http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-11/06/c_139496906.htm/.../ Also on board the rocket were three satellites developed by Chinese high-tech companies and research institutes for remote-sensing observation, science experiments, and science popularization.
One of the three is a 6G test satellite, weighing 70 kg and named after one its developers, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. The satellite, carrying a terahertz satellite communication load, will establish a transceiver link on the satellite platform and carry out terahertz load tests.
The launch of the 6G test satellite marks a breakthrough in the exploration of terahertz space communication technologies in China's space field, said Xu Yangsheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
The satellite will be used in smart city construction, disaster prevention and mitigation, land planning, environmental protection, and the monitoring of major infrastructure construction.
Do we have any launch sequence info for CZ-6? Stage 1, 2, 3 burn and separation times? For this or the other missions?
Star Era-12 - the World’s First 6G Communications Test Satellite
Seems like Beihang Kongshi Weixing 1 is carrying a subsatellite called "Tiange Jihua 2".
In addition, the satellite carried the second experimental satellite payload of the Tiange Project, the Tiange Project II. The "Tiange Project" is a student-oriented scientific research and practice project oriented to the frontiers of basic sciences. It is also a basic science talent training project that intersects science and engineering.
...
This is the 11th space mission of the Tianyi Research Institute and the 19th satellite. Beihangxingsat-1 uses a new generation satellite platform developed by Tianyi, which inherits the high integration and high reliability of the previous generation satellite platform of Tianyi, and iteratively innovates on this basis to make the satellite platform load The ratio exceeds 1:3.
Seems like Beihang Kongshi Weixing 1 is carrying a subsatellite called "Tiange Jihua 2".
In addition, the satellite carried the second experimental satellite payload of the Tiange Project, the Tiange Project II. The "Tiange Project" is a student-oriented scientific research and practice project oriented to the frontiers of basic sciences. It is also a basic science talent training project that intersects science and engineering.
...
This is the 11th space mission of the Tianyi Research Institute and the 19th satellite. Beihangxingsat-1 uses a new generation satellite platform developed by Tianyi, which inherits the high integration and high reliability of the previous generation satellite platform of Tianyi, and iteratively innovates on this basis to make the satellite platform load The ratio exceeds 1:3.
Successfully fired its new iodine thruster (funded through ESA and France):
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Iodine_thruster_could_slow_space_junk_accumulation
An official report on the test:
https://www.thrustme.fr/post/49-world-s-first-demonstration-of-an-iodine-electric-propulsion-system-in-spaceWorld’s first demonstration of an iodine electric propulsion system in space
Posted on 18 November, 2021
ThrustMe has successfully tested an iodine-fuelled electric propulsion system in space and results of this historic demonstration have been published today in one of the leading scientific journals, Nature. These results confirm for the first time that iodine is not only a viable alternative to conventional xenon propellant, but that it also enables extreme propulsion system miniaturization. This provides small satellites with new maneuvering and space exploration potential, and critical new collision avoidance and deorbiting capabilities that will prove vital for the long-term sustainability of the space industry.
Propulsion is an important subsystem needed by many satellites to perform maneuvers in space and ensure mission success. Electric propulsion systems, such as ion thrusters, are a particularly attractive choice because of their very high fuel efficiency. Since satellites have limited power generation capability however, electric propulsion systems typically use a propellant that maximises their thrust-to-power ratio. Currently, the propellant of choice is almost exclusively the noble gas xenon (and to a lesser extent krypton).
Xenon however is rare (less than 1 part per 10 million in the atmosphere), expensive (around $3000/kg), and commercial production limited. Xenon is also used in competing applications in other sectors such as the medical, lighting, and semiconductor industries. Market projections estimate that more than 24 000 satellites could be launched within the next 10 years and most of them will require electric propulsion. Increasing space industry demand alone is expected to outpace supply in the coming years, and it is therefore critical that a viable replacement propellant be found. Iodine has been investigated as a possible game-changing alternative propellant within the space community by a number of universities, companies, and space agencies over the last 20 years, but no iodine propulsion system has previously been launched or tested in space.
