Xichang Mission Delivers Four More Constellation Test Satellites [Long March 2D Y109]
Spacecraft to improve space-based connectivity services have again been placed into orbit by one of China's workhorse launch vehicles.
At Launch Complex 3 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2D lifted off at 14:35 pm China Standard Time (06:35 am Universal Coordinated Time) on April 24th, heading for low Earth orbit with a few test spacecraft.
Those spacecraft being launched were four Weixing Hulianwang Jishu Shiyan (卫星互联网技术试验卫星), translating to Satellite Internet Technology Experimental Satellite, for testing new systems and upgrades to China’s space-based connectivity mega-constellations. Upgrades mentioned today included direct-to-device services and the joining of terrestrial and orbital networks. GalaxySpace (银河航天), a commercial satellite manufacturer, made at least one of the test satellites, while the others likely came from state-owned space enterprises.
Any breakthroughs made with the satellite will primarily be applied to the Central Government-supported GuoWang (国网) mega-constellation. With today’s launch, twenty-nine test satellites have been launched since 2021, with five in 2026.
Designs of recent test satellites are not known, but they are likely similar to operational GuoWang spacecraft, which has limited details confirmed.
This flight used a 4.2-meter-diameter composite fairing, introduced on the Long March 2D’s previous mission, for the second time with specific adaptations to handle Xichang’s wetter environment (compared to the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center). Electrical and onboard telemetry systems were also said to have been optimized.
Today’s launch was the 104th mission for the Long March 2D, the 264th Long March vehicle from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, and the 639th launch of the Long March launch vehicle series. This was also the 25th launch from China in 2026.
Liftoff footage via Cosmic Penguin on Twitter.
Check out the previous Long March 2D launch
What is the Long March 2D?
This section is for those less familiar with China’s Long March series of launch vehicles.
The Long March 2D is also one of the oldest launch vehicles from China, performing missions regularly to low Earth and sun-synchronous orbits by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, as a two-stage version of the Long March 4 vehicles. The two stages of the launch vehicle both burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
3,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit
1,300 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launch pad, the Long March 2D is 41.05 meters tall and weighs 232,250 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the fairing having a diameter of either 3.35, 3.8, 4, or 4.2 meters.
So far, the Long March 2D has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
