Why does China launch so many satellites?

This article was reviewed by Liu Yong, space physicist, researcher at the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China's space science ambassador

China Central Radio and Television

China Radio International News Hyperlink Report

2021

China's space launches total 55 times this year

Set a new record and remain the world's number one

This year

Tianhe core module soars into the sky

China officially enters the space station era

"Xihe" achieves a breakthrough in China's solar exploration

The total number of Long March rocket launches has exceeded 400...

China's space industry has accomplished many feats

2022

China's space industry remains "busy"

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said

More than 40 launch missions are planned for 2022

Global

Countries with this launch capability

There are only a few

What’s the point of having so many satellites?

Never lose contact for you

In our country, which covers an area of ​​about 9.6 million square kilometers,

There are nearly 6.5 million ground communication base stations distributed

Covering more than 50% of my country’s land area

They support our daily communications

If the ground communication base station fails or is destroyed

The corresponding ground area will instantly become an information island

at this time

Communications satellites not limited by ground conditions

Extraordinary effect

Please watch horizontally

▲ Schematic diagram of communication satellite operation

After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

Communications interrupted in disaster area

After many twists and turns

The rescue team arrived only 31 hours after the earthquake.

The first phone call to the disaster area was connected via a foreign maritime satellite

▲ 2008 Wenchuan earthquake intensity map and communication interruption distribution map in the disaster area

Afterwards

my country realizes the weakness of satellite communication system

Rapidly launched China Mobile communications satellite project

On August 6, 2016

Launched my country's first mobile communications satellite

Tiantong No.1

Tiantong-1, known as the "Chinese version of maritime satellite"

Put into practical application

Flood season in 2019

my country's southern region suffered severe flood disasters

Communications and power outages in many parts of Guangxi

Satellite phone is the only means of external communication

Played an important role in flood relief work

▲ Tiantong-1 signal coverage

my country's satellite communication network is only in its infancy

The scope and scenarios of application are still very limited

but

"Rainbow Cloud Project", "Hongyan Constellation"

Two major mobile communication satellite systems

It is expected to gradually take shape in the near future

By then

We can not only

Using satellite WIFI on airplanes, high-speed trains, and cruise ships

You can also go outdoors

Switch between ground base station network and satellite network at any time

From now on

“Bad signal”

"The user you dialed is out of service area"

Will become history

▲ Schematic diagram of the "Hongyan constellation"

Navigating for you at all times

navigation

More than just GPS

BeiDou

Already came to you

▲ Download the "Beidou Assistant" APP to check the Beidou signal reception status of your mobile phone

Beidou chips are implanted in

Mobile phones, bracelets, student cards, senior citizen cards, etc.

In terminal equipment

Let you know your location at all times

Please watch horizontally

▲ Beidou Satellite

Since the first generation of Beidou satellite navigation system was built in 2000

Related applications are constantly being developed

6.17 million road vehicles

35,600 postal and courier vehicles

80,000 buses in 36 central cities

All of them have installed Beidou terminal system

Keep everything under your control

The power, gas and other industries also use the positioning function of Beidou

Developed monitoring systems suitable for each

For example

Beijing has more than 20,000 kilometers of gas pipelines

Tens of thousands of pressure regulating stations and gate wells

All under Beidou's positioning monitoring

The backend can accurately identify problematic pipelines and valves

And monitor whether the gas can reach you safely and smoothly at any time

Beidou has also made achievements in the field of agriculture

Based on precise navigation positioning function

Agriculture sector develops automated precision farming system

More than 9 provinces and regions have used this system on a large scale

It can

Accelerate farming efficiency

Reduce land waste

Can increase production

▲ Precision farming model

In the fisheries sector

my country currently has more than 40,000 fishing vessels equipped with Beidou receivers

Fishermen can not only know the location direction through satellite

You can also use Beidou's short message communication function

(Sending text messages via satellite)

Report safety to family members

now

Beidou escorts millions of fishermen

The contemporary "Mazu" is none other than it

▲Mysterious power from the East

For you, I will never drift away

The original intention of human beings to develop satellites

A big reason is national defense and security.

Through decades of accumulation

China already has extensive experience in the aerospace sector

Apart from traditional defense needs

People's livelihood is also a key area of ​​concern for satellite systems

"Wind and Cloud", "High Score", "Resources", "Environment", "Ocean"

The launch of many satellite series

This confirms that

Combining the Fengyun satellite detector and cloud map

my country has achieved weather forecast update within 10 minutes

Based on increasingly accurate forecasts and warnings

The production and life of the people are effectively guaranteed

▲ GIF of Fengyun-4 satellite cloud image (Typhoons Lekima and Rosa can be seen in the image) Source: China Meteorological Administration

Travel safety forecast

▲ National 24-hour fog forecast

Disaster Monitoring and Assessment

▲ Agricultural drought comprehensive detection map

Environmental safety

Pollution detection and response

......

It's hard to imagine

Without these satellites

What will our lives be like?

For you, I will never stop

In the matter of space exploration

We don't make lemons.

my country has launched

The Chang'e series of satellites exploring the moon

The Wukong probe detects dark matter particles

Insight-HXMT, an X-ray modulation telescope for searching black holes

The "Double Star Project" to detect the Earth's magnetic field

…

July 23, 2020

The Tianwen-1 probe was launched into space

December 17, 2020

Launch of Chang'e 5

Achieving sampling on the moon and returning to Earth

April 29, 2021

China's space station Tianhe core module successfully launched

…

Drafted by Qian Xuesen in 1956

Opinions on Establishing my country's National Defense Aviation Industry

It marked the beginning of China's space industry

April 24, 1970

The successful launch of Dongfanghong-1

Ignite the enthusiasm of Chinese people to explore space

For decades

The diligent pursuit of astronauts in the development of aerospace industry

For every one of you

In the sky you can't see

There are many Chinese satellites

Day and night operation

For you

Never Stop

Editor's Note: In this article, we have only selected some of the practical applications of satellites that are closely related to people's lives. In the process of collecting data, we found that satellites play a much more important role in human production and life. Due to space and vision limitations, we can only present a part of them to you. Here, we sincerely pay tribute to the staff working on the front line of the aerospace industry. It is you who make our lives better.

Source: Map Talk (ID: Map_BB)

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