China launches internet technology test satellites with Long March 2D
China successfully launched a new batch of test satellites for internet technology.
At 12:00 a.m. (0400 UTC) on April 1, a Long March 2D rocket was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. As the rocket ascended, insulation tiles detached from the payload fairing, with a hypergolic exhaust plume propelling it into the sky.
The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), a state-run rocket manufacturer, confirmed the successful launch and revealed that the payload was a satellite for testing internet technology. Specifically, it is designed for technical trials and verification of direct-to-cell satellite broadband and the integration of space-ground networks. However, SAST did not provide further details or images of the satellite.
Commercial satellite companies Changguang Satellite Technology and Galaxy Space later announced that they each contributed two satellites to the mission. They reiterated the satellite's purpose but offered no additional specifics.
