Chongqing- China successfully launched four Tianmu-1 meteorological satellites into Earth orbit recently using a Kuaizhou-1A solid-fuel carrier rocket, the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) said. 

The carrier launched Tianmu-1-07, Tianmu-1-08, Tianmu-1-09, and Tianmu-1-10 satellites were developed by Aerospace Tianmu (Chongqing) Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., an enterprise settled in Western (Chongqing) Science City.

A Kuaizhou 1A carrier rocket blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, July 20, 2023. (Photo/ Xinhua)

The Tianmu-1 meteorological satellite constellation, China's premier low-orbit meteorological satellite system, was developed for commercial use. This groundbreaking system supports four major navigation frameworks: BeiDou, GPS, Galileo, and Glonass.

It's designed to carry GNSS occultation payloads, marking a significant advancement in the realm of integrated three-dimensional exploration of the ocean, atmosphere, and ionosphere. It also fetches a wide array of global parameters, including atmospheric, terrestrial, and sea surface data.

Aerospace Tianmu took the opportunity to officially launch the Tianmu Meteorological Exploration Constellation Project at the Ninth China (International) Commercial Space Summit Forum. The project aims to serve the Belt and Road Initiative and foster global meteorological monitoring, forecasting, and services.

Over the course of the year, 10 Tianmu-1 satellites have been successfully launched and are operating with optimal stability in their orbits.

Compared to traditional meteorological remote sensing data, the Tianmu-1 occultation data offers high precision and vertical resolution without the need for calibration. This has considerably enhanced the ability to capture global atmospheric information. Currently, this data is under review by the China Meteorological Administration.

Converging upstream and downstream industrial chains of satellites

Chongqing's proactive strategy towards promoting the aerospace industry has encouraged the convergence of the upstream and downstream industrial chains of satellites, including applications and space network connections.

As a result of deeper collaboration between the central and local government, Chongqing welcomed significant projects from the CASIC, the Space Electromagnetic Spectrum Research Institute, and the low-orbit satellite constellations project in February. These major initiatives found their home in the Western (Chongqing) Science City, where Aerospace Tianmu was also unveiled.

Aerospace Tianmu anticipates launching data services in 2023 and completing its constellation system by 2025. This system will provide a wide array of services, encompassing high-precision weather prediction, civil aviation route meteorological service, and oceanic meteorological navigation.

By 2025, Chongqing plans to establish a national satellite Internet industry innovation center. Furthermore, by 2030, the city aims to create a satellite Internet comprehensive application demonstration zone and nurture three to five listed companies. This ambitious plan will propel the formation of a space information industry cluster worth over 100 billion.

The Western (Chongqing) Science City is a key initiative that caters to national innovation requirements. It fosters high-quality development and living standards, addresses the existing gaps in Chongqing's innovation development, and plays a critical role in advancing the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.