Caption: The first medium-orbit broadband communication satellite, Wisdom Sky Net 01, was successfully launched in China / Photo by Yang Cheng
May 9th, 9:43 AM, Xinhua Evening News (Reporter: Ye Wei, Correspondents: Pan Ruixue, Yang Li)
At 9:43 AM on May 9th, the Long March 3B carrier rocket successfully lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, sending the Wisdom Sky Net 01 satellite (A/B) into its designated orbit, marking the perfect success of the launch mission.
“Wisdom Sky Net” is a medium-orbit broadband synchronous orbit satellite network solution originally proposed by Tsinghua University. It consists of eight medium-orbit broadband communication network satellites deployed in a 20,000-kilometer-high orbit, forming a global communication constellation. It can be expanded on demand to 16 satellites (two groups), 32 satellites (four groups), and various other coverage networks. Once the constellation is completed, it will provide personalized broadband network services globally without blind spots, and will cooperate with low-orbit satellite Internet and high-orbit satellite Internet to jointly build a unified space-to-earth 6G network, achieving access for various users in all scenarios and domains.
As the first medium-orbit broadband communication satellite in China, the Wisdom Sky Net 01 satellite consists of the technology verification A satellite and the complementary test B satellite. It was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The A satellite is equipped with multi-beam high-speed microwave links, inter-satellite bidirectional laser links, and an onboard digital processing and forwarding platform. The B satellite is equipped with inter-satellite laser link test payloads. It will mainly conduct core technology verifications such as flexible interaction between satellite and ground, inter-satellite information exchange, as well as satellite platform key technology verifications including normal large heat flux dissipation, high-stability continuous yaw attitude control, and low fuel consumption orbit position maintenance, laying the preliminary foundation for the engineering network.
After the launch of 01 satellite, it will conduct technical innovations such as flexible beam switching between satellite and ground, high-speed inter-satellite laser links, and secure network protocols, enabling dynamic beam hopping on-demand services and large-capacity on-board processing and exchange technology experiments, meeting user access on demand, and interconnection of Internet services, ground cellular services, and other interconnected services. After being in orbit, the satellite will also conduct typical scenario application demonstrations such as direct connection of domestic and Antarctic scientific expedition station exploration data and real-time transmission of low-orbit satellite data, laying a solid foundation for building an innovative experimental platform for space networks and exploring industry application models of Wisdom Sky Net.
The Wisdom Sky Net Innovation Project is a major scientific and technological project established by the Shanghai Municipal Government, with Shanghai Qingshen Technology Development Co., Ltd. as the overall leader of the project implementation. The successful launch of the Wisdom Sky Net 01 satellite marks a crucial first step in the comprehensive implementation of the Wisdom Sky Net Innovation Project. Once completed, Wisdom Sky Net will have the advantages of efficient broadband coverage, both satellite-to-earth and inter-satellite communication capabilities, providing personalized broadband network services globally without blind spots, empowering innovative applications such as satellite Internet, space backbone special networks, supporting the construction of space network infrastructure.