China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile subscriber telecom carrier, has achieved a significant milestone by launching the world’s inaugural satellite for testing 6G architecture. This marks a pivotal advancement in exploring integrated space and ground communication technology.
The recent launch, reported by China Daily, highlighted a groundbreaking achievement in satellite technology. The test satellite, positioned in low-earth orbit, introduced innovative 6G design architecture. Accompanying it was another satellite showcasing China Mobile’s advanced 5G technology.
The 6G test satellite incorporates a distributed autonomous architecture jointly developed by China Mobile and the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Innovation Academy for Microsatellites. Utilizing domestic software and hardware, the system supports in-orbit software reconstruction, flexible deployment of core network functions, and automated management. This enhances the efficiency and reliability of the satellite core network’s in-orbit operation, as stated by China Mobile.
Situated at an orbit height of around 500 kilometres, these experimental satellites offer advantages such as low latency and high data transfer rates compared to high-orbit satellites at 36,000 kilometres. Positioned as a crucial platform for future integrated space and ground networks, low-earth orbit satellites can address signal coverage gaps in terrestrial mobile networks, providing globally higher bandwidth satellite internet services, according to China Mobile.
China Mobile has outlined plans to conduct in-orbit experiments based on these test satellites, aiming to accelerate the integration and development of space-to-ground technology industries, according to WAM.
