Satellite will test plan for communications network

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the nation's largest missile maker, will launch a satellite this year to demonstrate technologies for a vast space-based communications network capable of covering every corner on the Earth, including the Arctic and Antarctica.

Zhang Zhongyang, president of the CASIC Second Academy, said engineers are assembling the satellite and plan to place it into a low-Earth orbit before the end of this year to verify low-orbit broadband communication technologies to be used on the Hongyun satellite constellation.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of the First Plenary Session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which opened on Saturday in Beijing. Zhang is a member of the top political advisory body.