business, ground cell business, etc.
After operating in orbit, the satellite will also carry out typical scene application demonstrations such as direct connection of national and Antarctic scientific research stations and real-time return of low-orbit satellite data, laying a solid foundation for building an innovative experimental platform for space network and exploring the application model of smart skynet industry.
Chang Zheng – Long March 3B Carrier Rocket is a medium-sized liquid launch vehicle developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology). It adopts a three-stage and semi-configuration, consisting of a booster, a core first stage, a core second stage, and a core third stage. In addition to the core three-stage main power which uses hydrogen-oxygen propellant, the other stages’ main power uses dinitrogen tetroxide/uniform dimethylhydrazine propellant. The arrows currently in use are enhanced types, including Type 2 (G2), Type 3 (G3), Type 3Z and Type 5 (G5). The rocket is mainly used for medium- This “Chang Zheng – Long March 3B” Carrier rocket adopts the Ka-band space-based measurement subsystem for the first time. Compared with the previous S-band system, the transmission rate is significantly improved. Starting from this launch, the “Chang Sanjia” series of rockets entered a new round of high-density launches. to-high Earth orbit and deep space launch missions, with a medium-Earth transfer orbit capacity of more than 4.3 tons.
This launch is the second launch of the “Chang 3B” rocket in 2024, the seventh launch from the Xichang Launch Site, the 21st launch in China, and the 88th launch in the world. So far, China Aerospace has carried out 3 space launches into orbit in the first 9 days of May, with an average density higher than 1 launch/3 days.
