China orbiting the World’s first 6G satellite Tianyan-5

The Tianyan-5 satellite is a remote-sensing satellite jointly developed by the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, distinct from other Tianyan satellites that are part of China's reconnaissance satellite program. This satellite is specifically associated with being the world's first 6G satellite, utilizing Terahertz waves for high-speed data transmission, potentially surpassing the capabilities of 5G networks.

China has launched the world’s first 6G satellite since the 6th of November, 2020. The satellite, named Tianyan-5, was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China’s Shanxi Province. It was carried into orbit along with 12 other satellites, including Earth-observing satellites from the Argentinian company Satellogic.

The Tianyan (Sky’s/Heaven’s Eye) 5 has been fully operational since the 11th of January, 2020 with the purpose to test and verify the performance of 6G technology in space. It is equipped with 6G architecture, which is a joint development of China Mobile and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The satellite aims to explore the use of high-frequency terahertz waves for data transmission, which could potentially achieve data transfer speeds much faster than 5G.

The 6G Star Core satellite, jointly developed by China Mobile and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, features a distributed autonomous architecture and supports in-orbit software reconstruction, flexible deployment of core network functions, and automated management, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the in-orbit operation of the satellite core network

While the launch of the 6G satellite is a significant development, 6G technology itself is still in the early stages of research and development. The telecom industry is several years away from agreeing on the specifications and standards for 6G. Therefore, the technology being tested on the satellite may not necessarily be the final standard for 6G but a leap forward.

The launch of the world’s first 6G satellite showcases China’s advancements in communication technologies and its commitment to pushing the boundaries of wireless networks.

The Argentinian company Satellogic launched Earth-observing satellites aboard a Chinese rocket that also carried the world’s first 6G satellite, Tianyan-5. This 6G satellite uses Terahertz waves for high-speed data transmission, potentially faster than 5G. Satellogic has a significant presence in space with 38 microsatellites in orbit, offering sub-meter resolution satellite imagery. Also, China deployed 10 small satellites for Satellogic, part of the Aleph-1 constellation, which provides real-time Earth imaging with high resolution.

satellogic
Satellogic

About Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

The Innovation Academy for Microsatellites (IAMC) is a major research institute in China focusing on micro-to-pico-scale satellite development and related technological innovations. IAMC has successfully launched 95 satellites into space without any failures, including notable projects like the Beidou navigation satellites, Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), Quantum Experiment satellite at Space Scale (QUESS), and others. IAMC operates on a “One institute, three locations” model with advanced facilities for scientific research and satellite development, covering a total area of over 95,000 square meters. The Tianyan-5 satellite is in an orbit with an inclination of 97.1 degrees.

China Mobile launched the world’s first 6G satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO), marking significant progress in communication technologies. These satellites offer lower latency, higher data transfer rates, adaptable orbit paths, and high-speed internet access, particularly beneficial for remote areas.

China Mobile aims to conduct in-orbit experiments on these test satellites to enhance space-to-ground technologies and contribute to the commercialization of 6G technologies by 2030.

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