Are there any small satellites with the same name as your hometown? What are the secrets of naming small satellites after places?

In recent years, Jilin-1, Beijing-3 and other small satellites have been launched frequently. They have one thing in common, which is that they are named after places. Satellites named after places are an important part of my country's civil and commercial satellites. The special nature of their names leaves a deep impression on people. By reviewing the development of satellites named after places, we can find many interesting characteristics.

Yunyang Town, Shaanxi Province, photographed by Jilin-1 satellite

Multi-party promotion and rapid development

"Beijing No. 1" is the earliest satellite named after a place in my country. It has a strong background and advanced performance, which fully reflects the important position of the capital. "Beijing No. 1" is a research result jointly supported by the National "Tenth Five-Year Plan" Science and Technology Research Program and the High-Tech Research and Development Program (863 Program), and is also listed as a major project of the "Beijing Digital Project" and the "Olympic Science and Technology (2008) Action Plan".

Beijing-1 is also the first earth observation satellite project in my country implemented and operated by an enterprise. The development, launch and operation system are all organized and operated by market mechanisms. On October 27, 2005, the satellite was launched into space and began to provide high-quality services for Beijing's urban planning, ecological environment monitoring, major engineering monitoring, and land use monitoring. It also played an important role in the 2008 Olympic Games and the Wenchuan earthquake rescue operation.

With the exploration and practice of the commercial operation mechanism of "Beijing-1", in November 2014, the State Council issued the "Guiding Opinions on Innovating Investment and Financing Mechanisms in Key Areas to Encourage Social Investment", encouraging private capital to develop, launch and operate commercial remote sensing satellites and provide market-oriented and professional services.

With policy guidance and the rapid development of small satellite technology, high-performance aerospace materials, processes and electronic components have gradually matured, and the threshold for small satellite development has been greatly lowered. Scientific research institutions represented by Tsinghua University, Harbin Institute of Technology, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have taken action and invested in satellite development, mainly carrying out scientific experiments and detection research; private aerospace companies such as Tianyi Research Institute, Changguang Satellite, and Jiutian Microstar have been established to engage in the development and operation of remote sensing, communication, and experimental small satellites.

Considering the high-tech attributes and independent innovation characteristics of aerospace technology, many local governments regard the aerospace industry as one of the important directions for local industrial upgrading. They support the settlement of private aerospace enterprises and provide financial and supporting support, hoping to drive the transformation of the manufacturing industry by developing aerospace manufacturing, satellite operations, application services and other businesses.

Driven by various parties, my country's commercial and civilian small satellites have developed very rapidly, among which small satellites named after places have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. In 2015, nine small satellites named after places, including "Beijing No. 2", "Jilin No. 1", "Lvliang No. 1" and "Pujiang No. 1", were launched, covering optical remote sensing and scientific exploration. In the following years, satellites named after provinces, cities and districts, such as "Lishui No. 1", "Zhuhai No. 1", "Guiyang No. 1", "Huai'an No. 1", "Tongchuan No. 1", "Jiading No. 1", "Xiangjiang New District No. 1", "Qilu No. 1" and "Inner Mongolia No. 1", were launched one after another. According to incomplete statistics, 16, 13 and 12 satellites named after places were launched in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively, which also boosted the small satellite craze.

In the past five years, more than 60 small satellites with more than 20 place names have been launched into space. Their weight basically ranges from a few kilograms to tens of kilograms. They are mainly remote sensing, communication, technical experiment, detection and science popularization satellites. They play a role in natural resource surveys, urban construction, ocean monitoring, agricultural production, scientific experiments, astronomical observations and even lunar exploration, becoming a unique landscape in my country's civil space infrastructure.

Message for development and greetings

Among the satellites named after place names, the levels of naming are different, the development units are different, and the origins of the names are also quite different.

Satellites named after provincial places include "Beijing", "Jilin", "Inner Mongolia", "Qilu", "Ningxia", "Hainan", etc. These satellites are generally related to the province's development initiatives to promote industrial upgrading, economic development, and the construction of an information society. They are mainly remote sensing satellites, providing adaptive and personalized space-based information services based on application needs, and providing support for various public service fields.

