Four satellites in one rocket! Kuaizhou-1 has a good start! Tianmu-1 constellation phase networking is complete!

At 19:20 on January 5, 2024, the Kuaizhou-1A solid-fuel carrier rocket ignited and took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, sending 15 to 18 satellites of the Tianmu-1 occultation detection constellation into the predetermined orbit in a "one rocket, four satellites" manner. The launch mission was a complete success.

At 19:20 on January 5, my country successfully launched the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation 15-18 satellites into space using the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The satellites entered the planned orbit smoothly and the launch mission was a complete success. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Wang Jiangbo)

01 Kuaizhou-1A helps Tianmu-1 complete constellation phase networking

This mission is the first launch of the Kuaizhou-1A rocket in 2024, achieving a good start for China's space launch in 2024. Since March 22, 2023, the Kuaizhou-1A rocket has continuously launched "5 batches of 20 satellites" to send the 03-22 satellites of the Tianmu-1 constellation into the predetermined orbit. This marks the completion of the networking of the Tianmu-1 constellation phase, demonstrating the batch supply capability of the Kuaizhou-1A rocket.

The Kuaizhou-1A rocket that carried out this launch mission is a small solid-fuel carrier rocket launched by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. It mainly provides launch services for 300 kg low-orbit small satellites. It has the characteristics of high flight reliability, high orbit insertion accuracy, short preparation cycle, few support requirements, and low launch cost . This mission is the 30th launch of the Kuaizhou series of carrier rockets.

02 Tianmu-1 constellation: an "observation station" for the global atmospheric environment

The 15 to 18 satellites of the Tianmu-1 constellation were developed by the System Company of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and assembled, integrated and tested by the Space General Department of the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. Their main function is to obtain information on global atmospheric environmental elements . After the constellation is completed, it can realize three-dimensional, integrated business detection of the global ocean, atmosphere and ionosphere all-weather .

After completion, the Tianmu-1 constellation's sun-synchronous orbit business sub-constellation will be able to obtain more than 25,000 atmospheric profiles every day, and will have the operational detection capability to evenly cover the global 300*300 km grid for 6 hours , providing continuous and stable refined meteorological services for China's numerical weather forecasting and users in various industries.

03 The launch process of Tianmu-1 “Stars”

At 13:04 on January 9, 2023, the Ceres-1 Yao-5 carrier rocket was successfully launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and the five satellites on board were smoothly sent into the predetermined orbit. The launch mission was a complete success, including the Tianmu-1 Meteorological Constellation 01/02 satellite.

The Ceres-1 Yao-5 carrier rocket was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Photo by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Wang Jiangbo)

At 17:09 on March 22, 2023, the 03, 04, 05 and 06 satellites of the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation's Xiyong Micro-Electronic Park enterprise in Western (Chongqing) Science City, were successfully launched into space at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center by the Kuaizhou-1A solid carrier rocket in a "four-satellite-in-one-launch" manner.

At 11:20 on July 20, 2023, my country successfully launched the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation 07-10 satellite using the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and the satellite successfully entered the predetermined orbit.

The Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket successfully launched the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation 07-10 satellite into space. Photo by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Wang Jiangbo)

At 09:00 on December 25, 2023, my country successfully launched the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation 11 to 14 satellites using the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and the satellites successfully entered the predetermined orbit.

On December 27, 2023, my country used the Kuaizhou-1A solid-fuel carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to send the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd satellites of the Tianmu-1 occultation detection constellation into the predetermined orbit in a "one-shot four-satellite" manner. At 14:50 on December 27, 2023, my country used the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to successfully launch the 19th to 22nd satellites of the Tianmu-1 meteorological constellation. The satellites successfully entered the predetermined orbit and the launch mission was a complete success.

04 Global Monitoring, Global Forecasting, Global Services

The Tianmu-1 occultation meteorological detection constellation is a low-orbit meteorological satellite system built to serve the strategic needs of "global monitoring, global forecasting, and global services" in the meteorological industry. Relying on Beidou/GNSS remote sensing detection technology, it creatively carries out integrated three-dimensional business detection of ocean-atmosphere-ionosphere, and obtains global sea surface wind field, atmospheric temperature, humidity, pressure profile, electron density profile, sea ice, soil moisture and other environmental factors in real time around the clock, realizing the application demonstration of Beidou/GNSS remote sensing detection technology in the field of meteorological business.

It is expected that the construction of the entire constellation system will be completed in 2025, realizing support services such as high-precision numerical weather forecasts, civil aviation route meteorological services and ocean meteorological navigation, which will strongly support the high-quality development of the commercial aerospace meteorological service industry and serve major national strategies such as the "Belt and Road" initiative.

Comprehensive sources: Xinhua News Agency, Xinhuanet, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation First Academy, Chongqing Daily, CCTV News, CCTV Military, etc.