China advanced its commercial space ambitions with the successful offshore launch of 11 Geely-05 satellites early Tuesday, marking another milestone in its rapidly expanding satellite network program. The Smart Dragon-3 rocket lifted off at 3:48 a.m. local time from waters near Rizhao City in Shandong Province, deploying the satellites into preset orbits under the supervision of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
Strategic Offshore Launch
The sea-based mission – the seventh flight of the four-stage solid-propellant rocket – demonstrates China's growing launch flexibility. Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the Smart Dragon-3 can deliver 1.5-ton payloads to sun-synchronous orbits at 500 km altitude, positioning it as a key player in low Earth orbit deployments.
Expanding Global IoT Access
Operated by Geely Technology Group subsidiary GeeSpace, the Geely constellation aims to deploy 72 satellites by 2025 for worldwide commercial Internet of Things (IoT) communication services. This launch brings the network closer to its Phase 1 operational capacity, which promises enhanced data transmission for maritime, aviation, and logistics applications across Asia and beyond.
The mission underscores China's accelerating progress in commercial space infrastructure, combining state-backed launch expertise with private-sector innovation to compete in the global satellite services market.