For example, the "Beijing" series of satellites pioneered the local government's control over satellites and commercial operations, providing fast and dynamic information for Beijing's resource surveys, urban construction planning, ecological environment, disaster monitoring, agricultural management, etc., providing a basis for government decision-making and directly serving the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Inner Mongolia No. 1" was jointly developed by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Government and Chang Guang Satellite Company under a strategic cooperation framework agreement. It aims to strengthen the autonomous region's ecological governance capabilities and system construction through satellite remote sensing, and promote high-quality development in the autonomous region.

Inner Mongolia Satellite No. 1

In the "14th Five-Year Plan", Shandong Province proposed to implement major digital infrastructure projects such as the low-orbit satellite navigation enhancement project, the low-altitude surveillance service network, and the integrated space-ground information network project. The "Qilu" series of satellites are an important measure for Shandong to explore aerospace information construction.

The "Hainan-1" satellite development project has been included in Hainan Province's major scientific and technological plans. It is an important project in response to the country's "Belt and Road" initiative and the long-term plan to build a strong maritime province.

Satellites named after prefecture-level cities include "Zhuhai No. 1", "Foshan No. 1", "Guiyang No. 1", "Huai'an No. 1", Enlai Satellite, "Tongchuan No. 1", "Jiading No. 1", "Changsha High-tech", etc. Satellites named after regions include "Xiangjiang New District No. 1", "Huairou No. 1", "Pujiang No. 1", etc. There are also satellites named after specific places such as "Xibaipo No. 1" and "Luojia No. 1".

The naming of this type of satellite is partly because commercial aerospace companies have received strong support from local governments. To pay tribute and express gratitude, aerospace companies use local place names when developing scientific experiment and technology verification satellites. For example, Tianyi Research Institute settled in Xiangjiang New District, Hunan Province, and named its technology test satellite "Xiangjiang New District Number". To express gratitude to the Jiading District Government, Shanghai Oukewei Aerospace Company named the first satellite of the low-orbit commercial communication satellite constellation "Xiangyun" "Jiading No. 1".

Many universities have named their scientific exploration and experimental satellites after places to convey their meanings. For example, Wuhan University is located on Luojia Mountain, and Wuhan University students call themselves Luojia students. The world's first night-light remote sensing satellite developed by Wuhan University is also named "Luojia No. 1". Heilongjiang gave birth to Harbin Institute of Technology, a century-old aerospace school. Harbin Institute of Technology named the lunar orbit formation ultra-long wave astronomical observation microsatellites it developed "Longjiang No. 1" and "Longjiang No. 2".

Covering a variety of application types

From the perspective of categories, these satellites named after place names can be divided into three categories. The first category is application satellites, mainly remote sensing satellites, which are mainly developed by commercial companies; the second category is technology verification and scientific exploration satellites, which are developed by universities, research institutes and commercial companies; the third category is popular science and experimental satellites.

Remote sensing satellites cover different types such as optical, radar, video, and electromagnetic spectrum monitoring. They operate in single-satellite, multi-satellite or constellation networking modes, integrate advanced technologies and innovative application models, have high ground resolution and observation accuracy, and have multiple working modes, forming a comprehensive earth observation capability.

For example, the "Beijing-2" constellation consists of three optical remote sensing satellites with a resolution of 0.8 meters. It realizes five imaging modes in orbit, including multi-view, strip, along-track stereo, cross-track stereo and regional, and can provide full-color images with a width of about 24 kilometers and a resolution of 0.8 meters and multi-spectral images of blue, green, red and near-infrared with a resolution of 3.2 meters. The number of "Jilin-1" satellites in orbit developed by Changguang Satellite Company has reached 29, which can revisit any location in the world 9 to 11 times a day. It is planned to complete the networking of 138 satellites during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.

