November 20, 2018 - China Launches Communication Satellite

You're looking at the wrong date — China's Tiantong-1 (02) communication satellite launched on November 13, 2020, not November 20, 2018. It lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 3B rocket. The satellite provides voice, messaging, and data services across China, the Middle East, Africa, and remote ocean regions. It's the second spacecraft in China's Tiantong-1 mobile network — and there's much more to this story worth exploring.

Key Takeaways

• China launched the Tiantong-1 (02) mobile communication satellite from Xichang Satellite Launch Center on November 13, 2020.
• The satellite was carried by a Long March 3B rocket into geostationary transfer orbit approximately 20 minutes after liftoff.
• Tiantong-1 (02) is the second spacecraft in China's Tiantong-1 mobile communication system, operated by China SatCom.
• The satellite provides voice, short message, and data services covering China, the Middle East, Africa, and major ocean regions.
• The program was designed to reduce China's dependence on foreign satellite mobile communications, comparable to Inmarsat's role globally.

What Was the Tiantong-1 (02) Satellite and Its Mission?

The Tiantong-1 (02) satellite is the second spacecraft in China's Tiantong-1 mobile communication system, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology on the DFH-4 platform. Weighing approximately 5,400 kg, it carries an S-band services payload and a large unfurlable dish antenna, enabling reliable mobile coverage across China, the Middle East, Africa, and vast stretches of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

You can think of it as China's answer to Inmarsat, breaking foreign dominance in satellite mobile communications. It delivers all-weather voice, short message, and data services, targeting users in remote mountains, plateaus, and open seas.

China SatCom operates the satellite, with China Telecom offering satellite phone services through the network, and Huawei's Mate60 series directly integrating its capabilities. The satellite was launched aboard a Long March 3B rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center on November 13, 2020. The launch took place at 23:59 Beijing Time, marking a late-night liftoff from the Sichuan province facility.

Which Rocket Carried the Tiantong-1 (02) to Orbit?

Delivering such a capable satellite to geosynchronous orbit required an equally capable rocket. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp selected the Long March 3B for this mission, launching from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center's Long March 3B launchpad at 11:59 pm local time. China had previously used the Long March-7 Y2 rocket to launch the Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft to the Tiangong-2 space lab in April 2017.

Here's what made this launch significant:

• Proven reliability: The Long March 3B specializes in geosynchronous insertion missions, making it the ideal vehicle for Tiantong 1-02
• Precision delivery: The rocket successfully placed the satellite into its intended geosynchronous orbit following separation
• Fleet expansion: Once activated, Tiantong 1-02 connected with Tiantong 1-01 already in orbit, strengthening China's communication network

You can see why CASC trusted this rocket — it delivered exactly as expected. The Tianzhou resupply ship itself was developed using technology prototyped by Tiangong 1, China's first space laboratory, which launched in 2011 aboard a CZ-2F rocket from Jiuquan. Much like Project Loon, which relied on LTE technology to connect users in remote areas without requiring special equipment, Tiantong 1-02 aimed to extend reliable communication services to underserved regions.

What Orbit Did the Satellite Target?

Reaching geostationary orbit required two distinct phases. First, the Long March 3B placed Tiantong-1-02 into a geostationary transfer orbit roughly 20 minutes after liftoff. This elliptical path stretched from a perigee of 105 miles (170 km) to an apogee of 22,257 miles (35,820 km), with an inclination of 28.4 degrees to the equator.

From there, the satellite used its own onboard propulsion to circularize its orbit over several days, transitioning to its final geostationary position at 35,786 km above the equator. At that altitude, the satellite's velocity matches Earth's rotation, keeping it fixed over a single ground point.

This stable position lets it deliver continuous S-band mobile voice and data services, networked alongside Tiantong-1-01 for broader coverage. Canada's Anik A1, launched in 1972, was among the first satellites to demonstrate that a single geostationary platform could provide continent-wide coverage including remote northern communities previously unreachable by reliable communications infrastructure. The satellite was built on the DFH-4 satellite bus developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, a platform also used by its predecessor in the constellation. The Tiantong-1 series was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, one of the world's busiest spaceports, located in Sichuan province.

How Did This Launch Fit China's Record-Breaking 2018?

Once Tiantong-1-02 settled into its geostationary slot, it became the 37th successful Chinese orbital launch of 2018—a year that shattered the country's own records.

China's launch cadence in 2018 reflected serious program scaling, pushing well past the previous national record of 22 launches set in 2016.

You can see just how dramatic that growth was:

• China broke its 2016 record as early as late July 2018
• The 39 total launches represented a 77% increase over 2016
• Every single launch succeeded, reinforcing operational reliability

With only two launches remaining after November 20, China was finalizing a historic year.

Multiple rocket variants, three active launch sites, and diverse payloads all contributed to sustaining this remarkable pace throughout the calendar year. CASC had set an internal target of around 35 launches for 2018, a goal the program ultimately surpassed by year's end. Among the year's milestones was the October launch of Haiyang 2B, an ocean dynamic satellite lifted by a Long March 4B rocket into polar orbit from the Taiyuan launch base.

What Does the Tiantong-1 (02) Launch Mean for China's Satellite Future?

Tiantong-1 (02) does more than add a second satellite to China's mobile communication network—it anchors a system designed to break dependence on foreign infrastructure entirely.

You're watching industrial policy in action: a project born from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, approved in 2011, and now delivering a three-satellite constellation covering the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and surrounding oceans.

Each launch builds institutional knowledge, refining the DFH-4 platform and expanding capability.

Rather than relying on international collaboration for critical communication resilience, China's developing its own sovereign backbone.

That backbone already powers devices like the Huawei Mate 60 and supports maritime, military, and disaster response operations.

With Tiantong-1 (03) and (04) following, you're seeing a deliberate, expanding architecture—not a one-time achievement. The satellite was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, the same organization responsible for building China's space station modules and Shenzhou spacecraft.

The network is operated and marketed by China Telecom, providing voice communications, messaging, and data services to subscribers using small hand-held terminals across China and beyond.