SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Chesnot/Getty Images
A Chinese rocket launched a constellation of communications satellites made by one of the country’s biggest automakers, boosting China’s efforts to catch up to low-Earth orbit, an area dominated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
According to a report on state broadcaster CCTV, 11 satellites made by GSpace, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, were launched aboard a Long March CZ-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province at 7:37 a.m. local time on Saturday. Ta.
This is GSpace’s long-awaited second launch, following the first batch of nine satellites it sent into orbit in mid-2022.
Geespace deploys a satellite network some 600 kilometers (373 miles) above Earth that it hopes will one day be able to link with self-driving cars and support Geely’s other capabilities. The company also hopes to be able to provide links to consumer electronics products. As competition in China’s auto market intensifies and space infrastructure improves, satellite communications is also becoming a key selling point for consumers.
“Right now, I may have the satellite capability, but you don’t,” GSpace CEO Tony Wang said in an interview with Bloomberg News before the launch. Ta. “But in the future, everyone will have this capability and it will be in every car.”
Wang mentioned two smartphones from Huawei’s Mate series that support satellite dialing and also connect to China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system. Geespace’s satellite communication is currently available on several EVs from the Geely Group, including the Zeekr 001 FR and 007, and the Galaxy E8.
China has made significant progress in developing its space program, including landing on Mars and the far side of the moon, with plans to “rapidly establish” a “giant” constellation in low Earth orbit, Global Times late reported. . December.
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But state-owned companies have so far been slow to build a presence in low-Earth orbit, and Geely Automobile’s subsidiary is one of the only private companies attempting to operate satellites there. SpaceX operates more than 5,300 of his satellites in low Earth orbit and continues to launch dozens more every month.
This weekend’s launch comes more than 18 months after Geespace deployed its first batch of satellites. The company faces a tight schedule if it wants to meet its goal of deploying the first phase of 72 satellites by next year.
“To establish this satellite constellation, we need to develop the network and ground infrastructure, and also advance the commercialization of cloud services,” Wang said. “It’s a lot of pressure.”
The group’s billionaire founder and chairman Li Shufu owns almost 10% of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, while Geely also owns stakes in other foreign automakers such as Volvo AB and Lotus Technology. Owned. Mr. Li also chose the Chinese name for G-Space. time and space.
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Geely was China’s third-largest car exporter last year after SAIC Motor and Chery Automobile. GSpace plans to someday offer its services on a global scale, Wang said. And Antarctica. ”
In 2021, GSpace completed construction of a factory in Taizhou, eastern China, capable of producing 500 satellites a year. Wang said the company has sold dozens of these satellites to Chinese startups, universities and other space companies.
“The next competition for the EV sector will be autonomous driving and Internet of Things services. Communication infrastructure is also transitioning from 5G to 6G. One of its key features is the widespread use of satellite communications and navigation networks. “,” Wang said. “We believe the demand and size of this market will soon reach an inflection point.”