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China planning new satellites to back its Belt and Road initiative
2015-04-29
China's "Belt and Road" strategy has been seen as providing new opportunities for its economic development. To ensure good satellite reception in the area covered by the projected trade routes, Chinese government agencies have begun cooperation with private companies to plan a program to launch several communications satellites in the next three to five years, according to Shanghai's China Business Journal.
On March 28, Beijing announced the "Vision and Actions on Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road," which detailed the various aspects of the envisioned process, the main focus of China's economic development in the future.
The framework of the project includes linking Asia, Europe and Africa by means of the Silk Road Economic Belt through China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe, a link through Central Asia and West Asia to the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean, and a sea-land corridor linking China with Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Indian Ocean, and through the South China Sea to the South Pacific.
The regions are comprised of various landscapes, including mountains, seas and deserts. Some of the areas are not well covered by existing satellites and will not be able to meet future needs in the areas of big data transmission, business and entertainment under the Belt and Road plan, said Li Feng of the China Academy of Space Technology.
Internet connection problems in the areas covered by the plan may occur if there is no universal planning on satellite coverage, said Li.
"If you are using the internet service, for business or for entertainment, on a plane traveling in the Belt and Road region, the connection may be unstable or even be interrupted when passing through areas covered by different satellite signals," he said.
Such a situation would be a disadvantage for business exchanges.
The China Satellite Communications, the main satellite company in China, is planning to launch new satellites using Ka-band frequency that will cover the "belt and road" region in the coming years, a source told the China Business Journal.
The Ka-band satellite system has gained worldwide popularity and is growing rapidly. The advantages of using Ka-band satellites include higher speeds and requiring a smaller satellite dish for operations.
However, China needs to undertake more effort to make a breakthrough in this area.
Meanwhile, the China Satellite Communications announced recently on its website its partnership with the China Railway Signal & Communication, which plays a key part in the push for the "belt and road" plan.
Asked whether its new satellites will cover areas included in the Belt and Road initiative, the China Satellite Communications, however, did not provide a response.
Meanwhile, China has made improvements to its communication satellite technologies in recent years and become one of the world's leaders in satellite manufacturing.
"China is able to secure a place amid competition against Europe and the United States and continues to receive orders, because of the good quality of the communication satellites it produces and its on-time delivery," said Li.
The world is seeing a surge in the need of satellite repeaters and the trend will continue until 2020. Government purchases of satellites and private investments in the sector have been on the increase in Africa and the Middle East region, according to the report.
The development of big data transmission and the needs in the business and entertainment industry will come with the Belt and Road blueprint, which will provide a large market for manufacturing and launches of satellites, said an industry source.
"We've been hoping that Premier Li Keqiang will promote China's satellite programs as he travels overseas," another industry source said.
There exists a giant industry behind the more than 1,000 satellites all over the world. In the year 2011 alone, global satellite industry revenue had reached US$177.3 billion, which represented a 175% increase from 2001, statistics showed.
2015-04-29
China's "Belt and Road" strategy has been seen as providing new opportunities for its economic development. To ensure good satellite reception in the area covered by the projected trade routes, Chinese government agencies have begun cooperation with private companies to plan a program to launch several communications satellites in the next three to five years, according to Shanghai's China Business Journal.
On March 28, Beijing announced the "Vision and Actions on Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road," which detailed the various aspects of the envisioned process, the main focus of China's economic development in the future.
The framework of the project includes linking Asia, Europe and Africa by means of the Silk Road Economic Belt through China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe, a link through Central Asia and West Asia to the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean, and a sea-land corridor linking China with Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Indian Ocean, and through the South China Sea to the South Pacific.
The regions are comprised of various landscapes, including mountains, seas and deserts. Some of the areas are not well covered by existing satellites and will not be able to meet future needs in the areas of big data transmission, business and entertainment under the Belt and Road plan, said Li Feng of the China Academy of Space Technology.
Internet connection problems in the areas covered by the plan may occur if there is no universal planning on satellite coverage, said Li.
"If you are using the internet service, for business or for entertainment, on a plane traveling in the Belt and Road region, the connection may be unstable or even be interrupted when passing through areas covered by different satellite signals," he said.
Such a situation would be a disadvantage for business exchanges.
The China Satellite Communications, the main satellite company in China, is planning to launch new satellites using Ka-band frequency that will cover the "belt and road" region in the coming years, a source told the China Business Journal.
The Ka-band satellite system has gained worldwide popularity and is growing rapidly. The advantages of using Ka-band satellites include higher speeds and requiring a smaller satellite dish for operations.
However, China needs to undertake more effort to make a breakthrough in this area.
Meanwhile, the China Satellite Communications announced recently on its website its partnership with the China Railway Signal & Communication, which plays a key part in the push for the "belt and road" plan.
Asked whether its new satellites will cover areas included in the Belt and Road initiative, the China Satellite Communications, however, did not provide a response.
Meanwhile, China has made improvements to its communication satellite technologies in recent years and become one of the world's leaders in satellite manufacturing.
"China is able to secure a place amid competition against Europe and the United States and continues to receive orders, because of the good quality of the communication satellites it produces and its on-time delivery," said Li.
The world is seeing a surge in the need of satellite repeaters and the trend will continue until 2020. Government purchases of satellites and private investments in the sector have been on the increase in Africa and the Middle East region, according to the report.
The development of big data transmission and the needs in the business and entertainment industry will come with the Belt and Road blueprint, which will provide a large market for manufacturing and launches of satellites, said an industry source.
"We've been hoping that Premier Li Keqiang will promote China's satellite programs as he travels overseas," another industry source said.
There exists a giant industry behind the more than 1,000 satellites all over the world. In the year 2011 alone, global satellite industry revenue had reached US$177.3 billion, which represented a 175% increase from 2001, statistics showed.
