How many satellites does China have: revealing the “Chinese power” in the space field
In recent years, China's aerospace industry has developed vigorously, with the number of satellites and technological level ranking among the top in the world. This article will combine hot topics and structured data from the entire network in the past 10 days to comprehensively analyze the current status of China's satellites in orbit and their position in the global space pattern.
1. Total number of Chinese satellites and global ranking
According to the latest statistics, the number of satellites in orbit in China has exceeded 500, making China the second largest satellite owner after the United States. The following is a comparison of the number of satellites in major spaceflight countries in 2024:
| country | Number of satellites in orbit | Global share |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 3,433 pieces | 58% |
| China | 541 pieces | 9% |
| Russia | 172 pieces | 3% |
| United Kingdom | 156 pieces | 2.6% |
| Japan | 93 pieces | 1.6% |
2. China satellite classification details
Chinese satellites cover many fields such as communications, navigation, remote sensing, scientific research, etc. The following is the specific classification data:
| Satellite type | Quantity | representative system |
|---|---|---|
| navigation satellite | 55 pieces | Beidou system |
| communication satellite | 48 pieces | Zhongxing series |
| remote sensing satellite | 237 pieces | High score series |
| scientific experiment satellite | 62 pieces | Wukong |
| technology test satellite | 139 pieces | Practice series |
3. Analysis of launch trends in recent years
China's satellite launches are accelerating. The following is the launch data in the past five years:
| Year | Number of launches | Number of satellites successfully launched | Main achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 39 times | 89 pieces | Beidou-3 global network completed |
| 2021 | 48 times | 103 pieces | Space station core module launch |
| 2022 | 53 times | 121 pieces | The space station is fully completed |
| 2023 | 56 times | 142 pieces | Reusable experimental spacecraft |
| 2024 (first half of the year) | 28 times | 67 pieces | Queqiao 2 relay star |
4. Detailed explanation of popular satellite systems
1.Beidou Navigation System: A global satellite navigation system composed of 55 satellites with centimeter-level positioning accuracy and global service capabilities equivalent to GPS.
2.High-resolution remote sensing system: Contains 16 Gaofen series satellites, which can achieve sub-meter resolution observations and cover the world once a day.
3.Hongyan constellation: It plans to launch 300 low-orbit communication satellites, and has completed the first batch of networking, which will provide global Internet of Things services.
5. Future Development Plan
According to the "2021-2025 Aerospace Development Plan", China will focus on promoting the following projects:
| Project name | Planned number of satellites | Estimated completion time |
|---|---|---|
| National Satellite Internet Project | 1,296 pieces | 2030 |
| remote sensing satellite constellation | 200+ pieces | 2025 |
| Beidou system upgrade | 12 new ones added | 2026 |
6. International cooperation satellite projects
China actively participates in international space cooperation and currently participates in international satellite projects including:
| Project name | Cooperating countries | China's contribution |
|---|---|---|
| SMILE satellite | ESA | Provide payload |
| Chang'e 6 | France/Italy | Carrying international payloads |
| Sustainable development big data satellite | United Nations | Leading the construction |
Conclusion
From 541 satellites in orbit to a thousand constellations in planning, China is expanding its space territory at an alarming rate. Satellites are not only a symbol of national strength, but also provide strong support for economic and social development. With the rise of commercial aerospace and the deepening of international cooperation, China's satellite network will become more complete and provide better space services to global users.
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