“ThrustMe is pioneering the use of iodine within the space industry” says Dmytro Rafalskyi, CTO and co-founder of ThrustMe. “Iodine is significantly more abundant and cheaper than xenon, and has the added advantage that it can be stored unpressurized as a solid”. Xenon by comparison must be stored under high-pressure (typically 100-200x atmospheric pressure). Iodine also has a storage density almost 3x higher than xenon (and 9x higher than krypton). This enables significant simplification and miniaturization of propulsion systems. “ThrustMe has developed a revolutionary propulsion system with an iodine ion thruster, the NPT30-I2, which includes all needed subsystems and fits within a single package of roughly 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm” says Dmytro. Comparison with xenon shows that iodine gives an almost 50% performance enhancement.
After extensive testing and qualification, the first NPT30-I2 was integrated into the Beihangkongshi-1 satellite operated by Spacety and launched into space by a Long March 6 rocket on the 6 November 2020. Since then ThrustMe has been carefully analysing propulsion system and satellite data and comparing in-flight results with ground-based measurements. Results confirm successful operation with expected performance, and definite satellite orbital changes matching predictions based on propulsion system telemetry.
ThrustMe’s in-orbit demonstration is a world-first and results have now been rigorously peer-reviewed and published in one of the leading scientific journals, Nature. “Publication of these historic results is not only important for ThrustMe, but also for the space industry in general” says Ane Aanesland CEO and co-founder of ThrustMe. “Many new companies have entered the market in recent years but demonstrated evidence of flight heritage and performance transparency are missing. Having our results peer-reviewed and publically accessible provides the community with further confidence and helps to create a benchmark within the industry”.
Publication in a prominent journal like Nature highlights the evolving needs and challenges currently facing the space industry. The capability of modern electronics, and easier access to space, has resulted in a shift towards small satellites and new space-based applications for Earth observation, disaster management, climate change monitoring, urban planning, and global internet access. Until recently, suitable propulsion systems were not always available for small satellites due to their strict size constraints. Iodine however, allows significant miniaturization and gives unprecedented new maneuvering capabilities to such satellites. This capability extends beyond missions around the Earth, and high-performance miniaturized propulsion systems will prove instrumental in the coming decade as humanity returns to the Moon and expands further into space.
“The successful demonstration of the NPT30-I2 means we can proceed to the next step in the development of iodine propulsion. In parallel with our in-space testing we have developed new solutions allowing increased performance and have commenced an extensive ground-based endurance testing campaign to further push the limits of this new technology” says Dmytro.
About ThrustMe:
ThrustMe offers true turnkey, smart and streamlined in-orbit propulsion solutions, critical for the growing space industry facing new challenges due to the rise of satellite constellations. As experts in in-space propulsion, alternative space propellants, and satellite orbital maneuvering strategies, ThrustMe enables a future where space is used sustainably to create value both on Earth, and beyond. Founded in 2017 with a headquarters just south of Paris, France, ThrustMe has a complete portfolio of game-changing propulsion products that have been tested in space and delivered to customers worldwide.
Citation for the
Nature paper mentioned in the press release above. It is open-access.
Rafalskyi, D., Martínez, J.M., Habl, L. et al. In-orbit demonstration of an iodine electric propulsion system.
Nature 599, 411–415 (2021).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04015-yAbstract:
Propulsion is a critical subsystem of many spacecraft. For efficient propellant usage, electric propulsion systems based on the electrostatic acceleration of ions formed during electron impact ionization of a gas are particularly attractive. At present, xenon is used almost exclusively as an ionizable propellant for space propulsion. However, xenon is rare, it must be stored under high pressure and commercial production is expensive. Here we demonstrate a propulsion system that uses iodine propellant and we present in-orbit results of this new technology. Diatomic iodine is stored as a solid and sublimated at low temperatures. A plasma is then produced with a radio-frequency inductive antenna, and we show that the ionization efficiency is enhanced compared with xenon. Both atomic and molecular iodine ions are accelerated by high-voltage grids to generate thrust, and a highly collimated beam can be produced with substantial iodine dissociation. The propulsion system has been successfully operated in space onboard a small satellite with manoeuvres confirmed using satellite tracking data. We anticipate that these results will accelerate the adoption of alternative propellants within the space industry and demonstrate the potential of iodine for a wide range of space missions. For example, iodine enables substantial system miniaturization and simplification, which provides small satellites and satellite constellations with new capabilities for deployment, collision avoidance, end-of-life disposal and space exploration.