On the 24th at 15:56, China’s Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center successfully launched the sixth satellite of the Geely constellation using the Kuaizhou-3 rocket in the sea near Rizhao, Shandong. A total of 12 satellites entered their designated orbits, and all satellite statuses are normal. With this launch, the first phase of the Geely constellation network is complete, achieving real-time communication coverage for any location on the global surface except for the polar regions. The constellation system has a communication capacity of 340 million times per day, providing satellite IoT services to 20 million users worldwide. As a result, the number of operational satellites designed and developed by the Shanghai Research Institute of Space-Time Path has increased to 64.
The sixth satellite of the Geely constellation launched in the sea near Rizhao.
With the development of low-earth orbit satellite communication technology, satellite IoT has become an important information infrastructure supporting new industrialization and digital transformation. In areas where ground networks are difficult to cover, such as oceans, mountains, and deserts, low-earth orbit constellations have unique advantages. Internationally, constellations like Iridium Next are widely used in marine fisheries, smart agriculture, and energy management. Domestically, private low-earth orbit constellations represented by the Geely constellation are building a globally covered communication network, promoting breakthroughs in China’s satellite IoT communication field.
Since 2022, Space-Time Path has completed the launch of six satellites. The satellite design and development for this constellation system project is undertaken by the Shanghai team, with mass production manufacturing taking place at the Taizhou satellite super factory, and the satellite control and constellation operation team based in Qingdao. The Geely constellation offers stable and reliable communication performance, with a single communication capacity of 1900 bytes, supporting text messages, voice messages, and image transmission types. In terms of anti-jamming capabilities, the constellation payload and terminals are equipped with a fully self-developed adaptive anti-jamming algorithm, providing a strong anti-jamming capability of 50dB to ensure the security of communication information.
Kuaizhou-3 rocket
This commercial aerospace company has over 200 people in its Shanghai research institute, gathering teams for constellation system design verification, self-developed payload platforms, measurement and control teams, and international business departments. It also undertakes the development of satellite communication chips and various module terminals, covering key R&D links from constellation design and development to service applications.
“Shanghai has national aerospace research institutes and gathers many emerging commercial aerospace companies,” said Wang Yang, founder and CEO of Space-Time Path. In the Yangtze River Delta region, a complete supporting ecosystem covering materials, electronic components, and precision manufacturing has formed. “On the other hand, we rely on Shanghai’s strong foundation in information communication, chip design, and the internet industry to deeply integrate satellite communication with ground communication systems, promoting more application innovations.”
Currently, domestic users can use Space-Time Path’s self-developed vehicle-mounted satellite communication technology services in several domestic vehicle models. In the absence of ground networks or during ground network interruptions, users can connect to satellites through satellite communication software on the vehicle’s large screen to communicate with the outside world and report their location. This service provides the public with a sense of “never losing contact” for safety, suitable for scenarios without ground network coverage, such as remote areas and mountains.
Several domestic vehicle models provide vehicle-mounted satellite communication technology services.
This commercial aerospace company has collaborated with leading enterprises such as China Unicom, Zoomlion, and Geely Automobile to promote the integration and innovation of “satellite IoT + industry,” completing commercial verification tests in multiple industry scenarios, facilitating the cross-integration of satellite IoT with industrial internet, vehicle networking, and low-altitude intelligent networking, among other new generation information infrastructures.
With the completion of the first phase of the Geely constellation network, Space-Time Path is accelerating its global business layout, focusing on coverage in regions such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It has established cooperative relationships with telecom operators in over 20 countries, promoting the implementation of projects in smart cities, marine fisheries, emergency communications, and energy sectors.
Low-earth orbit satellite constellations can provide IoT communication services for ocean-going cargo ships.
In Malaysia, Space-Time Path has established a joint venture with local operator ALTEL to promote the application of satellite communication in multiple fields; in the Middle East, in collaboration with Oman’s Azyan Telecom, it will first provide stable satellite communication services for local fishing boats, and cooperation with Saudi ATSS is advancing technical verification and commercial deployment; in Africa, Space-Time Path is partnering with Morocco’s Soremar to assist in the digital transformation and marine economic development in North Africa; in South America, through collaboration with Argentina’s Orbith, it is exploring the integrated application of high and low earth orbit satellites while expanding regional markets.
In the future, as the constellation continues to be built and applications expand, Shanghai will play an important role as an international cooperation window, providing solid support for global digital transformation and intelligent interconnectivity in multinational cooperation.
Source: Shangguan News
