China launches test direct-to-device satellites for multiple projects

China conducted a successful satellite launch on May 30, sending four test satellites into orbit using a Long March 2D rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China. The launch, executed by CASC Commercial Rocket Co., occurred at 2:07 p.m. Eastern time (1807 UTC) and marked the latest in a series of Chinese space missions this month. The satellites are designed to test direct broadband connections to mobile phones and integrate space and ground networks, according to CASC. One satellite was developed by CASC itself, potentially for the national Guowang broadband megaconstellation. Another came from the Space Engineering Department of CASIC, a major defense contractor. A third satellite was developed by Landspace’s Hongqing Technology, which previously filed plans with the ITU for a constellation of 10,000 satellites. The launch follows a busy month of Chinese space activity, including the Shenzhou-23 crewed mission to the Tiangong space station on May 24. Earlier in May, China deployed remote sensing satellites and expanded the Qianfan constellation, which now totals 162 satellites. The latest launch also precedes the May 26 deployment of the TJS-24 satellite, designed to test multi-band, high-speed satellite communication technologies. The Long March 2D rocket, provided by CASC’s Shanghai Academy of Space Technology, has a history of over 100 successful launches since its debut in 1992. The mission underscores China’s rapid advancements in satellite internet technology, with ongoing experiments supporting future large-scale constellations and space-based communication systems.