Geely sends 9 satellites into orbit to support autonomous driving

Geespace — Geely Technology Group’s fully owned subsidiary — has successfully launched nine satellites into low Earth orbit.

The company shared in a statement that the  GeeSAT-1 orbiters are meant to “provide accurate positioning and connectivity support for use by automotive brands in the Geely Holding portfolio” that is set to “connect vehicles with vehicles and infrastructure with vehicles to realize true autonomous driving.”

The recently launched equipment form part of the “Geely Future Mobility Constellation” that will be made up of 240 satellites, with the next 72 from the initial phase expected to circumnavigate the globe by 2025. “The second phase will follow, consisting of 168 satellites,” the Chinese marque noted.

Geespace — which has a terrestrial base in Korla, China — reported that the newly-released machines in space are all functioning correctly after leaving Xichang Launch Center.

The first modular, high-resilience, high-performance, mass-produced low-orbit satellites from China will have an operating lifespan of five years in orbit. After its life cycle, the machines would “propel into the earth’s atmosphere, where they will disintegrate without leaving any space debris.”

Following its operation, Geespace — which is China’s first privately-owned developer, operator, and mass producer of low-orbit commercial satellites — has become one of the world’s first providers of combined commercial Precise Point Positioning and Real-Time Kinematic services (PPP-RTK).  

Planned applications in the near future, Geely said, include “working with logistic sector partners to create the first one-stop logistics monitoring service platform with real-time management and control of the transportation process; helping environmental protection by monitoring maritime water quality and identifying debris patches needed to be cleaned as part of the with Geely Holding’s “Blue Guardian” corporate social responsibility project; and empowering the upcoming Asian Games with high-precision positioning, remote sensing, and communication services.

The service coverage for the initial stage will be available to the Chinese market and the Asia-Pacific region, and will be expanded around the world after 2026.

“Many favorable factors such as policy support and market demand are accelerating the growth of the commercial aerospace sector. By establishing the Geely Future Mobility Constellation, Geespace is positioning itself to meet future user demands for high-precision positioning, space-based communication, and remote sensing services," Geespace Chief Executive Office Tony Wang was quoted as saying.

"In addition, by offering Geespace’s expertise and capabilities in commercial satellite production, AIT services, and satellite support infrastructure services to customers, new opportunities to develop have been opened in various sectors including smart mobility, consumer electronics, unmanned systems, smart cities, and environmental protection,” he added.

Created in 2018, Geespace features research and development centers in Shanghai, Xi’an, and Nanjing, operations centers in Guangzhou and Qingdao, business development centers in Beijing and Taizhou, and a highly-automated intelligent testing and production facility in Taizhou.

In September last year, Geely’s Intelligent Satellite Production and Testing Center began mass producing such products with an annual production capacity of 500 units.

Photos from Geely

Also read:

Geely bares 2045 carbon reduction, carbon neutrality targets

Geely acquires 34% of Renault Korea Motors

Geely Emgrand, Farizon M100 to be used for methanol test in Denmark