Current Affairs - International - Discussion

China launched its first communication satellite, from a Long March 11 carrier rocket, to provide broadband internet services worldwide to rival Google and other firms. It is the first in the Hongyun project planned by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC). It weighs 247 kilogrammes and works in a sun-synchronous orbit about 1,100 kilometres above earth. Powered by solar arrays, the satellite would verify basic designs of Hongyun satellite and demonstrating low-orbit broadband communications technologies with a life span of more than 1 year.