"Qilu-1" is a high-resolution radar satellite, and "Qilu-4" is a high-resolution optical satellite, both of which have reached the highest observation accuracy of 0.5 meters in domestic civilian use. The two satellites integrate the most advanced technologies such as space laser links, satellite data processing, and space-to-ground information exchange.

Qilu Satellite

Technology verification and scientific exploration satellites cover many fields such as space science, deep space exploration, and technology verification. They test advanced technologies, are internationally advanced, and are of great significance. Harbin Institute of Technology's "Longjiang-1" and "Longjiang-2" lunar orbit formation ultra-long wave astronomical observation microsatellites were launched together with the Queqiao relay satellite of the Chang'e-4 lunar exploration project, conducting the world's first lunar orbit formation flight, and conducting ultra-long wave radio astronomical observation experiments on the far side of the moon, enriching human understanding of the universe.

Wuhan University's "Luojia-1" satellite is the world's first professional night-light remote sensing satellite. It is also equipped with a navigation enhancement payload to conduct satellite navigation signal enhancement and satellite-based Beidou integrity monitoring technology verification tests. The "Tongchuan-1" satellite is the first verification satellite of the gravitational wave electromagnetic counterpart detection program. It is equipped with a high-sensitivity X-ray polarization detector, conducts new astronomical observation experiments, and carries many scientific research and civil aerospace missions.

Tianyi Institute's "Yizhuang Quantutong No. 1•He Long" satellite is the world's first technology verification satellite for integrated communication, navigation and remote sensing applications. It is equipped with payloads such as an automatic ship identification system, integrated navigation and communication payloads, and advanced small-aperture satellite-borne cameras, providing services for professional and mass users.

Popular science and experimental satellites are mainly aimed at popular science activities for students. For example, the "Xibaipo" popular science satellite carries a micro-optical remote sensing camera, a programmable educational payload, a space-earth comparison laboratory payload, and Xibaipo spiritual information. The "Fengtai Youth No. 1" satellite belongs to the "Youth Small Satellite Program" project implemented by the Qian Xuesen Youth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology of the Donggaodi Youth Science and Technology Museum in Fengtai District. Middle school students participate in the satellite design and development process, aiming to improve students' scientific literacy.

Serving social and economic life

Judging from the launch time of satellites named after place names, satellites named after prefecture-level place names were launched earlier, mostly in 2018 and 2019. They are mainly technology verification satellites with smaller mass and simpler uses. The launch time of satellites named after provincial-level place names is relatively recent. "Inner Mongolia", "Qilu" and "Hainan" will all be launched in 2021. They are mainly aimed at various types of remote sensing information applications, with stronger systematic and large-scale development, and their goal is to promote industrial transformation in the region and promote social and economic development.

From the launch of Beijing-1 in 2005, to the Beijing-2 remote sensing constellation in 2015, and then to this year's Beijing-3 satellite, over the past 15 years, the Beijing series of remote sensing satellites have carried out innovative government business remote sensing application services in many parts of the country, and have continued to provide sustainable, safe, stable and reliable satellite remote sensing big data and space information comprehensive application services to more than a dozen national ministries and commissions such as the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Ministry of Emergency Management, as well as domestic and global users.

In the future, the Beijing series of remote sensing satellites will provide comprehensive space information application services for major national needs such as the modernization of the national governance system and governance capabilities, resource and environmental monitoring and management, ecological civilization construction, emergency management, national security, major projects such as the Beijing Winter Olympics and Xiongan New Area, and the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the protection of the Yangtze River, and the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, promote green development, and serve the social economy.

The Qilu satellite series has launched optical and radar imaging satellites, and will deploy about 20 remote sensing satellites to form a constellation in the next 3 to 5 years. The satellites are interconnected by lasers to quickly and timely transmit data. The Qilu satellite can provide regular, fast and accurate analysis for government public management, disaster prevention and mitigation, natural resource surveys, agricultural production testing, and bulk trade activities.

