China sends experimental satellites into orbit

China sent several experimental satellites into orbit on Friday afternoon, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation's leading space contractor.

The satellites, in the Space-based Internet Technology Demonstrator series, were transported into their preset orbit by a Long March 2D carrier rocket that blasted off at 2:35 pm from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China's Sichuan province.

The mission was the ninth orbital deployment of satellites in the Space-based Internet Technology Demonstrator series since the first launch took place in July 2023.

One of the satellites aboard the mission was developed and built by GalaxySpace, a Beijing-headquartered private satellite company, and will be used to conduct technical tests for broadband direct-to-cell satellite communication, space-ground network integration and other key technologies.

China plans to construct a mega-constellation with around 13,000 satellites operating in low-Earth orbit to create an internet system with worldwide coverage.

The Long March 2D model, made by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, is propelled by liquid propellants and has a liftoff thrust of 300 metric tons. It is capable of sending a 1.2-ton spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of 700 kilometers.