China launches long March-6 Rocket, expands satellite network

China successfully launched a Long March-6 carrier rocket early Friday, deploying 10 commercial satellites for Geespace, the space subsidiary of Chinese automotive company Geely, Azernews reports citing Xinhua News Agency,

The launch took place at 2:30 a.m. Beijing time (1830 GMT Thursday) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, marking the 534th mission of the Long March rocket series.

The satellites, part of the Geely Future Mobility Constellation, have successfully reached their designated orbits, expanding the network to a total of 30 satellites. This development allows Geespace to provide 24/7 communication coverage to 90% of the world, making it the first Chinese commercial aerospace company to offer global low Earth orbit satellite communication services.

Initiated in 2019, the project has made notable advancements, with three successful launches in 2022 and 2024. The Long March-6 rocket, also known as Chang Zheng-6, is a small-lift launch vehicle designed to carry satellites weighing under 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds), similar to the European Space Agency's Vega and Russia's Angara-1 launch vehicles.

This launch occurs amid recent reports by the US Space Command regarding debris from a previous Long March rocket detected in low-Earth orbit. Geespace aims to complete the first phase of its project by 2025, providing global coverage for vehicle-to-everything connectivity services.