At the end of this year, the four satellites of the first phase of "Hainan No. 1" will be launched at an appropriate time, equipped with optical payloads and automatic ship identification systems, and together with the Sanya Satellite Ground Station, they will form a dynamic observation and application system for the South China Sea. This will enable every island and reef and every ship in the South China Sea to be under satellite monitoring, playing an important role in safeguarding sovereignty, protecting fishermen's distant ocean operations, and promptly completing search and rescue operations for maritime accidents.

Guiyang is a highland for the development of the big data industry. The Guiyang Municipal Government has entered into a strategic partnership with Zhuhai Orbita Corporation to launch the "Guiyang-1" satellite as a new platform for external publicity and promotion, to promote the construction of a satellite big data industry base, and to gather satellite data received by various ground stations in the country to the Guiyang Big Data Exchange for trading, thereby promoting the innovative application of satellite big data in multiple economic and social fields.

The "Ningxia No. 1" satellite project was launched in Zhongwei City, Ningxia, to carry out global electromagnetic spectrum signal monitoring. The products will be used in the fields of radio signal monitoring, counter-terrorism and stability maintenance, emergency rescue, and maritime rights protection. It will also drive the development of Ningxia's cloud computing and big data industries and improve related supporting industries upstream and downstream of the big data industry chain.

Future Outlook

"The stars are divided into Yi and Zhen, and the earth is connected to Heng and Lu." The ancients believed that the stars in the sky corresponded to various regions of the nine states. With the development of aerospace technology, artificial satellites have formed new stars in space, bringing more convenient guidance to people's social life. In particular, the development and application of satellites named after places give people a wonderful feeling of the past and present, and the reflection of heaven and earth.

The development of naming satellites after places reflects the prosperity of my country's space industry and commercial space. Compared with the past, my country has been more open to the space sector. With the policy support and encouragement of the government and relevant management departments, private space has developed rapidly in the fields of rocket launch, satellite manufacturing and measurement and control, as well as upstream and downstream industries.

The support from local governments is particularly strong. In recent years, local governments have introduced various preferential policies to attract private commercial aerospace companies to settle locally, providing all-round guarantees from local policies, financial support, and preferential financing methods, so that private aerospace companies can focus on technology research and development and application research. The support is also at the leading level internationally.

The two traditional aerospace companies, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, have opened up their supply chains, strengthened resource sharing and promoted technological development, opened up new business models and stimulated talent overflow, all of which have played a significant role in driving commercial aerospace.

At the same time, the public's interest in space is also increasing. Commercial space investment and financing activities are active, with the scale reaching new highs. The distribution of investment shows a trend of extending from manufacturing to operational services and supporting supply chains, especially the development and mass production capacity of satellites and launch vehicles, which attracts the most investment.

In the domestic aerospace boom, the development momentum of commercial satellite manufacturing is particularly strong. Commercial aerospace companies are developing various experimental satellites in niche areas and accumulating technical capabilities. The number of satellite manufacturing entities is growing rapidly, showing a trend of echelon and diversification. High performance, miniaturization, low cost, intelligence, standardization and scale have become the prominent characteristics of commercial satellite manufacturing.

Including related projects of the two "national teams" China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, as well as remote sensing constellations such as Chang Guang Satellite's Jilin-1 remote sensing constellation, Galaxy Aerospace's Galaxy broadband communication constellation, Orbit's "Zhuhai-1", the Zero Gravity Laboratory's "Lingque", and Chengdu Guoxing Aerospace's "AI Constellation", more than 30 constellation project construction plans have been released.

Beijing Universal Studios theme park photographed by Jilin-1 satellite

Most of these satellite constellations have launched test and verification satellites, and some constellations have made rapid progress and have begun to enter the implementation stage. In the future, under the star-studded sky, various constellations will jointly build a national civil space infrastructure that is independent, open, safe, reliable, and operates continuously and stably for a long time, forming comprehensive earth observation capabilities, integrated air-ground information networks, and comprehensive positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities, and more widely serve the national economic construction and various fields of social production and life.