HELSINKI — China conducted a new launch for a nebulous series of internet technology test satellites early Tuesday.
A Long March 2D rocket lifted off at 12:00 a.m. (0400 UTC) April 1 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. Insulation tiles fell away from the payload fairing as the rocket climbed into a clear blue sky, propelled by a hypergolic exhaust plume.
The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), a state-owned rocket maker, announced the success of the launch, revealing the payload to be a satellite Internet technology test satellite (wexing hulianwang jishu shiyan weixing).
The satellite will be used mainly for technical tests and verification for direct-to-cell satellite broadband and space-ground network integration, according to SAST. It did not provide further details nor images of the satellite.
The Radio Management Bureau of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) reported that the launch carried four internet satellite test satellites, designated 0001-0004, carrying Ka and other frequency band payloads.
Commercial satellite manufacturers and operators Changguang Satellite Technology and Galaxy Space later confirmed they each provided a pair of satellites for the launch. No details of the satellites were provided beyond reiterating a brief description of their uses.
Satellite Internet test program
It is China’s sixth “satellite Internet technology test satellite” launch, following a first mission in July 2023, using a Long March 2C and a YZ-1 upper stage, and a previous mission using the new Long March 12 rocket in November 2024. The missions have used a range of launch vehicles and carried 1-3 satellites each. Authorities have published only short descriptions and no images of the satellites. Development of a number of these has been attributed to the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a major state-owned spacecraft maker.
China is already pressing ahead with two low Earth orbit megaconstellations, Guowang and Qianfan/Thousand Sails, yet the satellite Internet technology test satellite missions are continuing. These could be unrelated, or be pathfinders for new generations of satellites for these projects, and test systems such as propulsion, power, thermal control and phased array antennas.
Additionally, China launched three separate “high orbit” internet satellites across three launches in 2024, with the satellites operating in geostationary orbit. As with the low Earth orbit satellites, little is known about the spacecraft. The lack of publicly available information raises speculation about its potential uses, which observers speculate could include military or dual-use applications.
The missions add to China’s overall communications space infrastructure, as it seeks to ensure sovereign access to space-based internet services without relying on foreign infrastructure. China’s government added “satellite internet” to a list of priority “new infrastructures” back in 2020.
Its communications projects include Guowang and Thousand Sails/Qianfan, medium Earth orbit satellites, and ChinaSat and Apstar satellites in GEO. China is also planning a space infrastructure system that would integrate communications with navigation and positioning and remote sensing.
2025 launch progress
Tuesday’s mission was China’s 17th orbital launch of 2025, following the launch of the classified TJS-16 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit March 29 via a Long March 7A rocket.
China could be targeting 100 or more launches in 2025, driven by growing commercial activity, megaconstellation projects, and new launcher development. A number of new, medium-lift and potentially reusable rockets are targeting debut flights this year.
Highlight missions will include the Shenzhou-20 and 21 human spaceflight missions to Tiangong. The Tianwen-2 near-Earth asteroid sample return mission is expected to launch from Xichang on a Long March 3B rocket around May.
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Article edited at 9:27 a.m. Eastern to add information on the manufacturers of the four satellite.