The Chinese space agency has launched 4 new satellites into orbit, including a commercial satellite to track near-Earth asteroids. These satellites were sent into space aboard a Long March 2D rocket that took off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China on Jun 10.
The launch was also carrying the Yangwang-1 spacecraft for Chinese space resources company Origin Space. It is touted as the country’s first optical space telescope. It features a wide field of view and collects visible and ultraviolet light to hunt near-Earth asteroids.
Origin Space aims to leverage Yangwang-1’s abilities to create a “treasure map” of potential resources in space. The firm’s NEO-1 satellite was launched in April to collect and release a small target to simulate capturing small pieces of space rocks, and the space company is also planning to launch its predecessor NEO-2.
New remote-sensing satellites launched
The other three satellites that were sent into orbit are dubbed Beijing-3, Hisea-2, and TKSY01-TJ. Beijing-3 is a remote-sensing satellite that will be handled by a commercial space company called Twenty First Century Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd (21AT).
According to Chinese state media, Beijing-3 will primarily be used for delivering data for resource surveys, monitoring ecological environment, fine urban management, and disaster management. The satellite was developed by a subsidiary of the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
Hisea-2, on the other hand, is an optical satellite that will be used for marine ecological environment observations for Xiamen University. It was developed by another subsidiary of CAST called Beijing-based DFH Satellite Co., Ltd.
China’s 17th orbital mission
Lastly, TKSY01-TJ is also a remote-sensing satellite built for the Space Engineering University, which is said to be attached to the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF). The satellite is believed to be used by universities for training on in-orbit services.
All the satellites that were launched have their orbits close to the poles, having an average altitude of 308 miles (495 kilometers), as per U.S. space tracking data. This was the country’s 17th orbital launch of 2021. China now has plans to ferry astronauts to its Tianhe space station. The mission will use the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, as per airspace closure notices.
