Geely subsidiary Geespace, China’s first privately owned operator and producer of low earth orbit (LEO) commercial satellites, has launched its first nine satellites for logistics monitoring and autonomous vehicles.

This was the inaugural launch for an expected 240 satellite constellation, with the first phase of 72 satellites expected to be completed by 2025. The satellites were launched from the Xichang launch centre.

The constellation will provide services for autonomous driving, logistics, drone navigation, mapping and other fields. The sustainably developed satellites are said to leave no debris after designed operating lifespan.

Geespace’s terrestrial base station in Korla, China, has reported that it has connected the first nine GeeSat-1 satellites and all are functioning correctly post launch. These first satellites are part of a planned constellation that will consist of 240 satellites, with the first phase of 72 satellites expected to be placed in orbit by 2025. The second phase will follow consisting of 168 satellites.

GeeSat-1 is the first modular, high-resilience, high-performance, mass-produced low-orbit satellites in China. The satellites will provide centimetre accurate precise positioning and connectivity support for use by automotive brands in the Geely portfolio, enabling safe autonomous driving that will connect vehicles with vehicles and infrastructure with vehicles to realise true autonomous driving.

Once in orbit, the sustainably developed satellites have an operating lifespan of five years, after which the satellites propel themselves into the earth’s atmosphere, where they will disintegrate without leaving any space debris.

With the launch and operation of the satellites, the company says it will become one of the world’s first providers of combined commercial PPP-RTK precise point positioning and real-time kinematic services.

Planned applications in the near future include working with logistic sector partners to create a one-stop logistics monitoring service platform with real-time management and control of the transportation process, helping protect the environment with Geely’s Blue Guardian CSR project by monitoring maritime water quality and identifying debris patches to be cleaned. They will also empower the upcoming Asian Games with precision positioning, remote sensing and satellite communication services.

Geespace operates and manages its satellite constellation through a network of ground stations in China established in Qingdao, Taizhou, Korla, Chengdu and Harbin. Initially, service coverage will be provided to the Chinese market and the Asia-Pacific region with plans for expanding global coverage after 2026.

“Many favourable factors such as policy support and market demand are accelerating the growth of the commercial aerospace sector,” said Tony Wang, CEO of Geespace. “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. 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.”

Since its formation in 2018, Geespace has built an industrial chain for the development, production and operation of satellites with R&D centres in Shanghai, Xi’an and Nanjing, operations centres in Guangzhou and Qingdao, business development centres in Beijing and Taizhou, and an automated intelligent satellite testing and production facility in Taizhou.

In September 2021, Geely’s intelligent satellite production and testing centre began mass production of commercial satellites with an annual production capacity of 500 units. Through intelligent modular manufacturing, Geespace can produce high-quality, customisable satellites to meet the growing global demand for commercial satellites. The GeeSat-1 is said to be the first of many satellite models from Geespace.