China launches 10 satellites for global communication network

ISTANBUL

China launched a Long March-6 carrier rocket early Friday carrying 10 commercial satellites for Geespace, the space subsidiary of Chinese automotive giant Geely.

The launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China’s Shanxi Province at 2.30 a.m. Beijing time (1830GMT Thursday) marked the 534th mission for the Long March carrier rocket series, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The satellites, part of the Geely Future Mobility Constellation, entered their designated orbits, expanding the network to 30 satellites, the company said in a statement.

The deployment provides 24/7 communication coverage to 90% of the world, making Geespace the first Chinese commercial aerospace company to offer global low Earth orbit satellite communication services, it added.

The project, initiated in 2019, has marked significant progress with three successful launches in 2022 and 2024.

The Long March-6, also known as Chang Zheng-6, is a small-lift launch vehicle designed for satellites under 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds), comparable to the European Space Agency's Vega and Russia's Angara-1 launch vehicles.

The launch comes amid recent claims by US Space Command of debris from a previous Long March rocket detected in low-Earth orbit.

The project aims to complete its first phase by 2025, ensuring global coverage for vehicle-to-everything connectivity services.